Second-hand housing market under acute pressure as number of properties for sale falls again

Ireland’s second-hand housing market remains under acute pressure, the State’s largest estate agent says, with the number of second-hand home advertised for sale falling again last month.In total, 14,388 second-hand homes were up for sale in July, according to Sherry FitzGerald, down 326 or 2.2 per cent on last year and 20.6 per cent lower than July 2020. That means up to 0.7 per cent of the total housing stock in Ireland was available for sale. The situation for buyers in the more affordable end of the market was tighter, with the number of homes available below €350,000 falling almost 10 per cent year on year to 5,676 in July. Supply below €200,000 was down 20.6 per cent to 1,531 properties.The report on the Irish residential market showed that decline extended to the first six months of the year, as the housing supply crunch continued and prices remained under pressure. The largest declines in stock were seen in the lower price categories, the estate agent said. READ MOREThe data also highlighted regional differences, with the most significant reduction in the west of the country, where the number of advertised homes fell 9 per cent to 1,580 properties. The Border region also saw a marked decline, falling 4.5 per cent to 1,283 properties. The midlands was the only region to show an increase, as stock rose more than 9 per cent to 857 homes advertised for sale.“Ireland’s second-hand housing market remains under acute pressure. Advertised stock is not only lower than last year, but more than one-fifth below 2020 levels,” said Marian Finnegan, chief executive of Sherry FitzGerald. “This persistent shortage is placing additional strain on buyers and reinforcing the imbalance between supply and demand.”The average value of second-hand homes in Ireland rose by more than 1 per cent in the second quarter on the year, and by 5.2 per cent year-on-year. That is a moderation in the pace of annual price growth year on year, but the rise was spread unevenly across the regions. While prices were only 3.5 per cent higher in Dublin, regions outside the capital saw a 7.2 per cent annual increase. But delivery of new homes improved in the first half of 2026, Sherry FitzGerald said, with a 10 per cent rise in the number of units completed, bringing it to 16,679. That was the highest first-half total recorded since 2011 when the figures were first recorded.The growth was strongest in the Border region, where 1,037 units were completed, a rise of more than 30 per cent. Dublin was at 0.3 per cent, and the Midwest was the only region that didn’t record an increase. “The uplift in new housing delivery is a welcome development and demonstrates that progress is being made. However, the shortage of homes available for sale remains acute, particularly for buyers seeking more affordable properties,” Finnegan said. “The priority now must be to sustain and accelerate delivery, while ensuring that new supply is aligned with the requirements and affordability levels of households across the country.”