Prospective homeowners are increasingly looking to buy outside of Irish cities like Dublin which has sparked rural house prices to increase dramatically.
Remote working seems to be driving the trend despite workers being welcomed back into the office recently.
Flocks of people began to leave cities at the start of the pandemic and the latest data shows it is continuing.
Regional and town property prices have increased twice as fast as prices in cities, according to the latest Irish Independent / Real Estate Alliance report.
The average price of a three-bed semi-dethatched house rose by a massive €3,500 per month since the end of June.
The biggest price hikes were seen in commuter counties and bigger towns while Dublin, Cork and Limerick saw increases that ranged between 1.5% and 2.4%.
REA spokesperson Barry McDonald said: “The rural flight, which began during lockdown, shows no signs of letting up, even in the face of a return to office working.
“In my own area, which is Lucan, we are seeing a combination of people selling to move farther afield and buyers moving out from the city centre because they feel they don’t need to be in walking distance of the office any more.”
The sellers in Dublin are nearly all choosing to leave the city which has sparked major price increases in Tipperary, Donegal and Kilkenny.
Mr McDonald said: “In Nenagh, REA Eoin Dillon has reported that three-bed semis that previously fetched €190,000 have sold for €235,000, such is the scarcity of supply. The effect is being felt nationwide with counties such as Tipperary (9.2pc), Donegal (8.4pc) and Kilkenny (7.3pc) all experiencing sharp rises in Q3 as buyers seek value locations.”
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