House Prices Ireland 2026: Is the Property Market Finally Beginning to Cool?

There is an interesting change taking place in the Irish property market. Prices are still rising and good houses are still attracting competition, but the pace of growth has eased.

The latest CSO figures put some numbers around what agents and buyers have been sensing on the ground. Residential property prices nationally increased by 5.6% in the 12 months to June 2026, compared with 6.1% in the year to May. In Dublin, prices were 4.6% higher than a year earlier, while outside Dublin they rose by 6.4%. The national annual increase is now at its lowest since January 2024.

That hardly amounts to a cold property market. After several years of strong increases, though, the change in pace is worth watching.

Are House Prices in Ireland Still Rising in 2026?

Yes. House prices in Ireland are still rising in 2026, although the rate of growth has slowed. CSO figures for June show residential prices increasing by 5.6% nationally over 12 months, with Dublin up 4.6% and prices outside Dublin increasing by 6.4%.

The median price paid for a home nationally in the 12 months to June was €396,000. In Dublin it was €500,000, while Kildare’s median reached €449,999, making it the second most expensive county-level region outside Dublin after Wicklow.

Those figures tally with the conversations taking place at viewings. Buyers may be hearing that price growth is moderating, but they are not walking into a suddenly inexpensive market. A family searching in Dublin still has to make difficult choices around location, size and condition, while those looking towards Naas and the wider Kildare commuter belt are finding that the traditional price gap has narrowed considerably.

Why Is the Irish Property Market Beginning to Slow?

The Irish property market is showing slower price growth as affordability, borrowing costs and already-high property values limit what some buyers can pay. Tight housing supply continues to provide support for prices.

At viewings, buyers tend not to talk about annual property-price indices. They talk about mortgage approval, monthly repayments and how much work the kitchen needs. They ask about BER ratings, heating systems, management fees and whether an extension was properly certified.

A buyer working within a fixed mortgage approval has limited scope to keep following an asking price upwards. This is particularly noticeable among first-time buyers and families trading up, where the cost of the next home has to work alongside the mortgage repayment and any immediate renovation required after collecting the keys.

With relatively few suitable properties available in many areas, though, buyers who step away from one house may find themselves competing for something similar a few weeks later.

What Does the Current Dublin Property Market Mean for Sellers?

The Dublin property market remains favourable for sellers in 2026, but buyers are more price-conscious. Homes that are accurately valued, well-presented and in good condition can still attract strong competition, while ambitious asking prices may meet greater resistance.

Dublin house prices rose by 3.9% in the year to June, while apartment prices increased by a stronger 7%. It is a useful reminder that there is no single Dublin market; property type and location can produce quite different conditions.

Pricing becomes particularly important when buyers have time to compare. They know what similar houses have achieved nearby and are increasingly conscious of the money they may need to spend once they own the property. A house with an ageing heating system and €50,000 worth of obvious work will be judged differently from a neighbouring home that is ready to occupy.

Preparing for sale doesn’t necessarily mean undertaking a major renovation. Repairing defects, improving presentation, sorting out paperwork and making sure buyers aren’t discovering avoidable problems during the sale can be considerably more useful.

Is Naas Still Offering Better Value Than Dublin?

Naas can still offer buyers more space and a different lifestyle than many parts of Dublin, but strong demand across Kildare means the price gap has narrowed. Kildare’s median residential purchase price reached €449,999 in the 12 months to June 2026, compared with €500,000 in Dublin.

That €50,000 difference in the county-level medians needs to be treated carefully; medians are not like-for-like comparisons between individual homes. It does, though, show how far prices in Kildare have moved.

Many buyers considering Naas are making a positive choice rather than simply looking for an alternative to Dublin. Schools, amenities, larger homes and access to the capital all play a part, while hybrid working has changed the calculation for households that no longer commute five days a week.

Within Naas itself, buyers increasingly compare particular estates, garden sizes, house condition and commuting options. At the prices now being paid in Kildare, those details carry weight.

Are First-Time Buyers Still Active?

First-time buyers remain an important part of the Irish housing market. Revenue data included in the latest CSO release recorded 1,705 first-time buyer purchases in June 2026, despite continuing affordability pressures and competition for suitable homes.

Their financial positions vary considerably. Some arrive with sizeable deposits and two strong incomes; others have very little room between the asking price and their mortgage limit.

Once approval is secured, most know fairly precisely what they can spend. Renovation costs can quickly change the appeal of a property, particularly where the buyer has used much of their savings for the deposit and purchase costs.

Clear information from sellers about the condition of the property, extensions and relevant documentation can therefore make the buying process considerably easier.

Does Slower Price Growth Mean Buyers Should Wait?

Slower house-price growth does not necessarily mean Irish property prices are about to fall. Buyers deciding whether to wait need to consider their mortgage position, personal circumstances and the supply of suitable homes in the areas where they actually want to live.

It is a familiar conversation whenever the pace of the market changes. Someone whose family has outgrown an apartment has a different decision to make from an investor considering yield, while a first-time buyer living at home may have more flexibility than a household paying substantial monthly rent.

Waiting can make sense when finances aren’t ready. Predicting where property prices will be six or twelve months from now is a different matter.

There were 4,058 market purchases in June, 0.7% more than in June 2025. New dwellings accounted for 1,085 of those purchases, up 15.8% year on year. Despite the slower rate of price growth, transactions are continuing.

What Should Sellers Do Before the Autumn Property Market?

Late August is when many homeowners begin thinking seriously about an autumn sale. The summer holidays are ending, schools are returning and buyers who paused during July and August begin looking at property portals again.

For anyone considering selling in Dublin or Naas, recent sales within a few streets are generally more useful than a national percentage. An accurate valuation should take account of comparable sales, properties currently competing for buyers, condition, floor area and the particular demand for that style of home.

This is also a useful time to deal with the unexciting jobs. Find the planning documents. Check certificates for extensions. Fix the dripping tap, deal with peeling exterior paint and get the garden back into shape after the summer.

None of it is glamorous, but these are precisely the details that tend to come up once serious buyers begin looking closely.

Where Does the Irish Property Market Go from Here?

The latest figures point to a market that remains active but is being approached with more care. Affordability is influencing how buyers bid, while sellers still have the advantage of relatively limited stock in many parts of Dublin and Naas.

Individual streets, estates and property types will continue to behave differently, which is why local evidence matters when deciding whether to buy or sell.

Howley Souhan works across Dublin and Naas in residential sales, lettings, property management and landlord services. From the conversations taking place at viewings and valuations, the market has certainly not stopped. Buyers are simply thinking harder about the property in front of them and what they are prepared to pay for it.