The Crazy House Prices Podcast

Ep 54: Beds in Sheds, Zero Affordable Homes Built in Dublin and Stamp Duty Cuts?

Three things this week. The government released its affordable housing figures for 2025 and claimed 17,700 homes delivered. The real number of state-built affordable homes for purchase is 935; and not one of them was built in Dublin City. I go through exactly what's in those figures and why the headline number is misleading.

Then: a proposal to cut stamp duty for first-time buyers. Sounds like good news. I explain why it might not be.

And finally: the plan to allow modular homes in back gardens without planning permission. No oversight, no tenancy rights for occupants, and who is going to enforce regulations? I explain why I think it's a tragedy waiting to happen.

Sponsors: Beat the Bank

Please support the Podcast and Instagram if you can over on my Patreon

Make sure to follow me on Instagram and if you want to support the page and podcast, head over to my Patreon and get access to over 150 extra exclusive podcasts.

Ep 53: They Ghosted My Offer; What Now? 10 Buyer Questions Answered

This week is a full listener Q&A — ten real questions from people in the thick of buying a home in Ireland right now.

I cover: what to do when you're the only bidder and the estate agent goes silent on you. Why a bank can refuse your mortgage because of a management company — and what it means if yours does. Whether siblings can buy together and how you handle unequal repayments. Could global instability actually crash the Irish housing market? The bid-accepted-but-no-savings-left dilemma. Why there's been no buying strike despite prices being objectively outrageous. Why buying a car when you have AIP could cost you your mortgage. Whether renewing a fixed rate a year early was the right call. What a year in Australia does to your Help to Buy entitlement. And how to actually pick the right area to buy in — and what's worth compromising on.

No news this week. Just the questions that matter.

You can order my book: "How to buy a home in Ireland" here

Sponsors: Financial Planning Matters

Please support the Podcast and Instagram if you can over on my Patreon

Make sure to follow me on Instagram and if you want to support the page and podcast, head over to my Patreon and get access to over 100 extra exclusive podcasts.

Ep 52: 31 Airbnbs for Every Rental Home, and Potential Planning Changes for Renovations

This week I’m breaking down eight of the biggest housing stories in Ireland right now, from the madness of some counties having far more Airbnbs than homes to rent, to housing starts falling off a cliff, to the fact we still have nearly 60 ghost estates almost 20 years after the crash. I also get into the planning changes that might actually help ordinary people, what mortgage rate warnings could mean for borrowers, and why so much of the new supply still feels out of reach for normal buyers and renters.

Sponsors: Beat the Bank

Please support the Podcast and Instagram if you can over on my Patreon

Make sure to follow me on Instagram and if you want to support the page and podcast, head over to my Patreon and get access to over 100 extra exclusive podcasts.

Ep 51: Homes for Investment Funds, Evictions for Families

Heavy episode this week, yet again. I go into the horrendous new homelessness record, why the government’s "completions" number is misleading, and how most new homes are being swallowed by investors instead of sold to ordinary buyers.

I also talk about a shocking Wexford story where 36 eviction notices were handed out days before new rent protections kicked in; families left terrified while a developer tried to strong‑arm a taxpayer buyout. 

It’s angry, it’s frustrating, and it matters. Tune in to understand what’s really going on and what you can do about it.

Sponsors: Beat the Bank

Please support the Podcast and Instagram if you can over on my Patreon

Make sure to follow me on Instagram and if you want to support the page and podcast, head over to my Patreon and get access to over 100 extra exclusive podcasts.

Ep 50: Ready to Buy? Mortgage Tips You Wish You Knew Sooner

Here is the audio from a recent Instagram Live I did with Eoin O' Connor, who you may know as The Mortgage Guy on Instagram! If you’ve been putting off sorting your mortgage, let this be your sign. We break down exactly where to start in the first 30 days: pick up the phone to a broker, get your free credit check, tidy up your bank accounts, and explore government schemes or family help to bridge the deposit.

