Selling a home in Ireland.

Before any agent, before any photographs, the work is about the decision and the realistic position you are starting from. You are figuring out why you are selling, what kind of timeline you can support, what you might realistically achieve, and what the sale would cost. Many sellers underestimate how long the process takes (typically several months from listing to keys handed over) and overestimate what the property will achieve net of all costs. This stage takes weeks to months and rewards taking time over rushing in.

The work that makes the property show well to prospective buyers. Decluttering, finishing any obvious cosmetic work, addressing small repairs that would otherwise be flagged on a survey, and arranging a Building Energy Rating (BER) certificate (mandatory before the property can be advertised). The aim is to remove the small frictions that cause buyers to walk away, not to spend heavily on major works that will not be recovered in the sale price.

Two parallel tracks. The estate agent track means inviting several agents to value the property and propose terms, comparing them, and signing a written instruction with one (or a few, depending on agency structure). The legal track means identifying and engaging a solicitor who will handle the conveyancing for the sale. Engaging both early is better than waiting; your solicitor needs time to assemble title documents and identify any issues before the property is even on the market.

The property goes live: photographs, floor plan, BER certificate, listing on Irish property portals, the agent's own portal, and any specialised platforms. The first few weeks of marketing typically generate the most interest; how the property is presented matters most during this window.

Viewings (open or private) generate offers, communicated to you by the agent. Most Irish residential sales are by private treaty: a negotiation through the agent, with offers and counter-offers rather than a fixed competitive moment. The negotiation continues until you accept an offer and the property is marked sale agreed.

The agent issues a sales advice note to both solicitors. Your solicitor drafts the contract for sale and assembles the title pack; the buyer's solicitor reviews them and raises pre-contract enquiries. You provide the answers your solicitor needs. When both sides have signed and exchanged contracts, the sale is legally binding. The window from sale agreed to contract exchange is commonly around four to six weeks in straightforward cases, but variable.

The agreed closing date arrives. The buyer's solicitor sends the balance funds to your solicitor; your solicitor pays off any outstanding mortgage from the proceeds (mortgage redemption), pays your share of estate agent fees and legal fees, and remits the net balance to you. Keys are released to the buyer. The property is now theirs.

Selling is a meaningful undertaking in time, cost, and disruption. Common reasons: upsizing or downsizing, relocating for work or family, separating, settling an estate, freeing capital, exiting a buy-to-let position. Each of these has its own implications for timing and approach. A planned sale on your own timeline is easier than a forced sale under time pressure.

Before listing, consider:

• Your minimum acceptable outcome. Not the price you would love, but the price you would accept rather than not selling at all. This sets your effective floor in any negotiation.
• Your timeline flexibility. Whether you are willing to wait several months for the right price, or whether external events (relocation, separation, financial pressure) require completion by a specific date.
• The market context for your area and property type. Whether comparable properties have been selling above, at, or below their asking prices in recent months. The Property Price Register and Bopperty's area reports are starting points.
• Where you will live next. Selling without a clear destination plan creates pressure that buyers can sense. If you are buying onward, the chain dynamics (Section 8.7) matter materially.
• Your tax position. Whether the property is your principal private residence (likely no CGT on disposal) or an investment property (CGT will apply); whether there are inheritance considerations; whether you are tax resident in Ireland. Speak to a tax adviser before listing if any of this is unclear.

The most reliable approach is to combine three sources of evidence and use them to triangulate a realistic range.

Recent comparable sales. The Property Price Register, maintained by the Property Services Regulatory Authority, records every residential sale in Ireland since 2010. Filter for sales in the same area, of the same property type, of similar size, completed in the last six to twelve months. These are the actual prices buyers have paid for comparable stock, which is more reliable than asking prices on listing portals. Bopperty's area reports consolidate this data at the Eircode-district level.

Active listings. What is currently advertised in your area at what asking price. Asking prices are the seller's wishful starting point, not what the property will achieve. A property that has been listed for many weeks without a sale agreed typically signals an asking price above what the market will pay.

Professional valuations. Invite three estate agents (more if you want broader views) to value the property and propose marketing terms. Each will give you a recommended asking price and an estimated achievable range. Do not select the agent with the highest valuation by default: agents sometimes inflate valuations to win the instruction, after which the asking price drifts downward in practice. Compare the valuations alongside their reasoning and their marketing plans.

Each of these gives you a different angle on the same question. Where they roughly agree, you have a defensible price range. Where they differ materially, dig into why before deciding.

The asking price is a marketing decision, not a contract. In a strong market, an asking price slightly below the expected achievable price can generate competitive bidding above it. In a softer market, an aspirational asking price tends to deter viewings. Discuss the strategy with the agent you appoint.

The aim is not renovation. The aim is presentation: removing the frictions that cause prospective buyers to lose interest at the viewing or fail to imagine themselves living in the property.

Decluttering. The single highest-impact preparation step. Clear surfaces, reduce furniture if rooms feel cramped, remove most personal photographs and bulky personal items. Putting non-essential possessions in temporary storage during marketing is often worth the cost.

Cleaning. A deep clean before listing, with the property kept in show condition throughout the marketing period.

Small repairs. Address visible defects that a buyer would otherwise photograph or raise: a cracked tile, a sticking door, a stained ceiling, a broken cabinet handle. These are cheap to fix and disproportionately influence how the property is perceived.

Touch-up painting. Neutral, modern colours where the walls are tired or have unusual colour choices. Avoid expensive overhauls; the buyer will redecorate to their own taste regardless.

