Residential property prices for houses and apartments increased by 2.2% nationally in the year to December, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office.

This compares to an increase of 0.2% in the year to November and an increase of 0.3% in the twelve months to December 2019.

In Dublin, residential property prices saw an increase of 1.2% in the year to December, while property prices outside Dublin were 3.1% higher.

In Dublin, house prices increased by 0.2% and apartment prices increased by 5.1%. The highest house price growth in Dublin was in South Dublin at 3.2%, while Dublin City saw a decline of 1.8%.

Outside Dublin, house prices were up by 3.1% and apartment prices up by 4.0%. The region outside of Dublin that saw the largest rise in house prices was the South East at 5.3% – at the other end of the scale, the Mid-West saw a 1.9% decline.

Overall, the national index is 16.1% lower than its highest …

Ok. So you’ve applied for a hundred or so houses, gaffs and apartments. Managed to secure one and signed the lease. Congratulations! But how do you put your own stamp on the place? Let the following list from Gaffs.ie bring out the interior decorator in you.

Rails

Whether it’s the biggest brightest room in the house or the shoe box… there always seems to be a legacy of old clunky wardrobes that just don’t seem to fit the space. Dismantling and replacing with a clothes rail is a great way to breathe light into a dark corner. All you need one screwdriver to dismantle the wardrobe, one trip (or click) to IKEA for the clothes rail and one productive weekend to do all the above.

Feature Wall

Seen room to improve? (of course you have) Noticed how in the main room often one wall is painted a different colour to the other three? That’s called a ‘feature wall’, and whether it’s a mansion in Blackrock or a studio in Blanchardstown, a feature wall is an excel…

Bank of Ireland’s First-Time buyer survey identified the main challenges and impact of Covid-19 for First-time buyers.

Main Findings

52% of first-time buyers say the high cost of buying a home was the biggest challenge they faced in 202048% of first-time buyers have said Covid-19 has delayed their plans to buy a home€550 was the average saved per month by first-time buyers in 202055% of first-time buyers will depend on financial help from family or friends to buy their first home.

According to Bank of Ireland’s 2020 first-time buyer survey over half (52%) of first-time buyers said the high cost of buying a home is the biggest challenge they faced in 2020. Lack of supply in desired areas and the ability to save for a deposit are also seen as significant challenges for first-time buyers.

No 2020 survey would be complete without analysing the impact of Covid-19. The survey revealed Covid-19 had a major impact on first-time buyers w…