Start here · 13 steps
Selling a house in Ireland, step by step
Checked 21 Oct 2026the Central Bank's mortgage measures, Revenue's rules and the scheme operators' published terms.
This is the sale from the first appraisal to the money in your account, in the order it happens. Each step says what to do, who you need, what it costs and how long it takes. Every figure comes from an official source with the date it was checked.
This journey assumes: You own a home in Ireland, with or without a mortgage, and you are selling it.
Find out what it is worth
Search the Property Price Register for homes like yours that sold nearby in the last year. Then ask two or three agents (with a PSRA licence) to appraise it; appraisals are free. The spread between them, set against the register, tells you the real range.
Work out what you will walk away with
Take the price and subtract the agent (1% to 2.5% plus VAT, or a fixed fee), the solicitor (€1,200 to €2,500 plus VAT), the BER (€225 to €400) and the mortgage left to pay. What remains is your net proceeds. Put your numbers into the calculator for a full statement.
Ask your lender for a redemption figure
The redemption figure is what it costs to clear the mortgage on a given date. On a fixed rate there may be a breakage fee; the lender must give it in writing. If the redemption figure is more than the home is worth, you are in negative equity and you need the lender's consent to sell. Talk to MABS first, for free.
Check for capital gains tax
If the home was your main home the whole time you owned it, there is no capital gains tax. If it was let, or you lived elsewhere for a time, part of the gain can be taxed at 33% (31% announced for contracts from 7 October 2026). The last twelve months always count as your home. Work it out before you price the sale.
Get a BER
You cannot advertise a home for sale without a Building Energy Rating from an assessor on SEAI's register. It lasts ten years, so check the register in case there is one already. The rating goes in the advert, and a B3 or better helps buyers get a green mortgage rate.
Choose an agent, or sell it yourself
Check the licence on the PSRA's register. The agent must give you a letter of engagement before any work starts, with the fee, the marketing costs, the asking price and the sole agency period. Selling privately is lawful; you still need the BER and a solicitor.
Choose a solicitor and get the deeds
Your solicitor (on the Law Society's register) draws up the contract, answers the buyer's questions and pays off the mortgage from the proceeds. Instruct them before you go on the market: the deeds have to come back from your lender, and on an inherited home probate must be through. Above €1 million, they apply for the CG50 certificate so the buyer does not withhold 15%.
Get the home and the paperwork ready
Buyers' surveyors look for damp, the roof, the boiler and any extension without paperwork. Fix the small things, and find the planning permission and certificates for any work done. Gather the LPT receipts, the management company details on an apartment, and the NPPR certificate if you owned it between 2009 and 2013.
Go on the market and take offers
The agent runs viewings and keeps a record of every offer, which you can ask to see. Ask each bidder for proof of approval in principle and whether they have a home to sell. The highest bid is not always the surest; a chain-free buyer with approval can be worth more than a higher bid that may fall through.
Sale agreed: the booking deposit and the buyer's survey
When you accept, the buyer pays a booking deposit (€5,000 to €10,000) to the agent. It is refundable until contracts, and neither side is bound yet. The buyer's surveyor visits in these weeks, and the buyer may come back on the price with the report. Decide in advance what you would accept.
Contracts: the buyer's questions, then signing
Your solicitor sends the contract and the buyer's solicitor sends back questions about the title, planning and boundaries. Answer them fast: this is where sales slow down. When both sides sign, the buyer pays 10% and the deal is binding. If a spouse or civil partner is not on the title, the Family Home Protection Act means they must consent in writing; a tenant in place needs the right notice.
Closing day
The buyer's money arrives with your solicitor, who pays off your mortgage, pays the agent and themselves, and sends you the balance. Keys and alarm codes go to the agent once the money has landed, usually in the afternoon. Leave the home as the contract describes, take meter readings, and tell the utilities.
After the sale: the tax and the LPT
If any capital gains tax is due, pay it by 15 December for a sale with a contract date from January to November, or by 31 January for December. File the return by 31 October the next year, even if full relief applies. LPT is paid up to the sale date, and the buyer takes over from the next 1 November.
Who you need on this journey
Mortgage advisor (broker)Ticked for you
For the home you buy next, or to port or clear the mortgage; untick if you are not borrowing
Conveyancing solicitorYou will need this
Draws the contract and pays off the mortgage
BER assessorYou will need this
You must have a BER before you advertise
Estate agent or valuerYou will need this
Most sellers use one; a valuation first
RemovalsOptional
Closing week
Questions people ask
How long does it take to sell a house in Ireland?
Typically 4 to 12 weeks from going on the market to sale agreed, then 8 to 16 weeks from sale agreed to closing. Probate, a title problem or the buyer's mortgage can add weeks. Having the BER, the deeds and the planning paperwork ready before you list is what shortens it.
How much does it cost to sell a house in Ireland?
The agent (1% to 2.5% plus VAT, or a fixed fee of €999 to €2,995 plus VAT), the solicitor (€1,200 to €2,500 plus VAT), the BER (€225 to €400) and any marketing. On a €400,000 sale that is usually between €8,000 and €15,000 in all. The selling costs calculator gives your figure.
Do I pay tax when I sell my house?
Not if it was your main home for the whole time you owned it. If it was let, or you lived elsewhere for a time, part of the gain is taxed at 33% (31% announced for contracts from 7 October 2026), less the €1,270 annual exemption. You must file a return the next year even with full relief.
Do I need a BER to sell my house?
Yes. A home cannot be advertised for sale without a BER from an assessor on SEAI's register, and the rating must appear in the advert. It lasts ten years, so check the register in case one exists.
Can I sell my house without an estate agent?
Yes. It is lawful, and you still need the BER and a solicitor. You handle the pricing, the viewings, the bidding and the booking deposit yourself.
What if I owe more than the house is worth?
That is negative equity, and you need your lender's consent to sell. Talk to MABS first: it is free and confidential, and it can deal with the lender for you. Our money help page lists the free routes.