Outdoor presentation. Mow the lawn, weed visible beds, clear the front of the property, ensure the boundaries look maintained. Kerb appeal disproportionately shapes the first impression both online and in person.

What not to do. Material structural works, kitchen or bathroom replacements, or extensions undertaken specifically to add value rarely recover their cost in a sale. The exception is genuinely necessary works to make the property saleable at all (a roof in serious disrepair, a heating system that does not function). If you are unsure, ask your agent before spending.

The BER certificate. A current Building Energy Rating certificate is required by law before the property can be advertised for sale. Arrange a BER assessment by an SEAI-registered assessor early. The assessment typically takes a couple of hours on site, and the certificate issues within a few days. See Section 4.1.

Preparing land or a site for sale. If you are selling land or an undeveloped site rather than a dwelling, the preparation work is different. The focus shifts from cosmetic presentation to access and orientation: clear access points to the site, mark the registered boundaries clearly with stakes or tape, mow or strim grass and vegetation enough that the boundaries and any features are visible, and make sure visible services (ESB poles, water access points, septic provisions) are identifiable. A walk-through buyer needs to be able to read the site quickly; an overgrown or unmarked site is harder to value and harder to sell. Floor plans, cosmetic repairs, and a BER certificate do not apply to land.

A realistic net-proceeds estimate accounts for the items below. Get specific quotes for your situation before relying on any total.

Estate agent fees. Typically a percentage of the sale price plus VAT, plus marketing outlays (professional photography, floor plans, listing fees). Get written quotes from each agent you invite to pitch, with the fee structure clearly broken out. The lowest fee is not automatically the best choice; compare against the marketing plan and likely outcome.

Legal fees. Solicitor fees for residential conveyancing on the seller side typically fall in a range of low thousands of euro plus VAT and outlays. The seller's solicitor work differs from the buyer's solicitor work (Section 3.3 covers this). Get a written quote that breaks out professional fee, VAT, and outlays.

BER assessment. Cost is modest. See Section 4.1.

Preparation costs. Decluttering and storage, professional cleaning, minor repairs, any cosmetic touch-ups. Varies widely; budget realistically based on the property's condition.

Mortgage redemption fees. Some fixed-rate mortgages have a break fee for early repayment. Ask your lender for a redemption figure and a break-cost statement before listing if you are still inside a fixed-rate period.

Capital Gains Tax. Applies to gains on disposal of investment property and other non-principal-private-residence properties. The principal private residence exemption (PPR Relief) generally removes CGT for a property that has been the seller's main home throughout ownership; the rules and any exceptions are published by Revenue. The current CGT rate is published by Revenue. See Section 8.1 and Section 8.2.

Local Property Tax apportionment. The solicitors typically apportion LPT to the closing date as part of the closing statement.

Removal and onward-living costs. Removal van, packing, temporary accommodation if you are between homes. Plan for a few thousand euro depending on circumstances.

Total selling costs commonly amount to a few percent of the sale price, before any tax. Build a worksheet against your specific situation early, so you know what your net proceeds will look like in different sale-price scenarios.

The estate agent acts for you, not the buyer. They market the property, conduct viewings, negotiate offers on your behalf, and shepherd the sale to completion. Their commercial loyalty is to you (subject to the Property Services Regulatory Authority's code of practice). They are paid by you, typically on completion.

Approach. Invite three or more agents to value the property and propose terms. Local agents who do high volumes in your specific area often outperform large brands operating across a wider geography, though this varies. Ask the agents for examples of comparable properties they have recently sold and the achieved price.

What to assess at the pitch:

• Valuation and reasoning. A defensible price range with comparable evidence, not just a number.
• Marketing plan. Specific photographs (in-house or professional), floor plans, listing portals to be used, signage, any specialised audiences (overseas buyers, investors). Generic marketing produces generic results.
• Fee structure. Professional fee as a percentage of the sale price, VAT, marketing outlays clearly itemised. Some agents include marketing costs in the fee; others itemise them separately.
• Timing. Their realistic estimate of how long the sale will take, and the typical sale-agreed-to-closing duration on similar properties.
• Reach and channels. Which listing portals they use, what their social media or local audience looks like, whether they have buyers on a database actively looking.
• The named person handling the file. You will be in contact with this person for months; their style and availability matter.

Verification. All estate agents in Ireland must be licensed by the Property Services Regulatory Authority. The PSRA maintains a public register; verify any agent you are considering is currently licensed and check for any past sanctions.

If you would like an introduction to a licensed agent operating in your area as a starting point, Bopperty's agent introduction service introduces you to one agent active there; you remain free to invite any agent to value the property.

Once you choose an agent, they will issue a written letter of engagement or instruction, which is a contract between you and the agent. Read it carefully before signing.

Common terms to check:

Agency type. Three common structures:

• Sole agency. One agent has the exclusive right to market and sell the property for a defined period. You pay fees only to that agent if a sale completes within the sole agency period. Most common for residential sales.
• Multi-agency or joint agency. Two or more agents market the property in parallel; the agent who secures the buyer earns the fee. Multi-agency typically attracts higher overall fees but can be useful where reach matters.
• Sole selling rights. A stronger version of sole agency where the agent is entitled to a fee even if you find the buyer yourself. Less common; understand the implications before signing.

Term. The length of the sole agency or instruction period. Typical periods run for several weeks to a few months, with provisions for extension. A very long initial period leaves you committed to an agent who may not be performing.

