Chapter 8 of 10 · Moving home · 4 of 4
Trading up: moving to a bigger home in Ireland
Checked 21 Oct 2026the Central Bank's mortgage measures, Revenue's rules and the scheme operators' published terms.
Moving up the ladder: your equity, the 3.5x mover limit, porting your mortgage, bridging, and two sets of fees.
Written in plain English for the person buying, selling or switching. This guide covers the Republic of Ireland only.
Trading up means selling the home you have and buying a bigger or dearer one. Your equity from the sale becomes your deposit. A new mortgage covers the rest, under the rules for second-time buyers.
This guide works through the equity, the 3.5 times income limit, porting your mortgage, bridging, and the two sets of fees. The mortgage calculator works out the mortgage, the repayment and the stamp duty on the new home.
A worked example first
Claire and Ben own a three-bed house. They want a four-bed with a garden. Their joint income is €110,000.
Their sale. The house is sale agreed at €400,000. The mortgage left on it is €180,000. The costs of selling come to about €10,000.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sale price | €400,000 |
| Mortgage paid off | €180,000 |
| Costs of selling | €10,000 |
| Equity | €210,000 |
Their purchase. The new house is €550,000.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Price | €550,000 |
| Mortgage limit, 3.5 times income | €385,000 |
| Mortgage limit, 90% of the price | €495,000 |
| Mortgage they can take | €385,000 (the lower of the two) |
| Cash needed from equity | €165,000 |
| Costs of buying | about €10,000 |
Their equity of €210,000 covers the €165,000 and the costs of buying, with about €35,000 left over. The deal works on the numbers. The lender still runs its own tests on the repayment.
Equity: what you walk away with
Equity is the part of your home you own outright. When you sell, it is the sale price less the mortgage and the costs of selling. The cost of selling calculator works it out line by line.
Three things reduce it:
- The redemption figure on your mortgage, which is the exact sum to clear the loan on the day. If you are on a fixed rate, the lender can add a breakage fee. Ask for the figure in writing.
- The agent's fee, 1% to 2.5% plus VAT at 23%, or a fixed fee.
- The solicitor's fee on the sale, typically €1,200 to €2,500 plus VAT, and a BER certificate at €225 to €400.
The Property Price Register shows what homes near you sold for. An agent (with a PSRA licence) gives an appraisal; the estate agent page explains what to ask.
The 3.5 times rule for movers
The Central Bank's rules treat anyone who has owned a home before as a second or subsequent buyer. The limits are 3.5 times gross income and 90% of the price. Gross income is pay before tax. A first-time buyer gets 4 times; a mover does not.
A lender can go above 3.5 times for up to 15% of its mover lending in a year. That is the lender's choice, and the share runs out. Strong income, low outgoings and a big deposit are what lenders look for when they use it. The second-time buyer mortgage guide covers the rules in full.
Your equity does not raise the income limit. It lowers the mortgage you need. On a €550,000 home with €165,000 in, the mortgage is €385,000, which needs an income of €110,000 at 3.5 times.
Porting your mortgage
Porting means moving your existing mortgage rate to the new home. If you are two years into a five-year fixed rate, porting keeps that rate on the same balance for the remaining three years. Any extra borrowing goes on a new rate.
Not every lender offers it. Where it is offered:
- The new loan has to pass the lender's tests as if it were new.
- The old rate carries over on the old balance only.
- The timing has to work: the old mortgage is paid off on the sale and the new one drawn on the purchase, often the same day.
If you cannot port, clearing a fixed rate early can carry a breakage fee. The fee is worked out from the lender's cost of funds under the Consumer Credit Act 1995, and the lender must give it in writing. Sometimes it is nothing; sometimes it is thousands. Ask before you go sale agreed.
Bridging the gap
If you buy before you sell, you need the deposit and the price before your equity is free. A bridging loan covers it, secured on the old home, for up to 18 months.
Since 8 April 2026, a bridging loan on your own home does not count in the Central Bank's income limit. Before that it did, which made it hard for a mover to bridge. The bridging loan guide works through the monthly cost. Most movers avoid a bridge by closing both deals on one day; the selling and buying at the same time guide explains how.
Two sets of fees
Trading up costs more than a first purchase, because you pay to sell and to buy. On the example above:
| Selling, on €400,000 | Typical | Buying, on €550,000 | Typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agent at 1.5% plus VAT | €7,380 | Solicitor at €2,200 plus VAT | €2,706 |
| Solicitor at €1,800 plus VAT | €2,214 | Outlays | €800 |
| BER certificate | €300 | Stamp duty at 1% | €5,500 |
| Survey at €450 plus VAT | €554 | ||
| Valuation | €185 | ||
| Removals | varies | ||
| Total selling | about €9,900 | Total buying | about €9,750 |
About €20,000 in all before the move itself. The fee figures are typical ranges, not quotes. Your solicitor (check the Law Society's register) gives the fee in writing before starting; a conveyancing solicitor can act on both the sale and the purchase. A survey from an engineer or building surveyor (Engineers Ireland or the SCSI) is worth having on any second-hand home.
Stamp duty on the new home
Stamp duty is 1% of the price up to €1 million, 2% on the part from €1 million to €1.5 million, and 6% above that. There is no relief for movers. On a new build, it is charged on the price without VAT. Your solicitor files and pays it within 44 days of closing. The stamp duty calculator does the sum.
The repayment on the bigger loan
A bigger mortgage means a bigger monthly payment, and the term may be shorter if you are older. Lenders set a maximum age at the end of the term, usually 65 to 70. A 45-year-old taking a 25-year loan ends at 70, which many lenders accept; a 30-year loan may not be offered.
The mortgage repayment calculator shows the payment at today's rates and terms. The Central Bank's average rate on new mortgages was 3.53% in August 2026. The mortgage rates comparison lists each lender's rates.
Timing
Each side takes 8 to 16 weeks from sale agreed to closing. Running both together, the slower one sets the date. A loan offer is usually valid for six months, so a slow sale can push you to renew it.
Where this leaves you
Work out the equity from your sale on the cost of selling calculator, then put the price, your income and that equity into the mortgage calculator. The moving home journey puts the two deals in order. Then get quotes from an agent, a solicitor and a surveyor.
Questions people ask
How much can I borrow when trading up?
Up to 3.5 times your gross income and up to 90% of the price, as a second or subsequent buyer. Your equity from the sale makes up the rest. A lender can go above 3.5 times for up to 15% of its mover lending in a year, at its own choice.
What is equity when selling a house?
The sale price less the mortgage you pay off and the costs of selling. It is the cash you walk away with, and it becomes your deposit on the next home.
Can I port my mortgage to a new house in Ireland?
Some lenders let you move your existing rate to the new home, which is called porting. Not all do, and the new loan still has to pass the lender's tests. If you cannot port a fixed rate, breaking it can carry a fee. Ask your lender in writing.
How much does it cost to trade up?
Two sets of fees. Selling: the agent at 1% to 2.5% plus VAT, the solicitor and a BER. Buying: the solicitor, stamp duty at 1%, a survey, a valuation and the move. On a €400,000 sale and a €550,000 purchase, about €20,000 in all is typical.
Do I pay stamp duty when trading up?
Yes, on the home you buy, at 1% of the price up to €1 million and 2% on the part from €1 million to €1.5 million. There is no relief for movers. You pay nothing on the home you sell.