Ask 3. Make the process of buying a home easier and cheaper
Introduction
Buying a home in Ireland is a complex process, from researching to financing and the legal process. It’s also a purchase consumers only make a few times in their lifetime, so they don’t have the same level of knowledge and experience as they might with other markets.
In Ireland, the sale of residential properties by a consumer follows the principle of ‘buyer beware’, meaning it is the buyer’s responsibility to investigate a property’s condition and legal status before making the purchase.
The CCPC funded research published in 2025 showed widespread consumer detriment around the home buying process, including financial loss, stress and time wastage.
So, buyers can be left at a disadvantage as well as being under pressure from external factors, such as the property price rises. This can lead to rushed decisions for fear of losing out on a property – increasing the risk of a poor or costly decision.
Furthermore, high conveyancing fees add to the cost of buying a home as well as being a barrier to mortgage switching. In countries similar to Ireland that have a dedicated conveyancing profession, fees are lower, and service is faster. Competition is a big part of the reason why.
Why it matters
- Today, solicitors are the only ones who can provide conveyancing services. This limits competition in the sector, leads to high fees and longer wait times for the process.
- CCPC funded research from 2025 shows that Irish consumers are strongly in favour of information about homes for sale being shared openly, with 78% agreeing that if a potential buyer asks a question about a property, the estate agent should be obliged to identify and disclose the information to other buyers.
- Despite going through an in-depth conveyancing process, issues can still come to light post-purchase. Almost 30% of Irish homeowners have discovered something after the sale that they wished they had known about the property, its contents or the surrounding area before buying their home.
- Buying a home is the biggest purchase most people will make. Having reliable and clear property information at the right time is important for buyers to make good decisions. Better information saves buyers time and money and makes the process smoother.
How we can do it
In 2025, the CCPC published its ‘Room For Improvement’ report which highlighted significant information gaps for homebuyers. It identified some of the biggest pain points for buyers that stem from a lack of information, leaving them confused and frustrated in limbo due to lengthy delays
In order to improve the homebuying process for consumers, the CCPC recommends that the Government:
legislate for the requirement of pre-sale information to avoid delays and possible sales falling through, and
create a new conveyancing profession to enhance the efficiency of the legal process
consolidate key location-based information from public bodies and present it to buyers in a more accessible way.
The CCPC also recommended that property platforms:
update their processes to support uniform disclosure of property information across advertisements
The CCPC also recommends that the Government:
Change the law to allow for the digitisation of the conveyancing process. This will involve a range of public bodies such as Táilte Eireann, Revenue Commissioners and local authorities making records available in digital format.