Fee. The percentage and VAT clearly stated. Whether marketing costs are included or separately charged.

Termination. The terms on which you can end the instruction before the term expires, and whether any fees or marketing costs become payable if you do. Pay attention to "tail-end" clauses, which entitle the agent to a fee if the property sells within a defined period after termination to a buyer introduced by that agent.

Withdrawal. What happens if you decide to take the property off the market. Whether marketing outlays remain payable.

If anything in the engagement letter is unclear, ask for an explanation in writing before signing. Negotiate on the terms that matter to you.

Any practising Irish solicitor can handle residential conveyancing on the seller side. The work is not the same as the buyer-side work and includes specific seller obligations.

What the seller's solicitor does, at a high level. Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of property; it is the work of a qualified solicitor and is not something you can do yourself. On the seller side, the solicitor's role is to assemble the title documents, prepare the contract for sale, respond to the buyer's solicitor's pre-contract enquiries with the information and documents you provide, complete the transfer of ownership on closing day, settle the existing mortgage from the sale proceeds (if any), and account to you for the net balance. Ask the solicitor to walk you through their sequence at engagement so you know what to expect and at which points your involvement is required.

What you can usefully understand at a high level:

• Before the property is listed, the solicitor begins assembling the title documents and identifying any issues that the buyer's solicitor will likely raise (planning irregularities, missing documents, boundary questions). Resolving these before marketing is materially faster than resolving them under pressure during conveyancing.
• After sale agreed, the solicitor issues the contract to the buyer's solicitor and handles the back-and-forth on pre-contract enquiries.
• On closing day, the solicitor takes in the balance funds, pays off any outstanding mortgage, deducts the agreed fees and outlays, and remits the net balance to you.

Choosing a solicitor. Get written fee quotes from two or three solicitors with experience in residential conveyancing. Compare against the same factors that matter for any solicitor engagement: residential conveyancing volume, fee transparency (a quote that breaks out professional fee, VAT, and outlays separately), a named contact who responds promptly, and confirmation that they are on the Law Society of Ireland's register of practising solicitors. You can use the same solicitor for the sale and for any onward purchase, which simplifies chain coordination.

Engage your solicitor before listing. Earlier than most sellers think. Title issues take time to resolve, and a buyer reviewing the title at sale-agreed stage will not wait indefinitely for problems to be cleared.

Photographs are how most buyers form their first impression. A property that photographs poorly attracts fewer viewings, and viewings are where sales happen.

Professional photography. Most reputable estate agents include or arrange professional photography as part of the marketing package. Confirm what is included before signing. Phone-camera photographs in poor light rarely do a property justice.

Floor plans. A standard floor plan with room sizes is now expected on most residential listings. Most agents arrange this as part of the listing.

Video and virtual tours. Increasingly common for higher-priced properties and apartments. Useful for buyers who cannot easily attend in person, including non-resident buyers.

The listing description. Factual, accurate, and complete. Note key features (number of bedrooms and bathrooms, total floor area, BER, parking, garden orientation, proximity to transport and amenities) and any specific selling points. Avoid puff that the buyer will see through at viewing.

Honesty about defects. Material defects (a known issue with the roof, a planning matter, a management company dispute for an apartment) come out during conveyancing. Surfacing them up front saves time and credibility; concealing them risks a deal collapsing late.

Marketing for land or a site. If you are selling land rather than a dwelling, the marketing pack is different. Standard items: photographs of the site from multiple angles, drone photographs where the site is large enough to benefit from an overhead view, a site map showing the registered boundaries and any features, a summary of the planning status (any granted permissions, the planning history, anything pending), and a summary of services availability (water connection, ESB, sewerage or septic provision, road access). Floor plans and BER certificates do not apply. Confirm at agent selection that the agent has experience marketing land if a site is your sale; a residential-focused agent may not be the right fit for development land or larger sites.

The asking price is a marketing decision, not a contract. Your agent will recommend a number with reasoning; the final call is yours.

Strategies.

• At-market asking. Setting the asking price at the realistic achievable price. The most common approach. Attracts interest from buyers searching by price band.
• Below-market asking ("price to bid"). Setting the asking price slightly below the expected achievable price. In strong markets, this can generate competitive bidding that takes the final price above asking. Risks the property selling at the asking price if the market is softer than expected; works best when the agent is confident in the demand.
• Above-market asking ("aspirational"). Setting the asking price higher than realistic. Most likely to result in a slow sale and a series of price reductions over the marketing period. Generally not advised.

The Property Price Register is the public benchmark for what comparable properties actually sold for. Bopperty's area reports show the recent sales context at the Eircode-district level. Use both alongside your agent's professional view.

The asking price is not the floor. You can accept lower offers; you can hold out for higher. The asking price signals what range of buyers you expect to attract.

Reductions. If the property attracts few or no offers in the first few weeks, your agent will likely recommend a reduction. Listen to the data: views, viewings, and offers. A property that gets viewings but no offers is priced acceptably for browsing but not for buying; a property that gets no viewings is priced above the market's attention range.

Pricing land or a site. Land valuation works differently from dwelling valuation. Comparable sales are harder to find, and the site value depends heavily on planning permission status: a site with full planning permission for a defined development is valued very differently from a site with outline permission or with no permission at all. For development land, the valuation reflects the buildable potential, not just the area. If your agent's experience is residential-focused, consider engaging a specialist land valuer before setting the asking price.

