John Hearne: Mortgage holders are going further and further to find a home

Growing numbers of mortgage holders are moving out of the cities and into commuter belt counties to find a home

Report shows 24% of first-time buyer mortgage borrowers are now moving county to buy or build their first home, up from 19% in 2021.

Dublin borrowers accounted for more than 40% of first-time buyer mortgages in Kildare, Wicklow and Meath in 2023, according to the latest Banking and Payments Federation (BPFI) mortgage report.

The report also shows Dublin borrowers accounted for an even higher share of mortgages for new semi-detached or terraced houses, ranging from 55% in Meath to 60% in Kildare.