What Will Happen to House Prices and Mortgage Rates in 2026?

Trying to buy a home in Ireland can sometimes feel like a bad joke. Prices are still rising, and homes are still selling well above asking. Mortgage rates, at least, are easing. So, a simple question keeps coming up: does it make sense to buy now, if you can — or would you be mad not to wait until the next recession drives down prices? Today on the podcast, we look past the noise and ask what the signs point to next year. Will Irish house prices still be rising in 2026? Have mortgage rates hit the bottom of the cycle? And does biding your time, waiting for an economic crash to bag a bargain, make sense in this version of the housing market? Sean Defoe is joined by Michael Dowling, senior mortgage adviser with Irish Mortgage Brokers, to cut through the headlines and explain what buyers should really be watching — and why timing the market perfectly may matter less than people think.