If you are also buying onward. Your asking price interacts with your onward purchase budget. Selling for less than expected means a smaller deposit on the next property and a larger mortgage; selling above expectations gives you flexibility. Decide in advance how you would respond to a lower-than-target offer: would you accept a price below your target if it kept the onward purchase on track, or would you hold out and risk the onward purchase falling through on timing? The answer depends on the strength of your onward chain and on how much flexibility your mortgage approval gives you.

Most residential sales in Ireland route through the major listing portals plus the agent's own channels.

Irish property portals. Irish property portals carry the bulk of residential listings. Almost any residential sale lists on the main portals.

Agent website and database. Larger agents maintain a buyer database (registered prospective buyers searching in the area) and their own portal. Some properties are circulated to the database before going public; this works for prospective buyers but limits the audience.

Signage. A "For Sale" board outside the property remains useful, particularly for local buyers who walk or drive the area regularly. Some sellers prefer to avoid signage for privacy reasons; this is a personal choice.

Targeted channels. Specific buyer audiences may justify specialised channels: a country property may benefit from listings on rural-focused portals; an apartment in a development with strong international buyer interest may benefit from international advertising. Discuss with your agent.

Social media. Agent-led social media (typically Instagram and Facebook) supplements the portals. Reach varies widely by agent and audience.

The agent's marketing plan should set out which channels they will use and when. Hold them to it.

The estate agent communicates offers to you. You decide; the agent advises. The negotiation typically runs through several rounds.

Qualifying buyers. Not every offer is equal. A cash buyer or a buyer with formal approval in principle (AIP) from a lender is more reliable than an aspirational buyer without confirmed funding. Ask your agent to confirm the position of any serious bidder: cash or mortgage, AIP in hand, any chain dependencies (whether they need to sell another property to complete).

Counter-offers. You can accept, reject, or counter any offer. A common pattern: the agent comes back with the bidder's response and a recommendation. Hold a clear view of your minimum acceptable outcome, but be willing to negotiate around it.

Multiple bidders. Where two or more bidders are competing, the agent typically manages the process to maximise the price. Some agents will share that other bids exist and at what level; others will not. Best-and-final-offer rounds are sometimes used to bring competing bids to a head.

The agent's role. The agent is paid on completion, typically as a percentage of the sale price. They have an interest in completing the sale and in completing at a higher price. Most of the time these interests align with yours, but recognise the dynamic and form your own view of what to accept.

When to accept. When the offer is at or above your minimum acceptable outcome, the buyer is qualified, and waiting longer is unlikely to produce a materially better outcome. Holding out for a higher offer that may never come is one way a sale can stall.

Offer timing if you are also buying onward. Offer timing matters more if you are buying as well as selling. An offer accepted today gives you the window from today until closing to find and bid on a new property; that window has practical consequences for mortgage drawdown timing, removals, insurance, and the gap between homes. Discuss timing with your agent: a buyer who can move quickly with a confirmed funding position may be worth more than a higher offer that drags the timeline out. See Section 8.7.

When you accept an offer, the agent marks the property "sale agreed." The agent issues a sales advice note to both solicitors, recording the agreed price, the parties, and any specific conditions (contents to be included, timing, anything else).

The booking deposit. The buyer pays a booking deposit to the agent (typically a few thousand euro, more for higher-value properties). The deposit is held by the agent on stakeholder basis and is fully refundable until contracts are signed. It does not transfer to you.

Sale agreed is not binding. Either side can walk away until contracts are exchanged. The buyer can be gazumped (you accept a higher offer from another bidder); you can be gazundered (the buyer reduces their offer late in the process). Both happen in Irish residential transactions; neither is a breach of any legal obligation at this stage.

Your role from sale agreed forward. Your solicitor takes the lead on the legal process. You provide answers to their requests for information, identify any documents they need (planning permissions, certificates of compliance, management company correspondence for apartments), and review documents they prepare. Section 6 covers this.

Timing. A common rule of thumb in straightforward Irish residential sales is around four to six weeks from sale agreed to contract exchange, and six to twelve weeks from sale agreed to closing. These are norms, not guarantees. Title issues, slow responses from either side, mortgage delays on the buyer's side, and chain dependencies can all extend the timeline.

Auctions exist in Ireland for residential property but are uncommon for typical owner-occupied stock. They are more common for receiver sales (where a lender has appointed a receiver due to mortgage default), certain investment properties, and high-end properties where the auction format generates a clear final price on a defined date.

How an auction differs.

• Binding at the hammer. When the gavel falls, the highest bidder is contractually committed. Contracts and a deposit are signed on the spot. There is no cooling-off period.
• Pre-auction due diligence. Prospective bidders complete their conveyancing, survey, and financing before bidding, because there is no opportunity to back out afterwards. This narrows the field to seriously prepared buyers.
• Reserve price. The auctioneer typically sets a reserve below which the property will not be sold. If bidding does not reach the reserve, the property is "withdrawn" and can be re-marketed.
• Auction fees. Often higher than private treaty fees, reflecting the more concentrated marketing effort and shorter timeline.

Auction can be the right choice where there is strong evidence of competitive demand for a defined, scarce property, or where a sale needs to complete on a defined date. For most residential sellers in most markets, private treaty produces better outcomes. Discuss the choice with two or three agents before deciding.

