Irish mortgage drawdowns reach €4.6bn in Q3 2026 as self-build volumes decline
Friday 23 October 2026
Mortgage drawdowns reached €4,598 million in the third quarter of 2026, led by first-time buyer demand for new homes while self-build mortgage volumes fell 5.8%.
Irish mortgage drawdown values reached €4,598 million across 14,217 loans in the third quarter of 2026, marking the highest level since mid-2008.
According to the latest report from the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI), activity between July and September 2026 was largely led by first-time buyers. Borrowers in this category accounted for 8,164 drawdowns—representing nearly six out of every ten mortgages completed during the period—the highest volume for the segment since the same quarter in 2008.
Within that cohort, drawdowns for newly constructed properties climbed to 3,244, reaching their highest level since the third quarter of 2007. First-time buyer borrowing for second-hand residences reached a record €1.56 billion.
BPFI chief executive Brian Hayes stated that despite overall expansion across new builds and second-hand properties for first-time purchasers, mortgage volumes for self-build projects contracted by 5.8% year-on-year.
The mover purchaser sector also showed increases, with drawdown values exceeding €1 billion for the first time since the second quarter of 2008.