Wexford Town hosted the Comhaltas Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2024 last week. And according to Garda estimates, up to 650,000 people visited Wexford town over the course of the eight day festival, smashing the previous record of 600,000 held by Mullingar. Up to 120,000 people were on the streets of Wexford over the course of Saturday. RTÉ was there, on the Gig Rig, at the bandstand with RTÉ RnaG on St Peter’s Square, and with a large-scale RTÉ Radio 1 activation at Wexford Arts Centre, and in the Opera House with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.

The Irish Times has recently unveiled its highly anticipated list of the top ten beaches in Ireland for the year 2024. Unsurprisingly, Curracloe in Wexford claims the coveted top spot.

Curracloe, a flourishing village in Wexford, is currently undergoing exciting developments with the construction of a new hotel, spa, and golf club, all set to open their doors in the near future.

Boasting a nearly ten-kilometre stretch, Curracloe Beach offers not only a pristine coastal experience but also features the incredible Raven Point walk, guiding visitors through a picturesque forested area adjacent to the shoreline.  Curracloe Beach has earned fame as a prominent filming location for renowned movies such as Saving Private Ryan and Brooklyn.

While Tramore Beach in County Waterford secured the 8th place, representing the South East, the remaining top beaches hail from the West of Ireland.

If you are interested in buying or selling property in Wexford, contact our office to book a free appraisal.

Wexford’s housing market has shown resilience, with a year-on-year increase of 3.6 percent, aligning with the national average, as reported in the latest Daft Report.

The average home price in Wexford stands at €288,854, reflecting a 1 percent change in the past quarter. For those interested in one-bedroom apartments, the average asking price in Wexford is €97,000, marking an 11.7 percent annual decline. Two-bedroom terraced houses in Wexford are listed at €139,000, with a modest 0.3 percent annual increase. Meanwhile, three-bedroom semi-detached houses are valued at €200,000, showing a substantial 3.9 percent annual growth. Four-bedroom bungalows command an average price of €382,000, exhibiting a 4 percent annual increase. For those in the market for a five-bedroom detached house, the average cost is €392,000, reflecting a notable 8.8 percent annual rise.

It’s important to note that this year, the number of listings on Daft has dwindled by nearly 30 percent, leaving just 12,200 homes available for purchase in September 2023. There is still a shortage of housing in Ireland and a very high demand for property. If you’re thinking selling your property, don’t hesitate to contact our office to schedule a visit from one of our agents.

Motivated Buyers

With summer coming to an end, buyers are more eager than ever to get into their new homes. For a lot of people Christmas is a deadline when it comes to buying a house, especially those with kids who want to be settled in before the Christmas Holidays. Buyers are really looking to go sale agreed on the house sooner rather than later. Making the market more competitive, which is ideal for those wishing to sell their house.

Schools

Schools can be a massive factor to consider for a lot of buyers. School enrolments generally begin in February so most buyers with kids will hope to have a property before this time to give them time to find suitable schools in the area.

Major Shortage

Spring and Autumn are the two most popular times for selling and this year especially there is a real shortage of quality properties.  This guarantees great interest and therefore, excellent prices.

Show Off The Cosy Features

Some features in properties can stand out more when the weather isn’t as good as the summer months.  It can emphasise the importance of features such as a good BER rating, good heating system, stoves and the overall quality of the building work.

Don’t delay, Call today!

Wexford was tenth on a list that tracks the biggest changes in house prices across the country.  House prices have increased 43% between 2010 to 2022, going from €179,564 to €257,360. This shows that Wexford is becoming a much more popular location over the previous 12 years. This information was posted on Independant.ie along with figures on the other counties in Ireland.

Wexford is known for its beautiful coastline and beaches, which now include six blue-flag beaches, two blue-flag marinas, and a further ten green-flag beaches. The blue flag beaches include Ballinesker, Ballymoney North Beach, Carne, Curracloe, Morriscastle, and Rosslare Strand, all of which are well worth visiting if visiting or planning a relocation to Wexford. The two blue-flag marinas are in Kilmore and New Ross, both towns having plenty of amenities for all ages. The other ten beaches that won awards are Baginbun, Ballyhealy, Booley Bay, Cahore Point, Cullenstown Strand, Culleton’s Gap, Grange, Old Bawn Beach, and St. Helen’s Bay, along with Rosslare Harbour. The beaches are spread out from the north of the county down to Kilmore, making all areas great for beach lovers. These are just some of the amazing places that Wexford has to offer. If you are thinking of a relocation or holiday home in Wexford, call into our office, which is on the Quay in Wexford Town. One of the team members would be more than happy to help with any questions.

May can be a great time to get your property on the market. With this being said, the market has begun to cool off, with sales prices in Leinster dropping 0.5% in the first quarter of 2023, as per the Daft Sales Price Report. You can take steps to still get the best price for your property when launching it on the market.

