What a Home Costs in Ireland Right Now
Start with the honest number. In 2026 the median home price nationally is around €390,000, but the average hides a wide gap. In Dublin the median sits near €475,000, while across much of the rest of the country it is closer to €340,000. Where you buy changes everything about your deposit, your mortgage and your eligibility for the buyer schemes below.
Prices have been broadly stable but firm, supported by low supply and steady demand. Do not assume a bargain is around the corner — budget for today's market, not the one you wish existed.
How Much Deposit and Mortgage You Can Get
Two sets of rules decide how much house you can afford: the Central Bank's lending limits and your own savings.
The Central Bank caps how much you can borrow in two ways. The loan-to-income (LTI) limit lets first-time buyers borrow up to 4 times gross annual income; second and subsequent buyers are capped at 3.5 times. The loan-to-value (LTV) limit sets your minimum deposit: first-time buyers need at least 10% of the price, while movers and other buyers typically need 20%.
Put those together with a concrete example. A first-time-buyer couple earning €80,000 between them could borrow up to roughly €320,000 (4 × income), and on a €360,000 home would need a €36,000 deposit (10%). Mortgage interest rates on new Irish agreements averaged about 3.5% in spring 2026 and are expected to hold around 3.5%–3.7%, so factor that into your monthly repayment sums.
The Buyer Schemes That Cut Your Deposit
Ireland runs two major supports for buyers of new-build homes, and understanding them is often worth thousands.
Help to Buy (HTB) is a tax rebate from Revenue for first-time buyers of a new build. You can claim back income tax and DIRT you paid over the previous four tax years, up to 10% of the purchase price and capped at a maximum of €30,000. The home must cost no more than €500,000. This money goes toward your deposit, so it directly reduces what you need to save.
The First Home Scheme (FHS) is a shared-equity arrangement where the State co-invests in your home to bridge the gap between your mortgage and the price. It can provide up to 30% of the value — but if you also use Help to Buy, the First Home contribution is reduced to a maximum of 20%. Price caps vary by county, with Dublin, Cork, Galway, Kildare, Meath, Wicklow and Louth set higher than elsewhere. Always check the current caps on firsthomescheme.ie before you rely on it.
The Taxes and Fees You Cannot Skip
Beyond the deposit, buying triggers several one-off costs. Stamp duty on residential property is 1% of the price up to €1 million, 2% on the portion between €1 million and €1.5 million, and 6% above €1.5 million. For most buyers that means 1% — roughly €3,600 on a €360,000 home.
Then there are professional fees: a solicitor for conveyancing (typically low four figures plus outlay), a bank valuation, and a surveyor's structural report if you are buying second-hand. None of these is optional in practice, so add a few thousand euro on top of your deposit.
The Ongoing Cost of Owning a Home
Owning does not stop at the purchase. The big recurring charge is Local Property Tax (LPT), which you owe for 2026 if you owned a residential property on 1 November 2025. It is based on your property's market value on that date.
For the 2026–2030 valuation period the bands were widened by 20% to soften rising values. Band 1 (€0–€240,000) costs €95 a year, Band 2 (€240,001–€315,000) is €235, and Band 3 (€315,001–€420,000) is €333. The base rate is 0.0906% of value up to €1.26 million. From 2026, local authorities can raise LPT by up to 25% or cut it by up to 15%, so your exact bill depends on your county council.
On top of LPT, budget for home insurance (usually a mortgage condition), maintenance, and — if you buy an apartment or managed development — annual management fees, which can run to four figures.
Your Step-by-Step Route to Owning
Here is the sequence that keeps buyers sane:
- Build your deposit and check your Central Bank borrowing limit (4× income, 10% deposit as a first-timer).
- Get mortgage approval in principle from a lender or broker so you know your true budget.
- Register for Help to Buy and, if relevant, First Home Scheme eligibility before you go house-hunting.
- Find a home, make an offer, and go "sale agreed".
- Instruct a solicitor and a surveyor; your lender issues the formal loan offer.
- Pay stamp duty, complete the purchase, and get your keys.
- Register for LPT and set up your ongoing costs.
➡️ Wondering about rates? Compare fixed vs variable mortgage rates in Ireland.
➡️ Curious where the market is heading? See what the Irish housing numbers mean for buyers.
Quick summary
- Median home ~€390,000 nationally, ~€475,000 in Dublin.
- First-timers: borrow up to 4× income, 10% deposit; rates ~3.5%.
- Help to Buy: up to €30,000 rebate on new builds under €500,000.
- First Home Scheme: up to 30% equity (20% if combined with HTB).
- Stamp duty 1% up to €1m; LPT from €95/year depending on value band.
Ready to find out what you can actually borrow? Before you fall for a listing, get a clear mortgage approval-in-principle so you house-hunt with a real budget. Compare lenders' rates and terms with an independent broker, and line up your Help to Buy and First Home Scheme paperwork early — the buyers who save the most are the ones who prepare before they view.