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of property. It is the work of a qualified solicitor and is not something you can do yourself. On the seller side, the solicitor's role is to confirm and demonstrate that the seller has good marketable title to the property, prepare the contract for sale, respond to the buyer's solicitor's enquiries with the information and documents you provide, complete the transfer of ownership on closing day, and (where there is an outstanding mortgage) settle that mortgage from the sale proceeds.

What you can usefully understand at a high level:

• Before contracts issue, your solicitor assembles the title pack: the deeds or folio (if Land Registry), planning permissions for any extensions or alterations, BER certificate, management company details for apartments, and any other documents the buyer's solicitor will need.
• The contract for sale is the binding document; once both sides sign and exchange, the sale is committed.
• The buyer's solicitor will raise pre-contract enquiries: questions about the property that the buyer wants answered before signing. Your solicitor responds with the information you provide.
• On closing day, the buyer's solicitor sends the balance funds to your solicitor. Your solicitor pays off the existing mortgage (if any), accounts for agreed fees and outlays, and remits the net balance to you.

Ask your solicitor to walk you through the sequence at engagement so you know what to expect and at which points your involvement (providing documents, answering enquiries, signing) is required.

The buyer's solicitor will send your solicitor a list of pre-contract enquiries: standard questions about the property and its title. Some questions you answer from memory or simple checks; others require documents from the property's history.

Documents you may need to provide:

• Planning permissions and compliance certificates. For any extensions, conversions, attic conversions, or alterations done during your ownership (and ideally during the prior owner's, where you have them). A certificate of compliance with planning permission and building regulations from an architect or engineer is commonly requested.
• BER certificate. Already in place for marketing.
• Management company documents (apartments). Recent service charge statement, copy of the most recent annual accounts, sinking fund balance, any AGM minutes, the lease, and confirmation that service charges are paid up.
• Receipts and correspondence. For works done, for service charges paid, for any disputes or notices affecting the property.
• Title documents. The deeds or folio. Most are held by your solicitor or your lender; rare situations involve unregistered title or missing documents, both of which take time to resolve.
• LPT history. Confirmation that Local Property Tax is paid up to date.

Common issues that surface in enquiries:

• Works done without planning permission, or where planning permission was granted but no certificate of compliance was obtained.
• Boundary uncertainty where the deeds map and the physical position differ.
• Management company arrears or unresolved disputes for apartments.
• Missing title documents or chain-of-title gaps.
• Outstanding charges or judgments registered against the title.

Your solicitor flags these as they arise and advises on resolution. Some are quickly addressed (a missing planning certificate can be obtained from a qualified professional); others take time (a retention permission application can take many months). Surfacing them before marketing, where possible, is materially faster than handling them under pressure during a live sale.

Land or site sales. If you are selling land or an undeveloped site rather than a dwelling, the documents the buyer's solicitor needs are different. Typical items: the folio map and confirmation of registered boundaries, the planning history (any granted permissions, refusals, expired permissions, pending applications), services availability and any service-connection agreements (water connection, ESB, sewerage or septic provision), any rights of way or easements registered against the title, agricultural use restrictions or designations where applicable, and any environmental designations affecting the site. Your solicitor will identify the specific items needed for the sale; site sales often involve more documentation than typical dwelling sales, and starting the document gathering well before listing pays off.

Most sales that fall through after sale agreed do so for predictable reasons. Knowing the patterns helps you anticipate and respond.

Title or planning issues that the buyer is not willing to accept. The buyer's solicitor identifies a problem; you do not resolve it on terms the buyer accepts; the buyer withdraws. Pre-resolving the most common issues (especially planning compliance for any works on the property) before listing makes this much less likely.

Buyer financing issues. The buyer's AIP turns out not to convert into a mortgage offer, or the offer is for a lower amount than expected, or interest rate movements affect their position. There is little you can do directly, but qualifying buyers carefully before accepting an offer reduces the risk.

Survey findings. The buyer's survey identifies a defect that prompts a renegotiation request or a withdrawal. Material defects you know about are better disclosed up front than discovered.

Chain delays. Where your buyer's purchase depends on their own sale, or your onward purchase has its own dependencies. Chains of three or more transactions are common; any link breaking affects all the parties downstream.

Slow professional turnaround. A solicitor on either side who is slow to respond, a management company that takes weeks to provide accounts. Push your solicitor to chase actively where things stall.

Personal changes. A buyer's job change, separation, or change of mind. Not all of these are predictable.

If the sale falls through, the booking deposit refunds to the buyer. You can re-list the property, often with the agent now better calibrated on the market response.

The contract for sale, signed by both parties and exchanged, creates the binding agreement. From this point, both sides are committed to complete on the agreed terms.

What the contract includes.

• The parties (seller and buyer).
• The property (legal description, folio number where registered, address).
• The price (total consideration and how the deposit and balance are paid).
• The closing date.
• Special conditions (specific contents included, any conditions precedent, apportionments).
• General conditions (the standard Law Society General Conditions of Sale unless varied).
• Title documents (the underlying title being transferred).

The contract deposit. The buyer pays the balance of the 10 percent deposit (less the booking deposit already paid) to your solicitor at contract signing. The booking deposit is transferred from the estate agent at this point.

Risk passes. From contract signing, the risk of damage to the property passes to the buyer (they are responsible for insuring from this date). You retain occupation until closing.

When to sign. Your solicitor advises. Sign once the title pack and enquiries have been resolved and the buyer's side has confirmed they are ready to commit.

