2025: A busy year, short on supply
2025 was another year where demand outpaced supply. Good homes, tidy finishes and strong BER ratings drew big interest.
“Buyers were not window shopping. When the right house came up, they were ready to move,” explains Donal Keenan of Keenan Auctioneers.
“That was the story right across the North-East: plenty of buyers. Not enough property. Simple as that.”
Handy location for sellers
Our office in Kingscourt sits at the meeting point of Cavan, Meath, Louth and Monaghan. We are not tied to one patch, we work the whole region and that reach makes a real difference.
“One week we can go sale agreed on a €685,000 home near Ardee. The next week it might be a bungalow in Mullagh or a farmhouse near Shercock.”
Lie of the land
Land demand stayed strong this year, especially from dairy farmers keeping an eye on nitrates rules and stocking limits.
“Many farmers are waiting to see how things settle,” said Donal, “but the appetite for good ground never disappeared. Lettings and leases stayed busy across all four counties. Workable parcels were taken quickly. All signs point to an active land market again in 2026, with more farmers needing extra acres to hold their numbers.”
The Mart Connection
Keenan Auctioneers' sister company, Kingscourt Mart, keeps them close to the farming community every week.
“The mart introduced TB-restricted herd sales for CFUs this year, the first of their kind nationally, and they drew major interest both in person and online.
That audience overlaps directly with people buying, selling or leasing land.”
It means anyone listing land with Keenan Auctioneers benefits from:
• A ready pool of active farmers
• Weekly visibility
• A trusted agri brand
• Strong crossover with those renting ground or trading entitlements
It is a genuine advantage for land sales and lettings.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Most market commentators agree that housing supply will stay tight next year. That means turnkey homes will stay in demand. High BER ratings will hold strong value. Rural houses with clean layouts will continue to move well.
The North-East also remains more affordable than many other regions, so we expect more buyers to keep moving out from Dublin.
More property should come to the market early in 2026, but nowhere near enough to meet all the demand waiting in the wings.
On the farming side, nitrates pressure and stocking-limit changes are expected to push more farmers to secure additional ground. That will keep the land market active across Cavan, Meath, Louth and Monaghan.
Our Focus for 2026
Looking ahead, Keenans aim to:
• Keep growing their footprint across the four counties;
• Drive land lettings, leases and entitlements work;
• Keep raising their marketing standards. Digital is the baseline now. Consistency and quality are what make the difference;
• Expand our TEGoVA-recognised valuation service with fast, professional reports across the region.
Final Word
“People want good homes and good ground. That will not change in 2026. Our job is to get them seen, get them sold and keep raising the bar across the North-East,” says Donal.
“A big thank you to all our clients and customers for their support throughout 2025. We wish everyone a happy Christmas, and we look forward to working with you in 2026.”