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There seems to be a lot of confusion since the Government announced they were changing the way which rent increases were going to be set in July 2021 and we are here to break it down for you.

The Residential Tenancies Act 2017 was originally amended to state that in rent pressure zones (RPZs) a Landlord could increase the rent annually by a maximum of 4%., and outside of the pressure zones it could be increased bi-annually.

However, in July it was brought in that the 4% cap is being replaced and from July 9th 2021, rents in RPZs (rent pressure zones) can now only be increased in line with inflation as recorded in the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), with bi-annual reviews outside of RPZ being extended for an additional three years.

Using the HICP value on the date the rent was last set, you can see the difference between this value and the most recent HICP value, if there has been an increase in HICP values the RPZ calculator will produce the rent increase allowed however, if the percentage is a negative or zero value it will show that no increase is allowed. It's really that simple

We highly recommend that you always use the RPZ calculator to ensure that your calculations match up with that of the RTB which we have linked to here

You can also view the full HICP values dating back to January 1996 here:

We hope we made the confusion on the new laws as little easier to understand but if you have any further questions on the new rent increase laws please leave your comments down below!

Regards

The McPeake Team

 Daft recently published their Rental Report from the first quarter of 2021on May 12th. 

They've reported that rents have risen an average of 2% in the first quarter of this year. The average national rent is higher than the year previous, making it the largest quarterly gain since mid-2018. Rents in Dublin however have fallen, with the city centre seeing a price drop of 6.5% in just one year, making the average rent in the city now €1,974. Despite this supply in Dublin is up 20%.

The various trends from the past year reflect the availability of homes for rent with supply increasing in Dublin but decreasing everywhere else. Outside of Dublin rents are 7.1% higher than quarter 1 of 2020, with only 1,150 rental units available on May 1st (down one third than what was available the same date in 2020.)  While there were under 2,500 homes available to rent on May 1st 2021.

With vaccinations rolling out and the ease of restrictions, the short term impact of covid-19 is beginning to fade however, the long term undersupply of new rental homes to the market which has been an issue now for some time still needs to be addressed 

If you want to read the detailed report in full, click here

Let us know your opinions on the report, 

Regards

The McPeake Team

According to a new survey from property website MyHome.ie 47% of prospective homebuyers think prices will rise by up to 10% in the coming year, while just 26% of respondents said the same last November and only 15% agreed with that sentiment last August.

The most recent survey of 2,521 people shows that housing stock is the most important issue facing prospective buyers, with 50% saying more stock on the market would encourage them to buy now.

Meanwhile, the findings show that prospective homebuyers have largely not been impacted by Covid-related job losses and income drops. 59% of respondents have been able to save more money for a deposit since the onset of Covid-19 last year.

According to the survey, half of respondents agree that the home-buying market is more competitive now than it was before Covid-19 emerged - just 16% disagree with this statement.

Looking ahead, 40% of respondents believe the next year will represent a good time to buy property, that figure is down from 49% last November.

Angela Keegan, Managing Director of MyHome.ie, said that the findings reflect the reality in the market. "We have seen commencements fall by 30% in 2020 compared to the year before, while second-hand stock coming to the market has fallen by 50% in the first two months of 2021 compared to the same time period in 2020.”

Ms Keegan said that the earlier a Covid-19 vaccine could be approved and distributed, the better for the market. "Above all else, we need to deal with the pandemic in order to get the construction sector back working, improve vendor confidence, and redress the imbalance between supply and demand," she said.

Regards,
The McPeake Team...
Stay Safe...

Finance for Homes Limited

Unit 4, Block D, Tyrrelstown Town Centre, 

Tyrrelstown, Dublin 15                        

Telephone: 089-615 92 82                                      

Email: sarah@financeforhomes.ie

(1) Chat to us: The first step is to find out how much you can potentially borrow. Call, text, or email us anytime to take advantage of our FREE service and we can start the journey together – we are flexible and work at a time that suits you. We will help you at every step of the process, guiding and advising you along the way. 