The closing date. Set in the contract. Typically a few weeks after signing, sometimes shorter, sometimes longer depending on the buyer's mortgage drawdown timing and any chain dependencies. The closing date is binding once contracts are exchanged.

Closing day is the day the sale legally completes and ownership transfers. The choreography happens between the two solicitors over the course of a few hours.

The morning. The buyer's solicitor confirms that the buyer's mortgage funds (if any) and balance funds have cleared in their client account. They authorise transfer to your solicitor.

Mortgage redemption. Your solicitor receives the funds and immediately pays off any outstanding mortgage on the property by sending the redemption figure to your lender. Your lender, on receipt, releases the title documents. This step is fundamental: title cannot pass to the buyer until the lender's charge on the property is cleared.

Fees and outlays. Your solicitor accounts for: the agreed solicitor's fee plus VAT; any outlays incurred in the sale; the estate agent's commission plus VAT (the agent typically invoices your solicitor directly for the buyer's protection); apportionments for LPT and (for apartments) management company service charges to the closing date.

Net proceeds. Your solicitor remits the net balance to your nominated bank account, typically same day or next business day.

Keys. The buyer collects keys from the estate agent once your solicitor confirms receipt of funds. Confirm with the agent in advance: what time the keys release, where the buyer collects them, and whether any contents agreed to remain are still in the property (or any contents to be removed have been).

The walk-through. Some buyers ask for a final walk-through shortly before keys release to confirm the property's condition has not deteriorated. Cooperate as needed.

You are no longer the owner. From closing, the property belongs to the buyer. Your responsibilities (LPT from this date, insurance, maintenance) end.

Chain closings. If you are selling and buying onward in a chained transaction, the two closings often happen on the same day: in the morning, the funds from your buyer reach your solicitor; in the afternoon, your solicitor remits the balance toward the onward purchase as part of that transaction's closing. Your solicitor coordinates the legal choreography between the parties. Discuss the timing with your solicitor a week ahead so you know what to expect, the order of release of funds and keys on each side, and the contingency if the buyer's funds arrive late in the day. Bridging finance, if you have arranged it, can act as a fallback when chain timing slips. See Section 8.7 for the chain coordination detail.

A few practical matters in the weeks and months after closing.

Change of address. Notify utilities, banks, insurers, the Revenue Commissioners, your employer, subscription services, and anyone else who corresponds with you at the property address.

Final utility readings. Take meter readings on closing day and forward them to each utility provider to close out your account. Settle final bills.

LPT. The seller is the LPT-liable owner up to closing; the buyer assumes liability from closing forward. Your solicitor handles the apportionment as part of the closing statement.

Capital Gains Tax. If the property was an investment property (or any property other than your principal private residence throughout ownership), CGT applies on the gain. CGT is calculated on the difference between the sale proceeds and the acquisition cost, less certain allowable expenses and a personal annual exemption. The current CGT rate and personal exemption are published by Revenue. The detailed treatment, including PPR Relief and partial PPR Relief where the property was your home for only part of the ownership period, are also set out by Revenue. Speak to a tax adviser before listing if your CGT position is unclear.

Property Price Register. Your sale price will appear on the Property Price Register within a few months of closing. The PPR is public; you cannot opt out.

Records. Keep the closing statement, the signed contract, and any post-closing correspondence with your solicitor in your permanent records. You may need them for tax purposes (CGT computations) or for future reference.

The most common case. The property has been your main home throughout ownership; the sale releases capital to buy or rent your next home.

PPR Relief and Capital Gains Tax. A property used as the owner's principal private residence is generally exempt from Capital Gains Tax on disposal under PPR Relief, for the period it has been your main residence. Where the property was your main home for some but not all of the ownership period, partial relief applies in proportion. Specific rules apply to garden size, business use, and absences (Revenue treats certain types of absence as deemed occupation for relief purposes). The detailed rules are published by Revenue; check before assuming the relief applies in full.

Onward purchase coordination. If you are buying onward, the chain dynamics (Section 8.7) matter materially.

Family Home Protection. Where the property is the family home of a married couple (or a couple in a civil partnership), the spouse or civil partner who is not on the title still has rights under family-home legislation and must consent to the sale. Your solicitor handles this; both spouses sign the contract.

A buy-to-let or other property that is not your main home.

Capital Gains Tax. CGT applies on the gain, calculated as the difference between the sale proceeds and the acquisition cost (with allowable expenses deducted). The CGT rate and personal annual exemption are published by Revenue. PPR Relief does not apply to a property that was used as a rental throughout ownership; partial relief applies if the property was your principal private residence for some of the ownership period and an investment for the rest. A tax adviser can model your specific position.

Outstanding tenancy. If the property has a tenant in place at the point you decide to sell, see Section 8.3.

Tax compliance ahead of sale. Have your rental income tax returns in order. A non-compliant landlord can face complications at closing, particularly where Revenue clearance is required.

Acquisition cost and allowable expenses. Keep records of the original purchase price, stamp duty paid, legal fees on purchase, and material capital improvements (extensions, significant renovations) during ownership. These are allowable deductions in the CGT computation; without records, you cannot claim them.

Selling a property that is currently let to a tenant. Two distinct paths, depending on whether the property is being sold with the tenancy continuing ("tenant in situ" sale) or with vacant possession after the tenant has moved out.

