News | Latest Breaking News Stories & Headlines

The average home mortgage drawdown value in the first half of 2025 reached the highest semi-annual level on record at €329,444, new BPFI figures show

H1 mortgage drawdown values hit highest level since 2008

Mortgage drawdown values reached almost €6.2 billion in the first half of 2025 - the highest half year values since 2008 - new figures from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland show.

Business • 25 Jul

BPFI said a total of 9,190 new mortgages worth €2.807 billion were drawn down by borrowers during the first three months of 2025

Average home mortgage drawdown at new record high - BPFI

New figures from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland show that the average home mortgage drawdown value reached €327,972 in the the first quarter of 2025 - the highest level on record.

Business • 29 Apr

Average FTB and mover purchase values reached their highest levels since the data series began in 2011 at €322,050 and €375,495 respectively, new BPFI figures show

Average FTB and mover purchase values hit record levels

New figures from Banking & Payments Federation Ireland show that first time buyer and mover purchase values reached their highest levels on record at €322,050 and €375,495 respectively in February.

Business • 28 Mar

A total of 3,395 mortgages were approved in January, down by 5.5% on a monthly basis but up by 4.1% compared to the same time last year

Steady growth in mortgage approvals continued in January

January saw the first year-on-year decline in first-time buyer approval volumes since June 2024, new figures from Banking & Payments Federation Ireland show today.

Business • 07 Mar

Over 26,000 mortgages were drawn down by this group in 2024, worth €7.8 billion.

FTB mortgage drawdowns hit highest level since 2007

Mortgage drawdowns by first-time buyers hit the highest level since 2007 last year, new figures show.

Business • 30 Jan

The UK's Nationwide Building Society is to lend first-time buyers up to six times their income

Buyers can borrow 6 times income under Nationwide changes

Britain's biggest building society will lend first-time buyers up to six times their income, increase the maximum amount that people can borrow and cut some mortgage rates from tomorrow.

Business • 23 Sep 24

An update on the scheme shows continued strong interest in it with 4,850 buyers approved

4,850 buyers approved under First Home Scheme

Over 1,900 homes have been bought using the First Home Scheme since its launch in July two years ago.

Business • 11 Jul 24

The number of mortgages approved in May fell by 7.5% compared with the strong month the same time last year

Fall in number of mortgages approved in May - BPFI

New figures from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland show there was a fall in the number of mortgages approved by Ireland's main banks in May compared to the same time last year.

Business • 28 Jun 24

The affordability gap for these first time buyers in Dublin, Wicklow, Meath, and Kildare is just under €62,000

3-bed Dublin semi unaffordable for couple earning €89k

A couple with combined gross earnings of €89,000 cannot afford to buy an average three-bed semi detached home in the Greater Dublin Area, according to the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland.

Business • 23 Jan 24

The pipeline for drawdown remains solid for the remains of the year, BPFI says

Mortgage approvals for first time buyers hits record

The number of mortgages approved last month increased by 2.7% compared to a month earlier.

Business • 24 Nov 23

First-time buyer mortgages hit highest level on record

The latest Banking and Payments Federation Ireland report reveals that first-time buyers are very much dominating the mortgage market, despite headwinds from rising property prices and European Central Bank interest rate increases.

Business • 17 Nov 23

The First Home Scheme was a €400m fund set up in 2022 to help first-time buyers to bridge the gap between their mortgage, deposit and the price of a new home

2,600 buyers approved for First Home Scheme

The latest progress report on the First Home Scheme shows that 2,598 buyers have been approved and 699 homes already bought using the scheme since it was launched in July 2022.

Business • 13 Oct 23

The survey also reveals that 10% of those aged 55 and over would like to downsize.

13% of consumers want to buy first home in next 5 years

13% of consumers would like to buy their first home in the next five years, new figures show.

Business • 01 Aug 23

43% of estate agents who are members of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland said they believe prices are increasing but will level off soon

SCSI expects national property prices to rise by 2%

The latest Mid-Year Market Monitor from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland predicts that national property prices will increase by an average of 2% over the next year.

Business • 21 Jul 23

Apartment prices in Dublin rose by just 0.1% in the year to June 2023, down from a rate of 4.4% last year

Rate of house price inflation moderates further - DNG

The annual rate of house price inflation continued to ease during the first half of the year, the latest residential market review from property advisors DNG shows, while first time buyers continue to dominate the market.

Business • 30 Jun 23

First time buyer approvals rose by 26.4% to €926m in May

First-time buyers mortgage approvals hit record high

May was the busiest month for first-time buyer mortgage approvals in both volume and value terms since the figures started being collected in 2011, new figures from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland show today.

Business • 27 Jun 23

Finance Minister Michael McGrath said HBFI has approved total funding of €1.353 billion to support the potential delivery of up to 6,161 homes so far

McGrath extends Home Building Finance Ireland timeline

The Minister for Finance said today that Home Building Finance Ireland will continue to operate and will continue to closely monitor developments across the wider market and to respond to ensure that the supply of new homes does not get disrupted due to a lack of funding.

Business • 24 May 23

1,336 buyers in 24 counties have been approved for the First Home Scheme in the first thee months of 2023

1,336 buyers approved for First Home Scheme in Q1

New figures from the First Home Scheme show that 1,336 buyers in 24 counties have been approved for the scheme in the first thee months of this year.

Business • 13 Apr 23

The First Home Scheme was set up to make it easier for first-time buyers to afford a new build home

First Home Scheme increases price ceilings

The First Home Scheme, which was set up to make it easier for first-time buyers to afford a new build home, will be extended to thousands of more buyers with new increases in its price ceilings.

Business • 20 Dec 22

The consultation launched today marks the second phase in the public engagement as part of the review

Central Bank to ask public for views on mortgage rules

The Central Bank has begun a public consultation on the next step of its ongoing review of mortgage rules.

Business • 16 Dec 21

The median deposit for first time buyers was over €52,000 in the first half of this year

Over 40% of first time buyers use gifts for deposit

Over 40% of first time buyers used gifts as part of their deposit in the first half of this year, according to new figures from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI).

Business • 07 Dec 21

Banking & Payments Federation Ireland said 11,479 new mortgages, worth €2.784 billion, were drawn down by borrowers during the third quarter of this year

Third quarter mortgage drawdowns jump by 40.9% - BPFI

New figures show that the volume of new mortgages drawn down in the third quarter of this year jumped by 40.9% compared to the same time last year.

Business • 27 Oct 21

Banking and Payments Federation Ireland said a total of 4,572 mortgages were approved in August.

€1.16 billion worth of mortgages approved in August

New figures from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland show that mortgage approvals fell by 9.2% in August following a record high in July.

Business • 24 Sep 21

Approvals for First Time Buyers were down 20% compared to the previous month

Mortgage approvals fell 16% in January

The number of mortgages approved in January fell by 16% compared to the previous month, according to figures published by the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland.

Business • 26 Feb 21

A total of 3,875 mortgages were approved in August, new BPFI figures show

Monthly mortgage approvals rise by 14% in August

New figures from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland show that the monthly growth trend in the number of approved mortgages continued in August, while they continued to be lower on an annual basis.

Business • 25 Sep 20

First-Time Buyers