Is it cheaper to buy or rent in Ireland right now?

It depends on your time horizon. In most Irish cities like Dublin and Cork, buying becomes cheaper than renting after 4-7 years due to equity build-up and RPZ rent caps. Use our buy vs rent calculator to compare your specific situation with accurate property prices and rental costs.

How much is stamp duty in Ireland?

Stamp duty in Ireland is 1% on the first €1,000,000 and 2% on any amount above that for residential properties. First-time buyers purchasing new builds under €500,000 are exempt from stamp duty.

How much deposit do I need to buy a house in Ireland?

First-time buyers need a 10% deposit (90% LTV mortgage) while non-first-time buyers need 20%. For a €350,000 house, that's €35,000 for first-time buyers or €70,000 for others. Additional costs include legal fees (€2,500), survey (€500), and bank fees (€1,200).

What is the average house price in Ireland 2026?

The average house price in Ireland in 2026 is €365,000 nationally. Dublin averages €540,000, Cork €340,000, Galway €360,000, and Limerick €310,000. Regional areas range from €210,000 to €290,000. Use our market stats tool to see live prices by county.

How much can I borrow for a mortgage in Ireland?

Under Central Bank rules, you can borrow up to 3.5 times your gross annual income (4x in exceptional cases). For example, a €50,000 salary qualifies for a €175,000 mortgage. Couples combine incomes - €90,000 combined = €315,000 mortgage. Use our mortgage calculator for your exact affordability.

What is the Help to Buy scheme in Ireland?

The Help to Buy scheme provides first-time buyers with a tax rebate of up to €30,000 (10% of property value, max €500,000 property) when purchasing a new build. You must have paid income tax for at least 4 years and use the property as your main residence.

Are house prices in Ireland going up or down in 2026?

House prices in Ireland are projected to rise 3-5% in 2026 due to continued supply shortages and strong demand. Dublin growth is moderating to 2-3%, while regional cities like Cork, Galway, and Limerick are seeing 5-7% growth. Check our market trends for live county-by-county data.

Is buying a house in Ireland a good investment?

Buying in Ireland can be a good investment with average rental yields of 4-6% and historical price appreciation of 4-5% annually. However, it depends on location, property type, and your time horizon. Use our buy vs rent calculator to compare against alternative investments like stocks (5% average return).

How much does it cost to buy a house in Ireland including all fees?

For a €350,000 house, total costs are: deposit €35,000 (10%), stamp duty €3,500 (or €0 for new builds), legal fees €2,500, survey €500, bank fees €1,200, and moving costs €1,000. Total: approximately €43,700. First-time buyers can reduce this with Help to Buy (up to €30,000 rebate).

What is property tax in Ireland?

Local Property Tax (LPT) in Ireland ranges from €90 to €1,755 annually depending on your property's market value. Properties valued at €350,000 pay approximately €315 per year. LPT is payable by all residential property owners and is based on your property's 2013 valuation (next revaluation in 2025).

Privacy Policy | Gaffo.ie

1. Who We Are

Gaffo.ie is an independent property market intelligence platform providing data, analysis tools, and calculators for the Irish property market. We are not estate agents, mortgage brokers, or financial advisors.

2. Data We Collect

We collect minimal data. Gaffo.ie does not require user accounts, registration, or login.

2.1 Data stored in your browser (localStorage)

Recently Viewed Properties — The last 10 properties you viewed, stored locally on your device. Never sent to our servers.
Saved Properties — Properties you bookmark, stored locally on your device.
Cookie Consent Preference — Whether you accepted our cookie notice.
Calculator Inputs — Your last-used calculator values, if applicable.

All localStorage data remains on your device and is never transmitted to Gaffo.ie servers. You can clear it at any time through your browser settings.

2.2 Server logs

Our hosting provider (Netlify) may collect standard server logs including your IP address, browser type, and pages visited. These logs are used for security and performance purposes only and are retained for up to 30 days.

3. Third-Party Services

Gaffo.ie uses the following third-party services:

Service	Purpose	Data Shared
Google Fonts	Typography (Inter, Outfit)	IP address
OpenStreetMap / Nominatim	Geocoding & map tiles	Search queries, IP
Leaflet (via unpkg)	Map rendering library	IP address
Netlify	Hosting & serverless functions	Standard server logs
Unsplash	Blog post imagery	IP address

4. Cookies

Gaffo.ie does not use tracking cookies, advertising cookies, or analytics cookies. We use localStorage (not cookies) to store user preferences and recently viewed properties.

Third-party services listed above may set their own cookies according to their privacy policies. Google Fonts, for example, may set performance-related cookies. You can block these via your browser's cookie settings.

5. Your Rights (GDPR)

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have the right to:

Access — Request a copy of any personal data we hold about you.
Erasure — Request deletion of your personal data.
Portability — Receive your data in a portable format.
Object — Object to processing of your personal data.
Rectification — Correct inaccurate personal data.

Since Gaffo.ie stores data only in your browser's localStorage, you can exercise these rights by clearing your browser data at any time. No data is stored on our servers that can be linked to you personally.

6. Property Price Register Data

The property data displayed on Gaffo.ie is sourced from the Property Price Register, Ireland's official public register of residential property transactions, maintained by the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA). This is public data made freely available by the Irish government.

7. Children's Privacy

Gaffo.ie is not directed at individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "last updated" date. Continued use of Gaffo.ie after changes constitute acceptance of the revised policy.

9. Contact

If you have any questions about this privacy policy, please contact us at privacy@gaffo.ie.