Selling with vacant possession. The traditional approach. You serve a valid notice of termination on the tenant on grounds the legislation allows, the tenant moves out, the property is sold vacant. The grounds available to the landlord depend on whether the tenancy was created before or after 1 March 2026, on the landlord's category under the current framework, and on the specific grounds the legislation permits. Under the post-March 2026 regime, larger landlords face stricter restrictions on using sale of the property as a termination ground during a Tenancy of Minimum Duration cycle than smaller landlords; the detailed rules and the current category definitions are published by the RTB.

Selling with the tenant in situ. Permitted under current rules: you can sell the property while the tenancy continues. The buyer takes on the landlord position and the tenancy continues with them under the same terms, with the same rent and the same notice protections. Tenant-in-situ sales widen the buyer pool to investors and to public-sector buyers. Local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies operate discretionary acquisition routes that, in some cases, allow them to buy a property from a private landlord so that the existing tenant can remain. These schemes are not automatic; eligibility and funding constraints apply, and the schemes are administered by the local authority or AHB rather than being a guaranteed outcome. The Department of Housing publishes the current position.

Practical considerations.

• Tenant relations. Selling a home where someone lives requires their cooperation for viewings. Engage with the tenant respectfully and early; statutory notice requirements for landlord access apply.
• Disclosure. The contract and pre-contract enquiries will require disclosure of the tenancy (term, rent, security of tenure status, RTB registration).
• Tax. Rental income up to the point of closing is taxable rental income; the disposal itself is a CGT event.

The rules on landlord termination for sale and on tenant-in-situ sales have been substantially reformed in recent years and remain a focus of policy. Confirm the current position with the RTB or a solicitor specialising in residential tenancies before deciding the path.

Selling a property as part of administering the estate of someone who has died.

Grant of probate or letters of administration. The personal representative (the executor named in the will, or the administrator appointed where there is no will) has the authority to deal with the estate, including selling property. That authority is granted by the Probate Office of the High Court through a grant of probate (with a will) or letters of administration (without). A property generally cannot be sold to a third party until the grant has issued. The application takes some months; the timing can affect the sale.

Marketing before grant. The property can usually be marketed and a sale agreed before the grant issues, but contracts cannot be signed until the personal representative has the grant in hand. This is a familiar pattern for solicitors and agents handling probate sales; be clear with the buyer's side from the outset.

Tax treatment. A property sold by the estate is sold at the value at the date of death (probate value) for CGT purposes, with any gain between probate value and sale price as the chargeable gain. Inheritance tax (Capital Acquisitions Tax) is a separate matter for the beneficiaries on receipt of their share. Revenue publishes the rules; speak to a tax adviser before listing.

Practical points.

• The property may need clearing, presentation work, or repairs before it shows well. Budget for this.
• Multiple beneficiaries with differing views on price or timing can complicate decisions; clear authority from the personal representative is essential.
• A property sold below probate value may reduce the estate's CGT exposure but may also disappoint beneficiaries. Document the marketing process to demonstrate the achieved price was the best available.

Selling for less than the outstanding mortgage on the property. The sale proceeds do not cover the mortgage; a shortfall remains.

Lender consent. A negative-equity sale typically requires the consent of the mortgage lender, because the lender's security on the property is being discharged for less than the amount owed. Engage with the lender early and in writing. Some lenders have specific negative-equity sale processes and may agree to a structured repayment arrangement for the shortfall; others may not.

The shortfall. Even after the property is sold and the mortgage discharged, the remaining debt is still owed to the lender. Negotiated settlements, restructured payment plans, and (in serious cases) insolvency arrangements are paths that have been used. Speak to your lender, MABS (the Money Advice and Budgeting Service), or a solicitor specialising in personal insolvency before listing.

Pricing strategy. A negative-equity sale still needs to achieve the best available price under the circumstances; lender consent typically presupposes evidence of a market-tested sale. The agent's marketing record matters in any subsequent negotiation with the lender.

A property owned jointly by two or more people, sold during a stable ownership or during a separation.

Joint tenancy vs tenants-in-common. Two ownership structures. Joint tenants own the whole property together; the survivor inherits on death. Tenants-in-common own defined shares (often 50:50); each share passes by will or intestacy on death. Both structures require all owners to consent to a sale. Your solicitor reviews the structure and confirms what is needed.

Separation context. When a couple separates, the property is often sold or one party buys the other out. The legal framework depends on whether the couple is married, in a civil partnership, or cohabiting; family-law proceedings may include orders about the property. Selling during a separation can be straightforward where both parties agree on the sale, the price, and the division of proceeds; complex where they do not.

Family Home Protection. Where the property is the family home, both spouses or civil partners must consent in writing to the sale, even if only one is on the title. The Family Home Protection Act formalises this; your solicitor handles the documentation.

Practical points.

• Where separation is contentious, a single solicitor cannot represent both parties; each engages their own.
• Apportionment of net proceeds is a separate matter from the sale itself. Have the apportionment agreed (or in process through family law) before the sale completes; otherwise the proceeds sit with the solicitor until resolution.

Most movers sell and buy in the same window. The two transactions tend to lock together, and the coordination is the work.

The chain. Your buyer's purchase may depend on their own sale; their buyer may have their own dependencies; your onward seller may have theirs. Chains of three or four transactions are common in Irish residential markets, and the chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

Why timing matters. Several things have to align on or around the same date in a chain closing: mortgage drawdown by every party who has a loan, removal and moving arrangements for each household, building insurance handover on each property, change of address with utilities and service providers. A delay at any point ripples through the chain. The gap problem (being out of one home but not yet into the next, even by hours) is the practical risk; the financial risk is that funds for one transaction depend on funds from another.

