Property surveys incidate slight increase in Wicklow house prices last year

THE price of the average three-bed semi in Co Wicklow has risen 1.5 per cent to €257,500 in the last three months, according to the latest national survey carried out by Real Estate Alliance.

The survey indicates that in Wicklow town the average three-bed semi will now cost €290,000 compared to €335,000 in Bray, while in Baltinglass the average house price has risen to €160,000, up 3.2 per cent in the quarter.

According to Matt Forkin from REA Forkin, new homes on the market are leading to less demand for second-hand houses in some Wicklow locations.

REA Murphy report that prices have risen by 3.7 per cent in north west Wicklow, with an average increase of €10,000 over the past three months.

The average semi-detached house nationally now costs €215,269, the quarter two REA Average House Price Survey has found – a rise of 2.5 per cent on the quarter one figure of €209,944.

Overall, the average house price across the country has risen by 11.2 per cent over the past 12 months – in contrast to the 4.5 per cent increase registered to the full year to June 2016.

The commuter counties Louth, Meath, Kildare, Wicklow, Carlow and Laois continued to rebound after a relatively static end to 2016 and saw an increase of 2.6 per cent in the quarter, with the average house now selling for €223,267.

According to a similar survey published by online property service Daft.ie, Wicklow prices in the second quarter of 2017 were 11 per cent higher than a year previously, compared to a rise of 4 per cent seen a year ago.

The average house price is now €315,000, 55 per cent above its lowest point.

And according to Myhome.ie the stong pick up in prices in quarter two last year was less evident in Wicklow than in other parts of the country.

The report indicated that the median asking price of a 3 bed semi-detached property in the county was unchanged for the third straight quarter at €285,000.