Tag Archives: irish
Residential asking prices up 5% across Ireland in second quarter of 2016
Asking prices for newly listed properties in Ireland increased by 5% nationally and by 3.6% in Dublin in the second quarter of 2016, the latest figures show. As housing supply continues to decline, average time to sale agreed has fallen to just four months, according to the property report from MyHome in association with Davy. The report says that Brexit may dampen medium term expectations but the UK’s decision to leave the European Union is not expected to have material impact on the Irish housing market in 2016. It also says that while the sharp gains in asking prices mainly reflect the recovery in house prices across the country with newly listed properties in Dublin rising by a more modest amount this is still four times the 0.9% increase recorded in the capital in the first quarter of the year. The mix adjusted asking price for new sales nationally is now €231,000 and €326,000 in Dublin, an increase of €11,000 for both markets compared with the first quarter of the year. For the entire stock of properties listed for sale on the MyHome website the national mix adjusted figure is €213,000, up 2.5%, the biggest quarterly increase since the third quarter of 2006. In Dublin the figure is €296,000, up 2%, which brings it back above the level seen in the second quarter of 2011. The author of the report, Conall MacCoille, chief economist at Davy, said the supply shortage and wage inflation were the key factors underpinning the latest price surge and pointed out that the number of homes for sale is down 6.7% on last year to 23,520, which is close to historical lows. ‘Not surprisingly properties are selling increasingly quickly with the average ‘sale agreed’ time falling to just four months, a new low. Outside of Dublin it has fallen to 4.8 months, the first time it has fallen below five since the financial crisis of 2008. While the government has outlined ambitious housing plans, there is no prospect of the shortage of housing supply being alleviated by new construction in the near term,’ he explained. ‘At the same time, home buyers are feeling the heat and reacting to the lack of supply by taking out ever higher mortgage debts, helped by rising wages and growing consumer confidence. In May the average mortgage approval for house purchase rose to €208,000, the first time that the average mortgage approval has exceeded €200,000 since the series began in 2011,’ he added. MacCoille believes that overall the data points to sharp gains in Irish house prices through the remainder of 2016. ‘While the potential impact of Brexit remains something of a wild card, its overall impact on the Irish economy and broader fears regarding the health of the European economy could help to temper medium term expectations for house price growth,’ he said. ‘However that probably won’t emerge until… Continue reading
Call for housing and property skills shortage in Ireland to be addressed
A skills shortage is set to affect Ireland’s ability to address its housing crisis and infrastructure deficit, it is claimed. In particular there is a shortfall of qualified graduates coming into the profession, according to the newly elected president of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) Claire Solon, a chartered planning and development surveyor. Research carried out by the Society earlier this year revealed that over 2,000 new job opportunities are expected to be created across the surveying profession in the next four years. However, based on current enrolment numbers, there will only be enough construction and property related surveying graduates to fill just over half of them and Solon it was imperative to have the qualified personnel to meet the needs of the Irish economy. ‘It’s not only the construction of homes that we need these qualified graduates, it’s also for the delivery of infrastructure that our country needs to keep pace with the growth of the economy, such as office buildings, hotels, roads and bridges,’ she explained. ‘I will be looking at several ways in which we can combat this shortage to get graduates into the workforce faster such as on the job training programmes as well as accelerating routes for those interested in becoming surveyors,’ she added. This will included a media campaign to encourage students to choose construction and property courses. ‘We’re working with accredited colleges and in-house to develop part time and and modular programmes which enables people to work while studying or to convert graduates from other areas like business or economics into the property & construction sector,’ Solon pointed out. She also said that women only account for one fifth of the Society’s membership and that needed to change. ‘When speaking with female graduates, they often say that they were unaware of the vast array of professions that exist within the surveying umbrella. So I believe communication is key here, to really highlight the variety of careers within surveying,’ said Solon. She pointed out that a chartered planning and development surveyor can be involved in managing teams from the initial viability study to the delivery of major building projects while a chartered facilities manager could be tasked with organising the operation of high spec office premises for technology companies such as Facebook, Google or Ebay. ‘If you prefer the outdoor life, chartered geomatic surveyors spend most of their time on site, now using high powered drones and sophisticated technology to map and survey land,’ she added. Continue reading
Buyers of prime country property in Ireland favour Cork and Wicklow, a new report shows
Cork and Wicklow are the most popular rural locations for country home buyers in the €1 million plus price bracket in Ireland, new research shows. According to the analysis from property consultants Savills Ireland, this suggests that many of those seeking the benefits of country living are also looking to remain within arm’s reach of major cities, be it for shopping and entertainment purposes, prestigious schools or access to good road links and international airports. Indeed, Savills sales data support this view, with a disproportionate number of transactions located in Dublin and neighbouring counties, and along national arterial routes. The report also highlighted that while domestic buyers account for a majority of Savills country homes sales, the single biggest deal in each of the last three years was a cash purchase from the UK or the United States. In addition, Savills noted a greater level of interest from American applicants, many of whom are looking to purchase a piece of family heritage here in Ireland. High net worth individuals from the United Arab Emirates and the Far East are also now beginning to show an interest in the Irish market. ‘Buyers at the top end of the price spectrum highlight location as a top priority. However, this group tends to be on the lookout for much grander homes with secondary accommodation and staff quarters, overlooking water, with 100 or more acres of mature parklands and, in many cases, adjoining equestrian facilities,’ said Harriet Grant, Savills head of country homes. Grant also reported that, unsurprisingly, some 85% of Savills country homes sales over the last three years have been cash transactions. ‘Typically, country homes buyers are not reliant on mortgage finance,’ she pointed out. ‘In reality, a trophy estate will only ever be attainable to a small minority, not only because of the higher price point, but also due to running costs. Therefore, it is little surprise that such a high percentage of Savills country homes sales over the last three years have been cash transactions,’ Grant explained. She added that deals that are being financed with a mortgage tend to involve existing home owners trading up and are generally smaller in value, averaging €520,000 in 2015, compared with almost €1 million for cash buyers. Continue reading