Coordinating closing dates. Your solicitor (acting for you on both sides if you choose, or two solicitors coordinating) lines up the closing dates so funds flow through on the same day. Smooth chain completions are routine for experienced solicitors; complications arise where one party in the chain is slow or where a closing date slips.

The role of your solicitor vs your role. Your solicitor handles the legal coordination: matching the closing dates in both contracts, communicating with the other solicitors in the chain, managing the same-day flow of funds, dealing with delays. You handle the human coordination: removals, utilities transfer dates, insurance dates, your own working calendar around the closing, where you stay if there is a gap. Both sides of the coordination matter; weak coordination on either side can cost the chain.

A worked example of a chain closing day. A simple two-link chain: you sell to a buyer and buy from a seller, with both closings on the same day. Morning: the buyer's solicitor confirms cleared funds and transfers to your solicitor. Late morning: your solicitor pays off your existing mortgage and confirms net proceeds. Early afternoon: your solicitor transfers the balance to your onward seller's solicitor (combined with your own mortgage drawdown if you are taking a new loan), which closes the onward purchase. Late afternoon: keys are released on both sides. The choreography compresses a normal closing into a few hours and is dependent on every party being ready to act on cue.

Bridging finance. The gap between selling your current home and buying the next can be bridged by a bridging loan. The Central Bank has introduced a targeted carve-out from the loan-to-income rule for principal-home bridging loans, recognising that repayment comes from sale proceeds rather than from regular income. Bridging products are offered by a limited set of Irish lenders, often at higher rates than standard mortgages; availability and terms are lender-specific. Raise bridging with your lender or broker early if it might apply to your situation. Even where you do not use bridging as your main funding, having an approved facility as a fallback can be a useful insurance against a buyer whose funds are late on closing day.

Selling first, then buying. The cleanest approach where chain risk worries you: sell your current home, close, move into temporary accommodation, then buy. This removes chain dependency and de-risks your funding (you know your deposit position for the onward purchase in cash terms). It does create rental costs and a real move-in-and-out-again sequence.

When to start looking for the onward property. A common pattern: start serious looking once your sale is at sale agreed (not before). Looking too early risks falling for a property you cannot yet commit to, and offers from buyers in your position who are still on the market are typically treated as less reliable than offers from buyers who have already gone sale agreed on their own sale. Once you are sale agreed, you have a credible position to bid from, and the typical conveyancing window on your own sale gives you time to find and bid on the onward property.

Common pitfalls.

• Your buyer's buyer drops out. Your buyer cannot complete without their own sale closing, which has just collapsed. The chain stops while they try to find a new buyer, often weeks of delay.
• A survey or planning issue surfaces late in the chain. Any party renegotiating or withdrawing affects everyone downstream.
• Mortgage drawdown slips. A credit refresh at the last minute turns up a new debt or a change in employment; the lender takes longer than expected to release funds; closing slips a day or more.
• One solicitor in the chain is unresponsive. The chain only moves at the speed of its slowest professional.
• Bank cut-off times on closing day. Same-day interbank transfers have practical cut-off times; funds arriving after cut-off cannot reach the next party until the next working day.

Mitigations: keep your own side moving fast; respond to your solicitor within hours not days; have bridging or temporary accommodation as a contingency; build a buffer into the closing date where possible.

A seller who is not tax resident in Ireland faces additional steps at disposal.

What to expect. In practice, your solicitor will discuss Revenue clearance with you and will typically want to be satisfied that any Capital Gains Tax position has been addressed before releasing the net proceeds. This is a routine part of conveyancing for non-resident sellers and is handled in cooperation with your tax adviser. Revenue publishes the current process and any required certificates on its non-resident vendor pages.

Practical points.

• Notify your solicitor of your non-resident status early. The clearance process takes time and cannot be addressed at the last minute.
• Engage a tax adviser before listing. The Irish tax position interacts with the tax rules in your country of residence; double-taxation arrangements determine how the two interact.
• Currency conversion of the net proceeds (where you are paid into a non-euro account) is a separate matter; consider currency timing if exchange rate movements would materially affect the amount you receive.

Tax residency rules turn on days spent in the State in the relevant year and prior years. Your tax adviser can confirm your residency status and the implications for the sale.

Auction selling is described at a high level in this section for orientation. The readiness checklist does not cover auction sales because the process is fundamentally different from private treaty (the binding-on-the-hammer mechanism, the auction pack, no post-contract enquiries). If you are going to auction, use this section as a starting point and rely on your auctioneer and solicitor for the auction-specific process.

Distinct from private treaty; described at high level in Section 5.4. For sellers who choose auction, additional points:

• Higher pre-auction marketing. Concentrated marketing in the weeks before the auction date.
• Auction pack. A pre-prepared title and enquiries pack, ready for prospective bidders' solicitors to review before bidding. The buyer commits at the hammer with no opportunity for further enquiries.
• The reserve. Set by you with the auctioneer's advice. If the bidding does not reach reserve, the property is unsold and can be re-marketed (often by private treaty afterwards).
• Fees. Auction fees tend to be higher than private treaty fees, reflecting the concentrated effort and shorter timeline.
• Use cases. Auction works best for properties with strong demand from a clear buyer pool, properties where a defined sale date matters (receiver sales, executor sales with multiple beneficiaries), and certain investment properties.