The latest figures on new vs secondhand housing prices in Ireland show that newly built homes are selling for considerably more, than existing properties. But they also reveal some interesting changes in the wider housing market.
According to figures from property data company Geowox, and reported by the Irish Independent on 5 November 2026, the typical new home sold for €460,000 between July and September 2026. That was €85,000 more than the typical second-hand property.
- Meanwhile, new-home sales increased, and the proportion of homes selling at lower prices continued to shrink.
So, what do these numbers actually mean for potential buyers in Ireland?
Ireland’s Housing Prices: The Key Figures Explained
The following table summarises the main findings for the 3rd quarter (July–September) of 2026.
| Housing Market Indicator | Latest Figure | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Typical new-home price | €460,000 | The middle price paid for a newly built home |
| Typical second-hand price | €375,000 | The middle price paid for an old home |
| New-home price premium | €85,000 (23%) | New homes cost more on average, but may differ in size, location and type |
| Typical price across all homes | €406,000 | Half of recorded sales were above this price and half below |
| Annual median price increase | 5.2% | The typical selling price is higher than a year earlier |
| Like-for-like price increase | 4.9% | Estimated price growth after accounting for differences in homes sold |
| New homes sold | 3,432 | Up 9.4% compared with Q3 2025 |
| Second-hand sales | Down 2.2% | Fewer existing homes changed hands than a year earlier |
| Homes selling above €500,000 | 27% | Around 1 in 4 sales exceeded €500,000 |
| Homes selling for €150,000 or less | 4.8% | Fewer than 1 in 20 sales were in this price range |
**Source: Irish Independent, 5 November 2026, reporting Geowox analysis of Property Price Register data.
1. Why Do New Homes Cost €85,000 More?
New homes often offer better energy efficiency, modern insulation, newer heating systems and fewer immediate need for maintenance. Also, eligible first-time buyers may also benefit from Government supports such as Help to Buy, which is an attractive tax-back initiative for many first-time buyers..
However, the location, property size and the types of homes sold also influence these figures.
For example, a newly built 3-bedroom house in a commuter town cannot be directly compared with an older 2-bedroom apartment elsewhere.
What buyers should remember: The €85,000 difference describes the national market, not the extra amount every buyer will pay for a new home.
2. Are Irish House Prices Still Rising?
Unfortunately Yes, according to the latest figures.
The median selling price across all homes reached €406,000, an increase of 5.2% compared with the same quarter in 2025. However, Geowox also calculated a like-for-like increase of 4.9%.
Why are these figures different?
The median figure can change depending on which properties happen to sell.
For example, if more expensive houses and fewer smaller apartments sell during a quarter, the median price could increase even without equivalent homes becoming more expensive. Like-for-like analysis attempts to account for these differences.
What buyers should remember: The 4.9% figure is more useful for understanding underlying price movements. Both figures still indicate that prices are higher now than a year earlier.
3. More New Homes Are Selling, but What About Supply?
There were 3,432 new homes sold in Ireland between July and September 2026, an increase of 9.4% compared with the same period last year. Meanwhile, second-hand sales fell by 2.2%.
This means newly built properties accounted for most of the houses sold, and this is usually a positive indication of activity in the new-home market.
However, more homes sold does not necessarily mean that there are more properties available to buy due to a sudden increase in supply.
To truly understand whether buyers have more homes to choose from, we also need to examine the number of properties advertised for sale and how long they remain on the market.
What buyers should remember: Rising sales show a greater increase in the buying & selling of hosues, but available listings tell us more about the choice buyers currently have.
4. Cheaper Homes Are Becoming Harder to Find in Sales Data
One of the most striking findings concerns the changing price ranges of homes being sold.
| Selling price | Q3 2021 | Q3 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| €150,000 or less | 16.5% | 4.8% |
| More than €500,000 | 13.5% | 27% |
- In 2021 (5 years ago), roughly 1 in 6 homes sold for €150,000 or less.
- In 2026, fewer than 1 in 20 homes are sold in that same category.
At the other end of the market, the number of homes selling for €500,000 or more has doubled!
Right now, we cannot explain why this is a current trend. The thing to note is that cheaper properties haven’t disappeared from the market; all this means is that fewer sales are taking place at those prices.
What buyers should remember: Even if more homes are being built, that does not automatically mean that more homes are becoming affordable to lower-income households.
5. Where Are Homes Most and Least Expensive?
| Location | Typical Selling Price |
|---|---|
| Dublin city and suburbs (houses) | €570,000 |
| Naas, Co Kildare (houses) | €518,000 |
| Co Dublin (all homes) | €500,000 |
| Co Wicklow (all homes) | €500,000 |
| Co Kildare (all homes) | €456,000 |
| Co Longford (all homes) | €205,000 |
Local wages, employment opportunities, transport and household circumstances all matter.
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