House prices in Wicklow continued to rise during 2025, but new data from Daft.ie shows that growth in the county’s core family-home segments lagged the wider Leinster market.
According to the Daft 2025 Q4 House Price Report, overall house prices across Leinster outside Dublin rose by an average of 7.3pc during 2025. In Wicklow, however, growth was significantly lower across key family-home categories.
Eugene Dooley of Dooley Poynton Auctioneers based in Wicklow town is predicting a further slow-down in prices of second-hand homes, offering relief to those who simply cannot afford the price of a new house.
“New houses in good shape will continue to attract premium prices,” he said. “However, there are still options involving second-hand houses which require refurbishment and renovation works. I don’t see houses in that bracket increasing much, in fact you may even see a slight decrease.”
Although this presents a window of hope for those struggling to purchase their first home, Eugene warns that there is a catch to the more affordable prices.
“It’s a very difficult time to get a price for refurbishment works or renovation works for a second-hand home, such as windows and new heating and insulation, because contractors are just so busy,” he said.
“Most first-time buyers can’t afford to purchase a new home and don’t qualify to get a mortgage for a three-bed semi valued at around €500,000. As a result, they may start looking at second-hand homes. The government could help by providing a grant for first-time buyers of second-hand homes.
“You have a lot of housing stock arriving on the market from probate sales and properties that were previously rented out, and those types of houses will generally require some work.
“There is also a vacant property grant available offering up to €50,000 to refurbish properties that have been vacant for more than two years, while grants of €70,000 are available for derelict properties.”
Despite the high costs of trying to buy a new home in Wicklow, statistics revealed last week showed around 525 applications for the government’s First Home Scheme, which helps first-time buyers bridge the gap between their mortgage, deposit and the price of a new home, are currently live or have already been drawn down since the funding stream launched in July 2002.
It’s currently valid for new apartments and houses in Wicklow worth a maximum of €500,000.
The average listed price of a three-bedroom semi-detached home in Wicklow last year stood at €329,000, representing an annual increase of 3.3pc. Four-bedroom semi-detached homes averaged €393,000, up 2.9pc year-on-year. Both figures are well below the overall rate of growth recorded across Leinster as a whole.
The report also shows the typical price per square metre for a three-bedroom semi-detached home in Wicklow was €4,650 in late 2025.
The data shows stronger price growth at the upper end of the Wicklow market. Three-bedroom detached homes in the county averaged €392,000, an increase of 10.2pc, while five-bedroom detached properties reached an average listed price of €656,000, recording a year-on-year rise of 18.6pc.
Eugene Dooley of Dooley Poynton Auctioneers.
By comparison, Wicklow’s border counties recorded stronger price growth across the same core house types. In Kildare, the average price of a three-bedroom semi-detached home rose by 7.7pc during 2025, while Wexford recorded an increase of 7pc for the same category. In Carlow, three-bedroom semi-detached prices rose by 7.2pc.
A similar pattern is evident in four-bedroom semi-detached homes. Prices in Kildare rose by 8.4pc, while Wexford saw an increase of 13.8pc and Carlow recorded growth of 1.9pc, compared with a 2.9pc rise in Wicklow.
New rental regulations, effective from March 1, will introduce significant changes for new tenancies, including a six-year minimum duration tenancies, which will strengthen the second-hand market, but may also result in a further reduction in the availability of rented properties.
Eugene added: “You have plenty of landlords who don’t want to be involved in six-year tenancy terms, which will provide more homes for the second-hand market, but will place even more pressure on the rental market.
“It’s going to be terrible for the rental market, and it will prove almost impossible to get a rental property. However, those lucky enough to secure a rental property will at least have security for six years.”
As regards the housing market as a whole, Eugene stated: “There is a good demand for new houses and they are selling well. I would expect the prices of new homes in Wicklow to rise about 5pc in the year ahead.
“Wicklow town is still a lot cheaper than south Dublin to purchase a house and over the past number of years there has been a noticeable rise in the number of south Dublin purchasers looking for a home in Wicklow. It generally takes around four weeks for sale to be agreed on a new home, while for a second-hand home it usually involves close to 20 viewings before it is sold.”