Selling & Market Speed
How Long Does It Take to Sell a House in Ireland?
Last updated · Data: 2018–2025
The national median time to sell a house in Ireland is 45 days from first listing to sale agreed. Dublin properties sell in just 28 days, while rural counties like Leitrim can take over 110 days. Spring remains the fastest selling season, with 38% of national listings going sale agreed within 4 weeks.
National Median
45 days
Listed → Sale Agreed
Fastest County
28 days
Dublin median
Slowest County
110 days
Leitrim median
Sale Agreed in 4 Wks
38%
Of all national listings
Market Speed Trend
Days on Market Trend 2018–2025
The Irish market accelerated sharply during 2020–2022 as COVID-driven demand surged against historic undersupply. The 2022 supply crunch saw median days on market drop to just 25 days nationally — the fastest market on record. Since 2023, the market has normalised as new supply has begun to absorb demand.
County Breakdown
Time to Sell by County
Dublin leads at 28 days, while Leitrim averages 110 days — a 4× difference. Click any column header to sort. Green = faster than national median; red = slower.
| County↕ | Province↕ | Median Days↑ | vs National↕ | % <4 Weeks↕ | % <8 Weeks↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin | Leinster | 28 | -17 | 62% | 88% |
| Kildare | Leinster | 34 | -11 | 52% | 80% |
| Cork | Munster | 35 | -10 | 51% | 79% |
| Meath | Leinster | 36 | -9 | 50% | 78% |
| Wicklow | Leinster | 38 | -7 | 48% | 76% |
| Limerick | Munster | 38 | -7 | 48% | 75% |
| Louth | Leinster | 40 | -5 | 45% | 74% |
| Galway | Connacht | 40 | -5 | 44% | 72% |
| Waterford | Munster | 44 | -1 | 40% | 70% |
| Wexford | Leinster | 48 | +3 | 36% | 65% |
| Kilkenny | Leinster | 50 | +5 | 34% | 62% |
| Carlow | Leinster | 52 | +7 | 32% | 60% |
| Laois | Leinster | 55 | +10 | 28% | 56% |
| Clare | Munster | 55 | +10 | 28% | 55% |
| Westmeath | Leinster | 56 | +11 | 27% | 54% |
| Offaly | Leinster | 58 | +13 | 26% | 52% |
| Tipperary | Munster | 60 | +15 | 24% | 50% |
| Kerry | Munster | 62 | +17 | 22% | 48% |
| Monaghan | Ulster | 65 | +20 | 21% | 45% |
| Sligo | Connacht | 68 | +23 | 20% | 44% |
| Cavan | Ulster | 70 | +25 | 19% | 40% |
| Mayo | Connacht | 72 | +27 | 18% | 42% |
| Longford | Leinster | 78 | +33 | 14% | 36% |
| Donegal | Ulster | 80 | +35 | 13% | 32% |
| Roscommon | Connacht | 85 | +40 | 12% | 30% |
| Leitrim | Connacht | 110 | +65 | 8% | 22% |
Property Type
Time to Sell by Property Type
Apartments and new builds sell fastest, driven by first-time buyer demand and Help-to-Buy eligibility. Detached houses — which typically attract trade-up buyers with more flexibility — take the longest at a median of 68 days.
Seasonality
Seasonal Patterns
Spring (March–May) is the fastest selling season, with average days on market dropping to 30 days in April. The Christmas–January period is slowest at 72 days, reflecting reduced buyer activity over the holiday period.
The Full Sale Process
Sale Agreed vs Closing: The Two-Stage Process
Listed → Sale Agreed
45 days
Time from first listing on Daft/MyHome to sale agreed status. Varies widely by county and property type.
Sale Agreed → Contracts
28 days
Solicitors exchange contracts. Includes title searches, survey/snag, mortgage drawdown process.
Contracts → Closing
14 days
From signed contracts to keys handed over. Closing typically happens 14–28 days after contracts.
Selling a house in Ireland is a two-stage process. The first stage ends when a buyer makes an accepted offer and the property is marked ‘sale agreed’ on Daft or MyHome — typically after 45 days on market. At this point, no legal commitment exists: either party can withdraw without penalty. The property is taken off the active market, but the sale is not yet legally binding.
The second stage covers conveyancing. Both buyer and seller appoint solicitors, who conduct title searches, review planning permissions, and handle mortgage lender requirements. The buyer typically arranges a structural survey during this period. Once both parties are satisfied, contracts are exchanged (typically after 28 days) — at which point the sale becomes legally binding and a 10% deposit is paid. Closing follows approximately 14 days later, when the balance is transferred and keys are handed over.
Key Factors
What Affects Time to Sell?
Price Band
Under €400k sells fastest
Properties priced realistically under €400k attract the largest buyer pool — first-time buyers with Help-to-Buy and mortgage exemptions. Overpriced properties in any band sit significantly longer before requiring a price reduction.
Location Type
Urban 3× faster than rural
Dublin city properties sell in under 28 days median; suburban commuter belt averages 34–40 days; rural and provincial towns 60–110 days. Proximity to employment, transport links, and schools remains the primary driver of buyer demand and speed of sale.
BER Rating
A/B rated homes 15% faster
A-rated and B-rated homes sell approximately 15% faster than equivalent D/E-rated properties, driven by rising energy costs and green mortgage incentives. Buyers are increasingly prioritising running costs alongside purchase price in their decision-making.
Methodology
Days on market figures are calculated from listing creation date to sale agreed status on Daft.ie and MyHome.ie, the two largest Irish residential property portals. Median figures are used throughout to minimise the distorting effect of long-tail outliers (properties relisted multiple times or properties in very low-transaction counties).
Sale agreed to closing timelines are cross-referenced against Property Price Register (PPR) transaction dates where Daft/MyHome sale agreed dates are available. The PPR records the legal completion date. County-level figures require a minimum of 50 transactions per period to be included. Data covers 2018–2025. Last updated 31 December 2025.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to sell a house in Ireland on average?
The national median time from listing to sale agreed is 45 days. This varies significantly by county, property type, and season. Urban areas like Dublin average just 28 days, while rural counties can take three times longer.
What is the fastest county to sell a house in Ireland?
Dublin is the fastest county to sell a house, with a median of 28 days from listing to sale agreed. Cork and Limerick also perform well above the national median, reflecting strong urban demand.
How long between sale agreed and closing in Ireland?
The full conveyancing process in Ireland typically takes 6–10 weeks after sale agreed. Sale agreed to contracts signed takes around 28 days (covering title searches, surveys, and mortgage drawdown), with a further 14 days from signed contracts to closing.
Do houses sell faster in Dublin than the rest of Ireland?
Yes. Dublin properties sell in a median of 28 days, compared to the national median of 45 days. 38% of properties nationally go sale agreed within 4 weeks, but in Dublin this figure is over 60%.
What time of year is best to sell a house in Ireland?
March to May (spring) is consistently the fastest time to sell a house in Ireland, with average days on market around 30–35 days. The market is most active as buyers emerge after winter. December and January are the slowest months, averaging 65–72 days.
How long does conveyancing take in Ireland?
Conveyancing in Ireland typically takes 4–8 weeks once sale agreed, though it can extend to 3–4 months in complex cases. The process involves title searches, planning permission checks, mortgage lender requirements, and solicitor review on both sides. The median is around 28 days to exchange contracts.
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