The first was Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien’s controversial Affordable Housing Bill. But haven’t investment companies and real estate investment trusts (Reits) been bulk-buying residential properties for years? Now big investment companies have extended their reach to the suburbs, by buying first-time family houses and then renting them out. The residential housing market is already badly squeezed. House prices have increased by an average of €20,000 in the past year and there is no reason to believe there won’t be residential property inflation again this year.

Source: The Irish Times May 08, 2021 05:00 UTC