(2) Apply for a mortgage: We will work to get you the best deal for your circumstances and even help you complete the application forms! We will give you a checklist of the documents you will need, tailored to your unique circumstances. 

(3) Receive your Approval in Principle: Your application is assessed by the bank/banks that best suit your needs. If/when you are approved for the mortgage, you will receive an ‘Approval in Principle’ (also known as AIP) letter which means you can go house hunting with confidence. The AIP will be valid for 6 months and most Estate Agents will request a copy of this, plus your savings/balance of funds before agreeing to view a property. If you have concerns about this, we can give you guidance on how best to proceed. 

(4) Find your new home: Once you know how much you can borrow and receive your AIP; you can focus the search for your new home within your budget. This may take some time, between finding a suitable property and potentially bidding against other buyers (usually for Second-hand properties only).  

(5) Pay your deposit: Once you have your bid accepted, you are classed as “Sale Agreed” on that property. You will then have to pay a booking deposit of between €5,000 and €10,000 depending on the Estate Agent and price of the property. This deposit is refundable, if for example you change your mind, or your circumstances change. If you are fully committed to purchasing the property, the Estate Agent will arrange for the Sale Contracts to be sent to your chosen solicitor. 

(6) Choose a Solicitor: They will look after the legal process of buying a home. This is called the conveyancing process, and they also carry out searches to ensure there is nothing that could undermine the value of the property. Later in the process, your solicitor will go through the Sale Contract and Loan Offer documentation with you to ensure you fully understand all the finer details. When you sign the Sale Contract (usually approximately 4 weeks after you have gone Sale Agreed) you will then pay a non-refundable 10% deposit. Your solicitor and the seller’s solicitor will exchange signed contracts nearer drawdown stage and will work to agree the closing date of the sale, a date that is convenient for both you and the seller when purchasing a second hand home, or based on the completion of your new home. 

(7) Get the property valued: The bank will request you pay for a valuation on the property you choose, this will confirm the agreed purchase price is fair. This will need to be conducted by a panel valuer and we will help you arrange this. The valuation usually costs between €150 - €185. If the property you are purchasing is Second-hand, particularly over 10 years old, we would encourage you to arrange a Structural Survey. While it costs in the region of €350-€500 it is something we highly recommend. This survey will ensure there are no major issues which would cost more money down the line. Some banks may request a structural survey regardless of the age of the property, or where the valuation indicates a structural survey must be completed.  

(8) Loan Offer is issued: Once the valuation and structural survey (if required) are satisfactory, we arrange the Loan Offer (also sometimes referred to as Loan Pack or Letter of Offer) to be sent to your solicitor. You then arrange to sign the Loan Offer and the Sale Contracts as noted above, in the presence of your solicitor. 

(9) Take out Insurance: All banks require you to have appropriate Life Cover and Home Insurance to protect both you and the property. We recommend you arrange this as early as possible, for instance, once you have decided to proceed with the purchase of the property and requested Sale Contracts to be sent to solicitor, as Life Cover may take some time to arrange, particularly if you have any underlying health issues. 

(10) Mortgage Drawdown: This is sometimes called Cheque Issue / Funding Stage and it is when the bank issues your mortgage funds to your solicitor, who then in turns transfers it to the seller’s solicitor and this can sometimes take up to 2 weeks to completion. If you are purchasing a new build, you may be called to snag the property at this point. Once your solicitor receives the payment and contacts you to confirm all is in order, you collect the keys to your new home from the Estate Agent. CONGRATULATIONS…. enjoy this next adventure! 

Regards,
The McPeake Team...
Stay Safe...

