Despite an improvement in the number of second-hand homes, the country's housing supply remained critically constrained in January, new research shows today.
Sherry FitzGerald Research's latest bi‑annual analysis reveals that just 0.7% of Ireland's private housing stock - which represents 14,629 properties - was listed for sale last month.
The estate agents said that athough this marks an increase of 4,250 units from the historic low recorded in January last year, it is still far below the level required for a balanced and functioning housing market.
The current stock remains 28% lower than January 2020, when 20,332 second-hand properties (1.1% of total stock) were available, they added.
Sherry FitzGerald said that 3,952 second-hand properties were advertised for sale in January in Dublin, representing just 0.7% of the capital’s private housing stock, but up from 0.5% a year earlier.
While stock levels increased in all areas compared to 2025, many parts of the country continue to experience particularly acute shortages, especially beyond the main urban centres, they added.
When compared with January 2020, several regions reported sharp declines in available homes for sale including a 43% drop in the Mid-West, a fall of 42% in the West, and 39% drops in both the South-East and Border areas.
Sherry FitzGerald said these regions also recorded some of the strongest price growth in 2025, ranging from 8.1% to 11.1%, further indicating that supply shortages are a key driver of ongoing price inflation.
Marian Finnegan, CEO of Sherry FitzGerald Group, said that despite the increase over the past year, Ireland continues to face a severe structural shortage of available homes.
"The persistent imbalance between supply and demand is placing continued pressure on individuals and families attempting to secure suitable accommodation. Incremental improvements are welcome, but they fall far short of what is required to meet the needs of our growing population," she said.
