A Clare auctioneer believes the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis has brought into sharp focus, the urgent need for legislative changes to fast-track the provision of housing to meet demand.
It comes as a new report suggest house prices in Clare are rising six times faster than they were this time last year, while rents are continuing to rise and the social housing list is also expanding.
The cost of a home in Clare jumped by nearly 18 percent in the past year, according to Daft.ie’s latest House Price Report, which has just been published.
Just 42 new home transactions were made in this county, with the average price coming in at just under 228,000 euro.
This means a buyer would have to be earning just under 60,000 euro a year, and have a 22,000 euro deposit saved, to be able to get on the property ladder in this county.
A separate report published today by myhome.ie shows the price of a three-bed semi detached house has jumped by 5% to close to 200,000 euro.
This comes as a time when rents are continuing to rise in the county – Today there are 15 properties available to renters across the entire county; the cheapest a 1-bed apartment in Quin for 700 euro a month.
In addition, there are 3,000 approved applicants on the county’s growing social housing list.
Meanwhile, IPAS, which is responsible for the provision of accommodation and related services to people in the International Protection process, has informed the council of the need to accommodate up to 1,550 Ukrainian refugees here by April 1st.
The Chair of Clare County Council’s Housing Committee, Shannon Independent Councillor Gerry Flynn says it’s never been more difficult to get housing in Clare.
A Clare Auctioneer has indicated that the rising cost of living will likely impact the pace of house price hikes, but says there aren’t any signs that the current situation is going to change any time soon.
Diarmuid McMahon of Sherry Fitzgerald McMahon in Ennis also believes that serious questions need to be asked about why landlords are leaving the market, at a time when rents are continuing to rise.
He fears there’s a serious lack of urgency in dealing with issues surrounding housing particularly at a time when we are on a war footing, saying our frontline is opening our doors to those fleeing Ukraine.
Diarmuid insists that legislative changes are urgently needed with regard to planning and the tax regime for landlords.