Dear Reader,

As a valued reader of McPeake Auctioneers blog we would like to present you some key findings:

• According to new figures from the Central Bank Ireland had the second highest mortgage interest rates across the euro area in December, coming only after Greece.  The average interest rate on new mortgages in Ireland stood at 2.76% in December, compared to the euro area average of 1.29%. 
•  House prices jump 7.4% in 2020 which is the largest such increase in three years. Homes have increased by almost €20k in one year, on average. The average sale price nationwide in the final quarter of 2020 was €269,522, up from €250,766 a year ago.
•  Housing stock levels were on the floor coming into 2020 – 25% fewer houses will be sold this year than last. The total number of properties available to buy on December 1st was less than 15,400, the lowest figure for stock nationally in almost 15 years. Housing supply won't meet demand until 'at least' end of 2023, BPFI chief economist Ali Ugur said. Only 20,000 new homes will be completed this year, short of the 35,000 annual units that are required.

The survey of more than 1,000 adults living in Ireland which was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Esri Ireland shows that 43% of those surveyed said they would not want to return to the office at all, with 51% saying they would like to be able to work from home at least part-time.

• More than three-quarters of respondents say the cost of renting or buying a property is a key consideration, making it the number one factor.
• Other top considerations include proximity to work, chosen by 59%, and distance to shops, cited by half of adults.
• 21% of survey participants said the pandemic had increased the importance of living space and facilities for them while for 14% of consumers, their importance had decreased.
• The survey reveals that living conditions were more likely to have increased in importance for those on higher incomes.

Regards,

The McPeake Team...

Stay Safe...

The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) found that two-thirds of 250 chartered agents surveyed in December expect property prices to increase this year, ranging from a 3% advance in Dublin to 6% growth across Connacht and Ulster. 

Experts had estimated that property values would decline by as much as 12% in 2020 because of the pandemic.

However, the market has defied expectations, as ongoing supply shortages were compounded as construction came to a standstill during the spring lockdown.

“2020 was dominated by Covid-19 and this led to a stop, start, surge property market …Given the recent introduction of new restrictions, it’s very possible we could see a repeat of that stop, start, surge pattern in 2021,” said TJ Cronin, vice-president of the SCSI.

Read full article: IrishTimes.com

Regards, 
The McPeake Team...
Stay Safe...

Dear our customers, 
Please note that all calls will be continued to be answered throughout the Christmas holidays. 

Regards, 
The McPeake Team...
Stay Safe...

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We always welcome and appreciate client's feedback and reviews, as we strongly believe that our customer's perception is our reality. What they think about our service, MATTERS to us!

Regards, 
The McPeake Team...
Stay Safe...

Increase in interest rates for Rebuilding Ireland home loans has pushed out potential borrowers.

New figures from the Department of Housing show that approvals for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme fell by 60%, draw downs fell by 50%.

Previously a successful applicant could borrow at a rate of 2 per cent over 25 years, a rate which significantly undercut those available in the market at the time. However, this rose to 2.745 per cent in January of this year, making the loans considerably less affordable, and decreasing the amount potential home-buyers can borrow. It also pitches the scheme substantially above market rates, with a rate of 1.95 per cent now available from Avant Money over seven years.

According to the figures, 235 home loans were approved in the first six months of the year at a total value of €38.2 million, with 283 loans drawn down at a value of €47.7 million.

This compares to 574 loans approved in the first six months of 2019 at a total value of €95.7 million, with 556 loans drawn down at a value of €93.9 million.

While applications for the scheme are not detailed in the department’s figures it’s likely that fewer people may have applied for the scheme given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on incomes, however, the decrease in approvals in the first quarter of 2020, before the pandemic hit, was significant at 37 per cent.

This suggests that the Government’s decision to increase the cost of the scheme has also hit potential applicants.

One of the most noted declines was seen in Dublin city, where the scheme had been popular. Last year 140 home-buyers were approved for the scheme in the first six months of the year; this year. however, just 56 were. Fingal, which covers areas like Swords and Castleknock to the north of the city, approved 49 loans in the first half of 2019, but just 19 in 2020.

For more details read full article: Approvals for Government’s home loan scheme plummet 60% (irishtimes.com)

Regards, 

The McPeake Team...

Stay Safe...

The McPeake Team... 

Stay Safe... 

Please take a moment and read some of the excellent reviews that have come in in recent weeks! 

