From cottages by the sea, to city apartments, suburban family homes and rural estates, you will find a property to suit you on The Emerald Isle. 

If you are considering purchasing a property in Ireland, there are a few key points to consider. 

The private treaty sales process is the most commonly used method of transacting a property in Ireland. It involves a direct negotiation between the seller’s agent and the buyer.  Typically, an asking price is set at the outset for the property, with viewings then carried out over an undefined period. 

Interested parties are invited to submit to the agent directly their offer (which is usually subject to reviewing a legal Contract) and in turn, the agent makes the vendor aware of the bid. It is usual for the offer to be accompanied by proof of sufficient available funds.  In many cases, there can be competitive bidding where there are multiple interested parties and in this case the agent will make each and every buyer aware of the top offer as the sales progresses.  

Once an offer is accepted by the seller in principle, the favoured party will be given a period of exclusivity (usually three to six weeks) for their solicitor to then review and sign the legal Contract, as well as paying a 10% deposit.

A key feature of a private treaty sale is that it invites flexible options as cash buyers, buyers relying on finance and buyers in a chain (where their offer is contingent on selling another property) can all submit their bid and let the owner review each offer on it own merit.  

The auction process involves the marketing of a property over a defined period of time - usually six to eight weeks. At the outset, interested parties are made aware of the advised minimum value (AMV) and are informed of the day and time that the auction will take place. 

Interested parties are invited to instruct their solicitor to request conditions of sale (including a copy of the Title Deeds and legal Contract) from the vendor’s solicitor.  Potential buyers can then carry out their own due diligence in relation to the property, including having it surveyed and seeking independent valuation advice. 

On the day of the auction, interested parties are invited to bid for the property in an open and transparent platform (either in public or online) with the successful, highest bidder signing an unconditional contract and paying a 10% deposit on the same day. The closing date for the sale will be set out in the conditions of sale. 

The tender process involves a structured sales process, with a set date and time for buyers to submit their offer to the agent.  Each offering party is unaware of the terms being offered at the same time by other parties.

Buyers are requested to complete their due diligence prior to submitting an offer and in each case the buyer is asked to show how they intend to finance their offer. 

The tender process can be either formal or informal. The difference between the two methods is that a formal tender requires the buyer to submit a signed contract with their bid while a contract is not made available with an informal tender.