Choose a solicitor and get a BER certificate for the property.

When you decide you would like to sell, you should immediately contact your solicitor or begin looking for one to use. There is a lot of paperwork that must be done throughout the sales process, so the earlier this is started, the better chance you have of a smooth sale. Another point to note is that you are legally required to have a BER certificate for a property that is going for sale, so it is best to get this done as soon as possible. We have BER accessors who we use regularly and would be more than happy to arrange for them to call out.

Choose an agent with local expertise.

It is very important to choose an agent who really knows the area and market. They will be able to give you an accurate valuation of the property, which is crucial as if the price is set too high, you can drive potential buyers away, but if you set it too low, you could be left with a quick sale that didn’t achieve the best price possible. At Kearney & Co., we have a very experienced team who all have extensive knowledge of the local area.

Preparing the property for the market

We have a piece regarding our tips for getting your property ready for the market that can be found here: Tips to Sell Your Home | Kearney Properties (kearneyproperty.ie).

We will call out to the property before it is marketed and suggest any ideas we believe might improve the home for any potential purchaser.

Advertising the property

When advertising your property, it is really important that the photos and description of the home catch the attention of those looking to buy in Wexford. It is important to use the great weather to your advantage and make the property look as bright and welcoming to potential purchasers. Once we have photographed of the property and got the advertisement ready, we will show you a draft to ensure you are happy with it, and once you are, we will launch it on Daft.ie, Myhome.ie and Kearneyproperty.ie.

Kilmore Quay

Located where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Irish Sea, Kilmore Quay is a picturesque working fishing village, known for its thatched-roof cottages, marina, walking trails and the award-winning Shipwreck Cove playground.  You can walk or cycle with bike hire available.  Just 5 kilometres from the shore you’ll find The Saltee Islands which are a protected habitat and home to over 200 species of bird including puffins, gannets and razorbills. You can access the Saltee Ferry which runs day trips from Kilmore Quay harbour.   You will need to bring your own picnic as there are no facilities on the island.

Hook Head Pensinsula

Hook Head is Wexford’s most southern tip and is home to one of the oldest operational lighthouses in the world built over 800 years ago from the local limestone. Start off your trip at the historic Tintern Abbey and make your way to the nearby enchanting Georgian Walled Garden built in the 19th century.

Curracloe Beach

Wexford boasts 250km of beautiful coastline with Curracloe Beach being the closest Blue Flag Beach to Wexford Town, miles and miles of sandy beaches for those long walks followed by a paddle in the calm water or if you’re feeling particularly energetic a good swim!  Beach wheelchairs are available too.

Johnston Castle

Visit the Johnstown Castle Estate, Museum & Gardens to explore a fairytale gothic-revival Irish castle and its gorgeous 120-acre estate and formal gardens, also home to the Irish Agricultural Museum.  Just 11 mins from the centre of Wexford, there are Expert Local Guides to take you on a Tour of This Striking, Romantic Neo-Gothic Castle.   You can enjoy Great Coffee, Light Meals, and Delicious Treats in the Cafe on grounds. It is Dog Friendly and there are events held throughout the year.

National Opera House

The National Opera House, formerly the Wexford Opera House, is a world-class venue presenting Irish and international events, opera, music, family events, comedy, theatre and dance.

The Government decided not to extend the eviction ban that has been in place since October 30th, 2022 covering “the winter emergency period” beyond its planned expiry on March 31st, 2023.  The ban was introduced to try and help with a shortage in rental properties and the expected increase in homelessness over the winter period.

This ban meant that the landlord would have to give an extended notice period to the tenant if they decided to terminate the tenancy.

A landlord can now issue a notice of termination if a tenant is not paying their rent on time or if the landlord intends to sell the property within nine months or needs the property for their own use or for an immediate family member. Landlords can issue a notice if the landlord plans to change the use of the property, from residential to office use for example, or if they intend to refurbish the property substantially.

Notice periods for each tenancy can be found in a previous blog post or on the RTB website

If you are a tenant or landlord and need advice please feel free to contact the office.

Home-building activity fell for the fourth month in a row in January as firms contend with a slowing economy.

The Government exceeded its house-building targets last year, but experts have cast doubt on whether it can complete the 29,000 it has pledged in its Housing for All plan this year. The Central Statistics Office data shows 29,851 new dwellings were completed last year, up 45.2pc on 2021. But completions fell slightly (2.8pc) between October and December last year, compared to the previous three months.

In December, there were 1,795 commencement notices registered, down from 2,402 in November and only slightly above December 2021 levels – a time when the economy was in a partial lockdown.

Nama last week cast doubt on its ability to deliver some of its promised new homes because of rising interest rates and infrastructure and planning challenges.

Sarah Collins from the Irish Times wrote a more in depth article on the matter which is available at Construction slowdown for fourth month in a row as ‘subdued market conditions’ blamed for home-building lull – Independent.ie