No nonsense, just practical steps, real timelines, and clear answers about borrowing limits, second-time buyer rules, renovation funding and expat options. If you want a quick, friendly chat about what you can actually afford, we’ll walk you through it.

Please support the Podcast and Instagram if you can over on my Patreon

Make sure to follow me on Instagram and if you want to support the page and podcast, head over to my Patreon and get access to over 100 extra exclusive podcasts.

Ep 49: Why Irish People Hoard Houses: The 41% Tax Trap & "Untouchable" Estate Agents

Quick roundup from the latest housing news in Ireland: Revolut’s mortgage roll-out is on hold, a huge Dundrum site is finally turning into 934 homes despite one stubborn objector, the PSRA complaints system still feels broken, and there are some new SEAI grants worth knowing about.

Also, I finish with a hot take; Ireland’s tax rules on investing are pushing people into property instead of simple, safe investment pots. Fixing that could actually help cool the housing madness. 

Sponsors: Beat the Bank

Please support the Podcast and Instagram if you can over on my Patreon

Make sure to follow me on Instagram and if you want to support the page and podcast, head over to my Patreon and get access to over 100 extra exclusive podcasts.

Ep 48: Renters Warning - The New March 1st Rules with Lorcan Sirr

In this quick episode I break down the big rental shake‑up hitting new tenancies from 1 March 2026: the nationwide rent cap (CPI or 2% max), rolling six‑year tenancy cycles, and the messy loopholes landlords might use.

I also chat with housing expert Lorcan Sir about junk fees, landlords splitting companies to dodge rules, and the three simple questions you should ask before signing any new lease, plus why you must keep everything in writing.

You can order my book: "How to buy a home in Ireland" here

Sponsors: Financial Planning Matters

Please support the Podcast and Instagram if you can over on my Patreon

Make sure to follow me on Instagram and if you want to support the page and podcast, head over to my Patreon and get access to over 100 extra exclusive podcasts.

Ep 47: Bad Golf Shots Blocking Homes, Government Gaslighting, and Why 2027 Will Be Brutal for Buyers

In this episode 47 I break down the terrifying drop in home starts, the Department of Housing’s PR antics, and the heartbreaking rise in older people facing homelessness.

I also explain why Ireland’s so-called 'cost rental' isn’t the same as the Vienna model, call out a bizarre golf-club planning objection, and finish with a little mortgage-rate good news.

Sponsors: Beat the Bank

Please support the Podcast and Instagram if you can over on my Patreon

Make sure to follow me on Instagram and if you want to support the page and podcast, head over to my Patreon and get access to over 100 extra exclusive podcasts.

Ep 46: From Gigs to Mortgages: Chris Kent’s Three-Year House Hunt

Great chat with my favourite comedian right now, Chris Kent. He tells the wild, funny and painfully relatable story of nearly three years hunting for a home in Ireland; from terrible viewings and bizarre estate agents to bidding wars, a famous bouncy castle argument, and finally buying the rental they’d been living in. If you’re in the middle of house viewings or feeling fed up with the whole mess, this episode should help lighten the mood a bit!

We chat mortgage struggles, the value of a good broker, the weirdest viewing moments, and why sometimes getting outbid is actually a blessing. 

Sponsors: Beat the Bank

Please support the Podcast and Instagram if you can over on my Patreon

Make sure to follow me on Instagram and if you want to support the page and podcast, head over to my Patreon and get access to over 100 extra exclusive podcasts.

Ep 45: The €1m Social Home, Empty AirBnbs & Trump's Housing Ban

Another wild week in the Irish housing world: developers want €1m for a social home apartment, 75% of short‑term lets sit empty while homelessness climbs, and there’s even a surprise mortgage rate cut from Avant. I’ll walk you through the headlines and what it actually means for people trying to buy or rent in Ireland.

You can order my book: "How to buy a home in Ireland" here

Sponsors: Financial Planning Matters

Please support the Podcast and Instagram if you can over on my Patreon

Make sure to follow me on Instagram and if you want to support the page and podcast, head over to my Patreon and get access to over 100 extra exclusive podcasts.