9th February 2026
IPAV Shares Many of Concerns Raised by ESRI in New Homebuying Research
Commenting on new ESRI research on homebuying in Ireland, IPAV, the Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers, said it shares many of the concerns raised by the ESRI in its study, and has been seeking to address them by:
- Bringing forward the Seller’s Legal Pack for Property Buyers Bill 2021 to speed up conveyancing, the legal transfer of property title;
- Urging Government and relevant State bodies to urgently introduce the long promised eConveyancing system and
- The creation of a profession of Conveyancer.
Genevieve McGuirk, IPAV’s Chief Executive said conveyancing delays have become very serious and are costing consumers dearly. 84% of IPAV members in a survey said sales fell through due to conveyancing delays. The ESRI study shows the situation is getting worse.
“We have found that up to one-third of properties that go on the market are, in fact, not saleable, because of problems, typically involving planning or title. The Seller’s Legal Pack is consumer led legislation. Buyers would know in advance the full details of what they are purchasing and not waste time bidding on properties that they cannot buy. All relevant documentation would be available up front in advance of a property going on the market.”
Ms McGuirk agreed that there is much misunderstanding around property sales. “Many buyers don’t appreciate that auctioneers are working on behalf of the seller, not the buyer, and that they are also obliged to get the best price the market has to offer for the seller.
“While some buyers engage their own agents, it is rare among home buyers,” she said. “Buying a property can be daunting and there is lots of information available to consumers which can be overwhelming. In many countries the use of a Buyer’s Agent is standard practice for this very reason. A Buyer’s Agent can take buyers through the process of the sale, give an understanding of the market and help with purchasing a property.”
Ms McGuirk said, as the ESRI pointed out, there are some limitations to their research. “Bidding would normally happen over a period of days, even weeks so it gives the purchaser a chance to think about their offer and time to think about the suitability of the property.” In the survey, controlled bidders are family members/friends and would generally err on the side of caution due to the nature of their relationship, she said.
In relation to a new profession of conveyancer she said this issue has been discussed for decades, dating back to recommendations by the Competition Authority in 2006. The practice operates in other common law jurisdictions such as England, Wales, Scotland, New Zealand, and most Australian states, where professional conveyancers operate with appropriate regulation.
On the issue of sealed bids Ms McGuirk said agents in Ireland do operate this system, although it is less popular than auctions.
She said buying a home can be very stressful because it usually involves people making the biggest financial outlay of their lives. “That is more so in a market where the availability of homes is scarce and competition for each property is intense.”
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