House Price Growth Slows Nationally, Surges Along Key Corridors

The latest data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) indicates that house price growth in Ireland has slowed on a national level, particularly in Dublin. While prices in the capital have experienced a gradual decline, areas outside of Dublin are witnessing significant increases, particularly along the M6 and M7 motorway corridors.

In the Midlands region, comprising counties such as Laois, Longford, Offaly, and Westmeath, house prices have surged by 12 percent year-on-year. Similarly, the Mid-West counties of Clare, Limerick, and Tipperary have seen an impressive increase of 10.6 percent. In contrast, national house prices are now 21.9 percent above the peak during the previous property boom, while prices outside Dublin are nearly 25 percent higher than their Celtic Tiger peak.

Despite the overall slowdown, data shows that prices in Dublin remain 7.2 percent higher than their 2007 peak. The CSO reported that house prices outside the capital were increasing at a rate of 8.9 percent at the beginning of the year, which rose to 9.2 percent by August. This trend has prompted Austin Hughes, an economist, to highlight the stark differences in property price trends between Dublin and other regions.

“While the overall rate of house price inflation has eased from 8.3 percent in January to 7.4 percent in August, this is entirely due to a slowdown in Dublin house price growth from 7.6 percent to 5.3 percent,” Hughes noted. He attributes this slowdown in Dublin to two main factors: a lack of affordability and an increase in the supply of new builds. New construction has been particularly strong in Dublin, accounting for more than half of new homes sold to household buyers in the first eight months of 2025.

The figures reflect a slight increase in first-time buyers, with 11,905 purchases recorded in the first eight months of 2025, marking a rise of 10.6 percent, or over 1,100 more than the same period in the previous year.

Trevor Grant, chairperson of Irish Mortgage Advisors, commented on the national stagnation in house price growth. While it may be seen as beneficial for aspiring buyers, he cautioned that prices are still rising sharply, rendering many homes unaffordable. “This means that many locals are being priced out of their hometowns, and areas once considered affordable for commuters are no longer so,” he explained.

The ongoing mismatch between supply and demand continues to drive Irish house price inflation. Grant emphasized that without a significant increase in housing delivery, steep price rises will persist, making homeownership unattainable for many, particularly young people. He urged the government to take action, including publishing a revised version of the ‘Housing for All’ strategy.

“If the government can’t get its plan together on how it intends to accelerate housing delivery in this country, what chance do those hoping to buy a home stand?” Grant asked, underscoring the urgency of addressing the current housing crisis.