Figures show that Ireland seems to have flattened the curve and the government is planning to ease lockdown measures from mid-May. In the meantime, you can still start preparing for your move. See how Covid-19 is affecting prices, the plan for lifting restrictions and why you don’t want to be last in the queue when they are.
What is the current situation in Ireland?
Cobh on a sunny day.
From last Tuesday, Ireland has started to relax some of its restrictions on coronavirus, as part of a five-stage descalation. You can now leave your house for exercise with a 5km radius, and over 70s who have been ‘cocooning’ may also now go outside. The real changes will come from 18th May, marking what Taoiseach Leo Varadkar called on Friday the ‘journey to the new normal’.
In the first phase, people will be able to meet friends and relatives from other households outside and some outdoor work like gardening will reopen. The second phase is expected on 8th June, when many small retail businesses and public libraries will reopen and visits to other people’s houses will be allowed. By 10th August, larger social gatherings are likely to be allowed and all workers will return to the workplace.
Read our Healthcare Guide to accessing medical attention in 11 countries.
Can you still buy a house at the moment in Ireland?
You could still offer on a house at the moment, but completion may be delayed as the Land Registry is not currently operating a full service. In the mean time, agents are running virtual viewings on many homes, so, if you’re at the early stages of planning, you can start to narrow down that shortlist without travelling. Now is in many ways the perfect time to start speaking to estate agents; they are keen for custom and have more time as they can’t do in-person viewings. As this halt is temporary, however, and hasn’t come about from a loss of demand, we know there is quite a backlog of buyers waiting to go as soon as restrictions properly eased.
With that in mind, planning ahead now is crucial if you want to get to the front of the queue. It’s difficult to say what impact the pandemic will have on house prices, However, it seems likely that it will not see anything more than a short drop, and an influx of buyers could mean sellers are able to be tough on negotiations. So make sure you’re at the front of that queue!
