Government schemes to help you buy a home

Buying a home? You may be eligible for government support. These schemes are designed to help first-time buyers, self-builders, tenants, and those renovating vacant homes.

Help to Buy Scheme

Helps first-time buyers with their deposit to buy a new house or apartment or self-build by refunding the income tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT) you’ve paid for the four years before you apply. Only applies to properties that cost €500,000 or less.

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Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme

Helps first-time buyers (and some others) on moderate incomes buy new homes at reduced prices. The local authority takes a percentage stake in your home that covers the reduction in price.

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Local Authority Home Loan

Government-backed mortgage administered by the local authorities.

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Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan

Helps first-time buyers, who have been unable to get funding from banks and credit unions, to buy and renovate a derelict or uninhabitable home. This is an extension of the Local Authority Home Loan and you must qualify for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant to get this loan.

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First Home Scheme

Helps first-time buyers buy a new home or build your first home using shared equity. This means that the scheme will pay up to 30% of the cost of your new home in return for a stake in the home.

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Ready to Build Scheme

Allows self-builders to buy a fully accessible and serviced (electricity, water, wastewater) site from a local authority at a discounted price. The discount you get depends on how much it costs the local authority to provide services on the site before selling it to you. The sites are sold in towns and villages up to €30,000 below the market value.

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Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant

Provides funding so you can refurbish vacant and derelict homes or former commercial properties so you can live there or rent the property out. You can get up to €50,000 to renovate a vacant property and up to €70,000, if the property is derelict. You can get more if you are living on an off-shore island.

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Tenant Home Purchase Scheme

Helps eligible tenants, who have received a Notice of Termination, to purchase the home they are currently living in.

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