67% of first-time buyers believe now is a good time to buy a home...

[dalywise]

The best time to buy a house will be about 10 years from now. Prices will fall for several more years, then they will stagnate. Maybe in 10 years time, they will begin to rise a little. In the meantime, Rentokil.

[southwestkerry]

Just thought i would add my moneys worth here, just about 6 weeks back I spotted an 1 bed apartment for sale here in Tralee for 115K. Tempted I was to at lest have a look how ever a quick look at the complex where its for sale made me take note that about 6-8 others were also empty with no sign off life, point to note they were not on the market but may well have being on the books for rent.
My point being made the value off most prop well depend on its competition so stand alone housing can hold ok but flats housing estates well suffer most.
Keep the eyes well peeled and if a bargain comes along no reason why it cant be entertained.

[MPB]

Of course you were right.

EBS are hardly an Independent source of information. Just like the Permanent TSB was telling us there were 5% falls in house values when the figures were more like 25% the EBS are a vested interest.

Anybody even contemplating buying a house at the moment should be offering 30% of the height of boom price.

If nobody wants to get real and accept your offer just wait. The market should reach the bottom by the end of 2010.

[SideysGhost]

These surveys are nonsense.

67% of people who are actually actively looking for a house think it is a good time to buy?

Honestly, I despair at the intellectual capabilities of the Irish nation.

[toughbutfair]

Wait for the housing market to upturn a bit and then buy ensuring you only lost out on a couple of percent of the maximum value.

[dalywise]

Absolutely,
An average house should, and will be available at 3 times average wage.
it would happen a lot sooner if NAMA was not interfering in the market.

Inclined to agree. I reckon that 1997 was the last sensible house price time. Everything since then was an FF inspired bubble. Prices will fall to 1997 levels and maybe add a few percent for inflation since then but not much - 10% max.

[odie1kanobe]

Waiting since 2003 eh. Aren't you very clever. I bought in 2003, Sold in 2007. I guess that makes me very clever. Actually no, it makes me very lucky. You see I had no clue. Turns out neither did the economists.

There are more variables than the prices as a previous poster said. I would say, if their employment is stable and they get a house they like, in an area they like at a price they can afford (even if there is a shock to the system, like one of them looses a job or their income reduces for a while) then go ahead and buy.

Don't try and second guess the market, it's not entirely rational (the market that is). It looks like it will drop for another year or two but who knows. If people buy when they are ready to buy and because they need a home, it's rarely a bad decision.

Its always fun listening to people telling you when to buy a house who have never done so.

Even when prices go up people will say its false and they will wait until too late so they hope for a fall.

[JohnBlake]

You should buy a house only if you can truly afford it.

[Rebel_Yell]

Its always fun listening to people telling you when to buy a house who have never done so.

Even when prices go up people will say its false and they will wait until too late so they hope for a fall.

It's the confidence of the predictions I love. Houses will be available for X price. They will drop by Y. And fathers will forget the things that their sons put there just the night before.... around 8 O'Clock.

Anne: You are trying to do your best for a family member. On the whole, you are probably right. Your an intelligent person with an interest in how this turns out, which gives you at least two advantages on most of those who comment here. Ignore the lot. Including me (there's a paradox in there somewhere). Best of luck to them BTW. It's an exciting time. I hope they find something the love, when they eventually do decide to jump.

[MsAnneThrope]

Interesting that on the RTE lunchtime news, and quoting the same EBS research, they said "three quarters of first time buyers" believe now is a good time...

67%? 75%? Shur what's 8% between talking up the market?