Main findings:
- 50% of respondents believe tax breaks for developers are needed to boost rental supply, while 39% believe they are needed to stimulate housing supply
- 66% believe private sector investment is needed to help deliver the number of homes we need
- 46% believe rent pressure zones need to be abolished
- 88% believe not enough is being done to use vacant properties to boost housing stock
- 76% are worried about the state of the property market in general
- 45% have postponed a home purchase due to cost concerns, while of those looking to renovate, 56% have postponed a renovation for the same reason
LISTEN TO MYHOME MANAGING DIRECTOR JOANNE GEARY'S INTERVIEW ON NEWSTALK HERE.
A new survey has suggested that half of people want to see the introduction of tax breaks for developers to boost rental supply, while four in ten (39%) believe developer tax breaks are needed to stimulate housing supply.
According to the survey of 1,853 people conducted in February and March 2025 by leading property portal MyHome, almost half of people (46%) believe rent pressure zones need to be abolished, while nine in ten (88%) do not believe enough is being done to use vacant properties to boost housing supply.
Meanwhile, two-thirds of people (66%) believe private sector investment is needed to help deliver the homes we need, while three-quarters (76%) are worried about the state of the property market in general.
The cost of living is still having a major effect on prospective homebuyers, with nearly half (45%) saying they postponed a home purchase due to cost concerns. Of those who are planning a home renovation, nearly six in ten (56%) said they postponed the work due to cost concerns.
Interestingly, the recent move by some employers to scale back on hybrid working does not appear to have had a major effect – just 21% of respondents said that their employer’s move away from hybrid working had affected their property search.
Most of the survey respondents do not see any let-up in the rising cost of property; 63% expect property prices to continue to rise over the next year. This compares with 53% when the same question was asked in the MyHome sentiment survey last May. Meanwhile, the majority (60%) will aim to secure a mortgage term of over five years.
According to the survey, the new Government faces an uphill task of turning the dial on housing, with 84% saying they believe the Government could do more to help the property sector.
There is still strong support for green living, with 59% saying the eco rating of their home is a key priority for them, and 63% agree that the financial investment in renewable energy for a home would be worth it.
Joanne Geary, Managing Director of MyHome, said: “The significant support for developer tax breaks, as well as the abolition of rent pressure zones, in this survey underscores just how pressing the housing supply issue is for the Government. It appears that we are getting to the stage where people are less worried about how the crisis is solved, as long as we see progress.”
She said that the cost of living was still a major factor in the housing market. “On one hand, it is clear that many people are postponing home purchases and renovations due to cost concerns, but on the other hand property prices keep rising. Perhaps against this backdrop it is no surprise that a majority of people say they are worried about the state of the property market in general.”
Ms Geary said it was heartening that the majority of people supported eco measures for their homes, but added that housing market sentiment would be dictated by the geo-political climate over the coming months. “We find ourselves in a precarious situation, as any economic headwinds driven by changes to tariffs or tax policy will undoubtedly trickle down to the housing market.”
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