McPeake Auctioneers Commercial have agreed terms with a high end retail food brand for Unit 3 Sutton Cross Shopping Centre - a 63 sq mt modern outlet fronting the Howth Road.

McPeakes have also agreed terms with a rapidly expanding Food Franchise for 19 Castlemill Shopping Centre, Balbriggan - a 195 sq mt restaurant space situated at the entrance to the Centre. 

Many homeowners believe that Spring and Autumn are traditional selling seasons. But the idea that houses don't sell in the Winter months comes from slightly outdated trends.

Our 25 years of experience show that on average, homes listed during this time are more likely to sell quicker, and achieve closer to the asking price. November, in particular, has some unique advantages that make it an ideal time to sell and here’s why:

1. Accessibility to on line advertising means house hunters can now search 24/7, with property alerts pinging through work days, weekends and holidays. Shorter days and wintry weather have no effect on Internet searches!!!
2.  Buyers are more motivated to move into their homes before Christmas or New year. Lots of buyers either waited through the busy season in hopes of a better deal, or they're facing their own time constraints due to work changes or other reasons. Regardless of the reason, if buyers are looking in November, they are truly motivated, the traditional barriers to winter house-hunting — bad weather, short days, holiday preparations — don't apply to them.
3. Our experience also proves that a standard property might do better in November/ December than it might do in the Spring & Summer months, when the market is flooded with property, during the off-season there are less properties available. It's true that many sellers don't think it makes sense to try and sell their home toward the end of the year so they hold off until Spring. Serious buyers have less homes to choose from over the winter months, fewer listings means less competition for you!!!
4. A house marketed in November may appeal to buyers looking for year-end tax breaks. Buyers looking to lower their taxes may snap up a home late in the year so they can deduct home purchase costs. That includes points, interest and property taxes.

Do you still think it’s better to wait until the new year to list your property? We hope we convinced you that spring and summer aren’t always the best time to sell and November can truly be the ideal time to list your property with McPeake Auctioneers.

So, you’re thinking about selling your current home and you’re looking to trade up or downsize to a new home? Call us today on 01 8272300 or email info@mcpeakeauctioneers.com and we will be happy to assist you.

Regards, 

The McPeake Team...

Stay Safe...

Months come and go, but McPeake Auctioneers are always here to help you with your property!!!

22ND OCTOBER TO 30TH NOVEMBER 2020 LEVEL 5 RESTRICTIONS

This note is to update you regarding McPeake Auctioneers Services.

All enquiries please to 01 82 72 300 Monday to Saturday 9am to 5.30 pm

Our communications systems are tested and resilient. This enables many of our team members to work remotely. So, from your perspective, you should notice no real changes.

As such, our employees will work remotely with a staggered staff presence in the office.

Our office does have a restricted visitor policy meaning only McPeake staff can access the office.

Should you wish to contact any of our departments by email please see all relevant contact details below: 

Residential:    Hilary Cummins – hilary@mcpeakeauctioneers.com

New Homes: Jennifer Clarke – jennifer@mcpeakeauctioneers.com or 

                        Diana Mandaji – diana@mcpeakeauctioneers.com

Commercial:   Gerard Farrelly – gerard@mcpeakeauctioneers.com

Lettings & Management: Jennifer Buckley – 086 86 999 87 or jenniferbuckley@mcpeakeauctioneers.com

Office Administration: Fiona Slater – fiona@mcpeakeauctioneers.com

We are prepared to navigate through these challenging circumstances and will continue to take our lead from official government advice.

The Management

McPeake Auctioneers

As our valued customer, we would like to give you the latest update from Daft.ie House Price Report , which shows average listed price of housing rose by 4.8% between June and September. The jump offsets falls earlier in the year and means that the average sale price nationwide in the third quarter of 2020 was €263,750, up 2.7% on the same period in 2019 and 60% higher than its lowest point in early 2013.

The report is also stating that an average list price in Dublin City rose by 2.2% and is now €380,731. 

