When you first take out a mortgage, you make a series of big decisions—fixed or variable rate, term length, lender, and repayment structure. At the time, those choices usually make perfect sense. But life doesn’t stand still—and neither do mortgage rates. What suited you a few years ago might not

Who is a First Time Buyer (FTB) – Definition? Not everyone realises they may still qualify as a First-Time Buyer in Ireland — even if they owned a home before. Buying your first home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make. But in Ireland, the definition of

The house you are buying needs house renovations – so how do you fund these renovations?  There are various ways you can fund renovations. You can take out a bank loan or credit union loan once you complete on the purchase of a property. If you don’t fancy the loan

What Is an Approval in Principle (AIP)? In the Irish mortgage market, an Approval in Principle (AIP) is a preliminary assessment from a lender that shows how much they may be willing to lend to a potential home buyer. For first-time buyers, it’s a vital first step — helping you

Let’s discuss mortgage affordability and why the “4 times income” rule may not always apply. Central Bank of Ireland loan-to-income limits The Central Bank of Ireland introduced mortgage measures in 2015, revised in 2023, to ensure sustainable lending standards in the mortgage market. Read our Blog Mortgage Changes from January

A current 2024 trend in the Irish mortgage market are the so called ‘green rates’ for mortgages. Lenders are rewarding borrowers for purchasing homes with good energy rating, with green fixed rates over 1% lower than leading market rates. Furthermore, in April Bank of Ireland introduced the EcoSaver mortgage providing

  Guest Blog Post by Darach Honan, QFA, Director of Honan Financial Services  Hey there, homeowners-to-be! Picture this: you’ve found your dream home, signed the dotted line, and are now living the good life in your cozy abode. But wait, have you ever thought about what would happen if life

Getting a mortgage when you are self-employed in Ireland can sometimes be more challenging than for PAYE workers. Self-employed mortgage applications can take longer to process for the self-employed. So, be patient and be prepared to provide additional documentation when requested. Who is classed as self-employed? If you have PAYE

Modular Timber Frame Houses A modular home is a type of house constructed off-site in a factory setting, in individual sections or “modules,” and then transported to a customer’s location for final assembly. These homes could be concrete or more often timber frame. For example, the Scandinavian Homes product is