Clare experienced the largest proportional increase in its housing stock in 2014 compared to 2013. Almost 2.4%, [1,2325] more dwellings were added to the county’s residential stock in the GeoDirectory database in the year, which was over four times higher than the national average increase of 0.5%.
At 419 dwellings per 1,000 of the population, Dublin’s housing shortage is continuing, according to the first annual report on Ireland’s stock of residential properties commissioned by GeoDirectory. This shortage is reflected by an increase in the average price paid (not mix-adjusted) for a home in Dublin, up by almost €28,000 (8.8%) year-on-year to €343,672 in 2014.
The national average price paid for a residential dwelling in 2014 was €213,947. The average property price in Clare was well below this at €124,800. The highest average price by county was recorded in Dublin, €343,672, while the lowest average price was recorded in Longford, €74,154.
The comprehensive report, which was compiled by cross referencing data from the GeoDirectory Database, the Property Price Register (PPR) and the CSO Census of Population, offers new, unique insights into residential housing density, turnover, development and stock in the country.
The database found that there were 2,023,273 residential dwellings across the country. This reflected an increase on the first GeoView Residential Buildings Report of July 2014, which recorded a total housing stock of 2,019,638 dwellings.
A total of 3,731 buildings were classified as being under construction in in Q4 2014. Cork (12.0% of all buildings under construction in the country), Donegal and Dublin (both 11.8%) dominated this area. New buildings accounted for 10.3% of the total residential stock sold in Clare in 2014.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.