According to Ronan Lyons, Assistant Professor in Economics Trinity College Dublin, the ultimate reason prices are rising again is that there are simply not enough homes in the country, given the population and its demographics. Supply on the market on October 1st was the lowest in over 14 years – since September 2006, with the total number of properties available to buy was less than 17,700. This highlights the underlying issue affecting the Irish housing system – a prolonged and worsening scarcity.

The significant fall in completion of new homes to be registered in 2020 may prove a temporary blip. Nonetheless, the level of new home construction even in 2019 was barely half of underlying need. During the first half of 2020, there were just over 3,000 transactions involving newly-built homes in Dublin, a fall of 27% compared to the same six-month period in 2019. The typical price for a newly-built home sold in the first half of 2020 was €351,000, up 5% from €335,000 in early 2019. Transactions of new homes in Dublin’s four commuter counties nearly halved between 2019H1 and 2020H1 - meaning their share of the total number of transactions involving new homes fell from almost one third to less than one quarter.

There were just over 4,000 properties on the market in Dublin on October 1, down from almost 5,500 on the same date a year ago.

Average asking prices across North Dublin City is €350,499 and Dublin 15 are as follow: 

1 bed apartment €176,000  

2 bed terraced €224,000

3 bed semi-detached €310,000

4 bed bungalow €513,000

5 bed detached €603,000

To find out more please contact us on 01 82 72 300 or send us an email on info@mcpeakeauctioneers.com

Regards, 

The McPeake Team...
Stay Safe...

A comparison of surveyor responses between February and June 2020 provides a very clear picture of the severity of the impact of COVID-19 on the Irish construction sector. When asked about headcount, margins and workloads, a significant proportion (up to 68%) of surveyors reported a downward trend across the three areas. This is a stark contrast to February 2020 when only up to 12% of surveyors expected headcount, margins and workloads to decrease.

Since the reopening of the sector on 18 May 2020, activity has begun to gear up following weeks of lockdown. Sectoral protocols introduced provide for new working arrangements to manage COVID-19 risk. Extended construction timelines under these new arrangements and dealing with issues that still persist in relation to supply chain delays for certain materials, has impacted output levels.

Key findings  

• Covid-19 resulted in a 20% decrease in construction related activity levels in the first half of 2020 
  
• 51% of surveyors expect a decrease in workload in the next 12 months 
• Over two thirds expect a decrease in profit during this period 
• Seven out of ten have a negative or neutral outlook on activity levels
• Raising finance, project delays and skills shortages the key challenges
• Opportunities exist to further leverage digital
• Less than one in ten are ‘well prepared for Brexit

In in addition to the disruption caused by COVID-19, Brexit remains a real and present concern for businesses in Ireland. It has the potential to have significant impacts on business operations and trade already reeling from the effects of the pandemic.

For further Information please visit: https://www.scsi.ie/news/view?id=134

Regards, 

The McPeake Team...
Stay Safe...

Dear Reader, Hoping you are keeping safe and well through these trying times. 

Whitefield Hall will comprise in total of 205 exceptionally large 2, 3 & 4 bedroom family homes, with on site crèche and local shop planned to service the development.

3 bedroom semidetached houses prices start from €285,000 

4 bedroom semidetached from €307,000

We are conducting show house viewings, adhering to all social distancing guidelines - Viewing is strictly by private appointment.

As soon as we have further information regarding the next phase of units, we will endeavor to contact our registration list.

In the meantime, should you wish to register for the next phase or have further queries please do not hesitate to contact us.

According to Charlie Taylor from Irish Times overall 3,875 mortgages were approved in August, (14.1 % higher compared to July), of which first-time buyers accounted for 58 per cent of the total volume.

First-time buyer approval was up 1.4 per cent year-on-year to 2,559, while mover purchase volumes fell 17.8 per cent to 1,000.

There were 3,337 purchase mortgage approvals in August, which collectively were valued at €834 million. Purchase mortgage approval activity was down by 6.8 per cent in volume terms versus August 2019 and down 0.6 per cent in value.

