Advice appears to have cost writer half a house

Liam Croke’s article (Irish Examiner, Jan 3 ) encourages first-time buyers to delay purchasing a property until all associated costs are properly considered and assessed.

In his own case he tells us that an older banking colleague had given him similar advice back in 1995 when he too was considering the purchase his first home.

This resulted in him delaying his purchase for two years. He goes on to say that “Without doubt he gave me one of the best pieces of advice I have ever received”, given that house price inflation in Ireland between 1995 and 1997 was running close to 50%.