Can I buy a property in Ireland if I live abroad? It’s a question regularly put to us here at MyHome.ie.
The short answer to this is: Yes!
There are no residency-based restrictions to buying property in Ireland. You can buy property here if you are an Irish citizen, EU/EEA citizen, non-EEA national or even non-resident in Ireland.
However, it should be noted that owning property in Ireland does not mean you have the right to live here. Your right to live in Ireland depends on your personal circumstances, and is separate to property ownership.
If you aren’t an Irish, EU or UK citizen, you may have to apply for a residence permit, depending on your circumstances.
What are the steps to buying property in Ireland from abroad?
Pretty similar to those who live here actually…
- Arrange your finances and speak to a mortgage advisor to see if you can get pre-approval for a mortgage
- Find a solicitor
- Start house hunting - if you don’t live in Ireland, you might need to arrange one or more viewing trips
- Choose a property an make an offer - if accepted, the property will become Sale Agreed and you’ll need to pay a booking deposit to the estate agent
- Get a building survey carried out
- Sign the contract for sale - this is prepared by the estate agent and solicitor, and binds both parties to the completion of the transaction.
- Requisitions on Title are carried out by your solicitor and drafted into a Deed of Conveyance
- Get mortgage approval, exchange contracts and pay all relevant taxes
- Get the keys.
