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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…

Distinguishing the good deals from the too–good–to–be true offers is perhaps the biggest challenge that first-time home buyers encounter in the current real estate climate.

The market is flooded with extremely and thus suspiciously low mortgage rates. Not many can afford to buy a home without taking a loan. As a novice in the property purchasing, you can take advantage of different incentives and avoid certain pitfalls.

Starting point

Before hunting for a new home, you need to know what your budget is. In this way you will not run the risk of getting something you cannot afford. You can ensure that your finances are under control with a simple credit file. There are many free tools for calculating your affordability. The internet is full with mortgage guides.

You should also know what type of home you want. When looking for an area, take into account things such as home clearance rate and location.

Consult with an expert

…

Hang your cookware on wall-mounted storage

You have just freed up a kitchen full of cupboard space – and turned those pots and pans into pieces of installation art. 

Stick with a storage bed

Whether you slide some baskets underneath, or use built in storage – you can hide a lot under the mattress.

Maximise every nook and cranny

Bet you there will be room for at least two shelves in that bathroom.

Install wall sconces in the bedroom

In lieu of floor or table lamps. And as if by magic you have more room on your bedside table or locker [and probably more interesting lighting].

Move the sofa one foot away from the wall

See, you’ve just created room for about one or two small storage boxes behind that sofa.

Join the ‘trunk club’

And the older the better. A vintage trunk will not only store loads of your stuff – it will also double as a most excellent coffee tab…

Guidelines for property viewings updated due to rising level of Covid-19 cases

Updated guidelines regarding property viewings have come into effect from today.

The Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA), the Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers (IPAV) and the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) have updated their ‘Property Services Providers Guidance to implementing Plan for Living with Covid-19‘ document which was released last year.

The document was originally published last October to guide agents on how to operate under the various levels of the Government’s Living with Covid strategy.

Given the rising number of Covid-19 cases over the Christmas and New Year period, new restrictions have come into effect today which will be reviewed on January 31st.

The biggest change is that there will now be no in-person viewings of properties unless you’re already at the sale agreed stage with contra…