Median asking price for a home in Co Carlow now stands at €250,000

HOUSE prices in Co Carlow are sending mixed signals, with new figures showing that, while asking prices have softened, the amount buyers are actually paying for typical family homes continues to rise.

The contrast emerges from two newly-released major property reports which look at different stages of the housing market, one at advertised prices, the other at completed sales.

According to the latest MyHome Property Price Report, the median asking price for a home in Co Carlow now stands at €250,000. That represents a fall of €7,500 over the past year, including a sharper drop of €14,500 in the final quarter of 2025.

The report suggests some easing in seller expectations locally, even as supply remains tight.

There were 101 properties for sale in the county at the end of the last quarter of 2025, down 10% on the previous quarter, and homes are going to ‘sale agreed’ in just over six weeks on average.

Nationally, the MyHome report shows that price inflation is slowing, with asking prices flat in the final quarter of the year and annual inflation easing to 5.4%.

However, a separate survey based on actual selling prices paints a different picture of what buyers are paying on the ground in Carlow. The latest Real Estate Alliance Average House Price Index shows that the price of a second-hand three-bed semi-detached house in Carlow rose to €288,875 in 2025, an increase of 15.6% on the €250,000 recorded at the end of 2024.

Homes are also selling quickly, with the average time taken to complete a sale now just three weeks across the county.

In Carlow town, prices rose even faster, with the average three-bed semi selling for €317,750, up 22.2% on last year. Local agent Harry Sothern of REA Sothern said demand remains strong despite the recent softening in asking prices.

“We are seeing that the market is still strong and a lack of volume in Carlow will keep prices rising,” he said.

In Tullow, the average price of a second-hand three-bed semi increased to €260,000, up 8.3% on 2024. Matthew Conry of REA Dawson said supply constraints are continuing to push prices upward.

“There are no new developments coming on stream in this locality at present,” he said, adding that demand for good quality second-hand homes is expected to remain strong into the new year.

The REA survey also highlights wider pressures in the local market. It found that 60% of buyers in Carlow were first-time purchasers, while 40% of sales in the most recent quarter were linked to landlords leaving the market. 

Agents reported that homes with strong energy efficiency ratings are commanding a significant premium, with A-rated properties selling for around 19% more than comparable C-rated homes.

While the MyHome data points to a market beginning to cool at the level of asking prices, estate agents say competition for well-located, energy-efficient family homes remains intense, particularly as rental regulation changes are prompting more landlords to sell.

Taken together, the two reports suggest that sellers may be trimming expectations, but buyers are still paying more for the homes they want.