There were 39,610 mortgage approvals in the 12 months to the end of August, down 1.2 per cent versus the previous year in terms of volume and 0.24 per cent lower in value terms.

“Following on from a strong uplift in mortgage approval activity in July compared to the previous month, this further uplift in August provides a much-improved pipeline for mortgage drawdown activity in the months ahead, notwithstanding the fact that overall activity is still down year-on-year,” said Dr Ali Ugur, chief economist with Banking and Payments Federation Ireland, which compiled the figures.

“We know that actual mortgage drawdowns were down by around 18 per cent year-on-year in the first half of 2020, and this comes as no surprise in light of Covid-19. But if recent approvals convert into drawdowns as they normally do, we could expect to see a better outcome than originally estimated back in April/May,” said Dr Ugur.

Find more information on: https://www.irishtimes.com/business/mortgage-approvals-on-the-rise-but-loan-values-decline-1.4363633

Regards, 
The McPeake Team...
Stay Safe... 

Property website MyHome.ie showed, that half of the almost 3,000 surveyed believe 2021 will be a good time to buy a home. And in fact seven out of 10 respondents are planning on purchasing a property in the next year. 

Just 13% of survey respondents believe property prices will fall by over 10% in the next year, whereas last May, 37% of consumers predicted that outcome, MyHome.ie said.

Last month, MyHome.ie analysis showed that asking price inflation rose by 1.2% nationally compared with the second quarter of 2019.

Managing director of MyHome.ie, Angela Keegan, said that the findings reflect the ongoing demand that is evident in the market. “Even though consumers have not seen the price drops that many predicted when Covid-19 emerged, demand has stayed strong. It appears that many prospective buyers have not been hit by the economic fallout from Covid-19".

Almost three-quarters said they feel safe viewing properties at the moment.

Regards, 
The McPeake Team...
Stay Safe... 

41 Alderwood, Hollystown, Dublin 15 is an absolutely stunning four bedroom semi-detached house extends to 169 sq.mt /1,819 sq. ft. of luxurious, well designed and bright interiors, located in a small quiet estate with private playground. The area has seen considerable development over the past number of years, making it one of the most desirable locations in west Dublin. Internally the house comprises of spacious kitchen/dining room large living room, second reception/playroom, guest WC and utility. At first floor level there are three bedrooms with one bedroom ensuite, and family bathroom. The entire second floor accommodates an exceptionally large master suite incorporating en-suite shower-room. 

This house must be viewed to be appreciated!!! Contact Hilary Cummins now! 

• 59% believe Covid-19 will lead to more online processes in general in the long  term to minimize unnecessary contact

•   Viewers must not attend if displaying any COVID-19 symptoms, are self-isolating or have returned from overseas in the last 14 days.
• Pre-booked private appointment viewings will be carried out only.  Name and phone contact details of viewing party will be recorded in advance of viewing.
• Please do not park close to residents’ cars or driveways by mounting the kerbs or close to an area where children are playing.
• Maximum 2 people per party and no young children (under 16).
• Time restricted appointments (15-minutes recommended) with sufficient time allowed between appointments to avoid any potential cross over of viewers.
• Hand sanitizing facility will be available at the entry point of each show unit.
• Property windows will be open to ventilate the show unit (all weather).
• No bathroom facilities provided.
• In second-hand properties, vendors will be asked to leave all doors and storage areas open to avoid people touching objects excessively.

• Partial restoration of Property Registration Authority (PRA) services,
• Measures to introduce remote hearings to Irish courts,
• Re-opening of the Stamp Office, and
• Ongoing engagement regarding the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme.

• From 14 April, they are recording casework received up to 30 March on their system,
• From 20 April, the PRA will be in a position to take in applications for Land Registry and the Registry of Deeds by post and DX (not by hand, as the public offices remain closed).
• Dealing numbers will be assigned in the normal way, and the usual 21-day period applies in respect of lodgments under that dealing number,
• Services required to facilitate activities necessary to support essential services and vulnerable people will be considered for urgent processing, on a case-by-case basis,