Report reveals Waterford city property prices surge while county prices stall

House prices in Waterford city have jumped sharply in the past year, even as prices in the rest of the county have slowed, according to the latest Daft.ie House Price Report.

The new figures show the average price of a three-bedroom semi-detached house in Waterford City now stands at €307,000, up 8.4% on this time last year.

That's well ahead of the national increase of 5.9% and makes city homes some of the fastest-rising in the country.

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By contrast, prices in the wider county have cooled. A four-bedroom detached house in Waterford County averaged €517,000 in Q3 2025, which represents a slight 0.3% drop year-on-year.

Nationally, the report found house prices rose by 0.8% in the third quarter, bringing the average three-bed semi to just over €421,000.

Prices are now 39% above pre-Covid levels and just 10% below their Celtic Tiger peak.

Report author Ronan Lyons, Professor of Economics at Trinity College Dublin, said the big picture remains one of tight supply.

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"There are some indications in this latest report that new homes are sustaining activity levels in the market, even though construction is still low compared to underlying need. More construction – and a healthier second-hand segment – are the key ingredients needed if the story of the Irish housing market over the years to come is to be a happier one," he said.

The figures show significant regional differences: Dublin prices are up 4.5% annually, while Connacht-Ulster (excluding Galway) saw the sharpest rise at 8.7%. Munster (excluding cities) recorded a 5% annual rise.

Across the country, just under 12,000 second-hand homes were available to buy on September 1, less than half the average seen in the five years before the pandemic.