First-time buyers drive strongest August for mortgage approval values

The average approval for a first-time buyer was €333,406 in August, up from €306,949 two years ago. The average mover loan was €396,557

Nationally, housing prices rose by an average of 3% during the second quarter of 2025. Pic: iStock

First-time buyers secured more mortgage approvals last month than in any August since records began, as the value of loans approved hit a new high for the month.

The figures from the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) show 5,083 mortgages worth €1.678bn were approved in August. Volumes were up 12.1% and values up 15.3% on the same month last year. This makes it the strongest August by value since the series began in 2011.