Hidden costs of buying a home
In this guide, you’ll find the hidden and often overlooked costs that can arise when buying your first home in Ireland, from legal outlays and insurance to moving expenses and early ownership bills. This guide will give you a clearer picture of the extra costs beyond the deposit and mortgage, so you can budget more confidently and avoid unexpected surprises.
As Zurich content, this guide is designed to give first-time buyers clear, practical and trustworthy advice on the costs that are easy to miss when purchasing a home. Rather than covering all home-buying costs in general, it focuses specifically on the hidden expenses that can catch buyers off guard, helping readers feel more informed, prepared and financially confident.
Table of contents
- Introduction
- Booking deposit
- Legal outlays and solicitor fees
- Structural surveys or snagging inspections
- Mortgage protection insurance
- Home insurance before completion
- Mortgage drawdown and admin charges
- Moving costs
- Utility connection and setup fees
- Appliances, furnishings and basic essentials
- Local Property Tax
- Management company fees
- Maintenance and repairs in the first year
- How to avoid financial surprises
- Get ready for completion with home insurance in place
Hidden costs of buying a home in Ireland for first time buyers
Buying your first home involves more than saving for a deposit. Legal fees, insurance, surveys, taxes and move-in costs can all add to the total amount you need before and shortly after completion.
A 2025 CCPC report found that almost 30% of homeowners discovered something after the sale that they wished they had known before buying, and 57% of those said they would have lowered their offer or pulled out completely if they had known earlier1.
That is why it is important to budget for more than the deposit and mortgage alone. While not every cost can be predicted exactly, understanding the main extra expenses can help you plan more realistically and avoid being caught off guard at the final stages of the purchase.
This guide breaks down the extra expenses that can arise so you can budget more realistically and avoid expensive surprises.
Booking deposit
Once your offer is accepted, you will usually be asked to pay a booking deposit to the estate agent. This deposit is generally refundable until contracts are signed, but it is still money you need to have available at short notice.
For many buyers, this is the first reminder that buying a home involves more than just saving for the final deposit due on completion. Before paying it, it is worth making sure you are comfortable with the full financial commitment involved in the purchase.
At this stage, ensuring you have considered all financial implications before finalising the purchase is key, especially when deciding on the right offer for a property.
Legal outlays and solicitor fees
This is one area where adding a concrete figure helps. In CCPC conveyancing research published in 2025, buyers who could report their total legal bill said they paid an average of €4,524, including registration fees, legal searches and VAT2. That does not mean every buyer will pay that amount, but it gives a useful sense of how quickly legal costs can add up once outlays are included.
Asking your solicitor for a detailed breakdown early on can give you a more realistic view of what you will need to pay before completion.
Structural surveys or snagging inspection
A survey is not always mandatory, but many buyers choose to arrange one for peace of mind, especially if they are buying an older property. Buyers of new builds may also arrange a snagging inspection to identify defects before moving in.
If issues are found, you may need follow-up inspections or specialist reports, which can increase the cost further. While this may feel like an optional spend, it can help identify expensive problems early and reduce the risk of more serious repair costs later.
Asking the right questions when viewing a house can also help highlight potential issues early and reduce the likelihood of unexpected repair costs later.
Mortgage protection insurance
One important cost that some first-time buyers overlook is mortgage protection insurance. If you are taking out a mortgage, your lender will generally require you to have mortgage protection in place before the loan is drawn down, although some exceptions can apply. This insurance is designed to pay off the outstanding mortgage if you die before the mortgage term ends.
Because it is usually a condition of the mortgage, it should be treated as part of your upfront buying costs rather than something to think about later. The cost will depend on factors such as your age, health, the amount borrowed and the mortgage term. According to the CCPC, even a €5 difference in monthly premium could save you more than €2,000 over a 35-year mortgage1.
Home insurance before completion
Buildings insurance is another cost that must usually be arranged before you get the keys. While home insurance is not generally required by law, most mortgage lenders insist that the property is insured before releasing mortgage funds.
This means the first premium often needs to be paid before completion, at a stage when you may already be covering several other costs. The price can vary depending on the rebuild value of the home, the location, security features and your claims history.
For buyers nearing completion, this is an important cost to include in the final budget rather than leaving it to the last minute.
Mortgage drawdown and admin charges
Depending on the lender, there may also be smaller administrative costs around the mortgage drawdown stage. These can include valuation updates, document certification, reissuing loan offers if there are delays, or other processing-related fees.
Not every lender charges the same way, but it is worth asking in advance what fees could arise between formal approval and drawdown so you can budget more accurately.
Moving costs
The cost of moving into your new home can add up quickly. Even if you plan to keep costs low, there may still be van hire, fuel, packing supplies or removal company charges to consider. If your move-out and move-in dates do not align, you may also need temporary storage.
This is one of those costs that is easy to underestimate because it tends to come at the very end of the process, when your budget may already be under pressure.
Utility connection and set up fees
Once you move in, there may be setup or activation charges for services such as electricity, gas, broadband and television. In some cases, deposits may also apply.
These may not be the biggest costs in the overall home-buying journey, but they arrive at exactly the point when many first-time buyers are also paying for removals, furnishings and immediate household essentials.
Appliances, furnishings and basic essentials
Even in a turnkey property, not everything may be included in the sale. Items such as washing machines, fridge freezers, curtains, blinds, light fittings or other household basics may need to be bought separately.
These are often treated as move-in purchases rather than buying costs, but they still affect how much cash you need available in the first weeks of ownership. Checking exactly what is included in the sale can help you avoid unexpected spending after completion.
Local property tax
Local Property Tax is another cost that can catch first-time buyers off guard, particularly if they complete their purchase shortly before the charge becomes due.
For the valuation period running from 2026 to 2030, the basic annual LPT charge for homes valued up to €2.1 million ranges from €95 to €3,110, depending on the property’s valuation band. Revenue notes that local authorities can increase or decrease the basic rate by up to 15%, so the amount due can vary depending on where the property is located3. The 2026 charge is based on the property’s valuation as at 1 November 2025.
You do not need to go deep into the calculations when budgeting, but it is worth checking Revenue’s valuation guidance or calculator so you have at least a realistic estimate of what may be due.
Management company fees
If you are buying an apartment or a home in a managed development, you may have annual management or service charges to pay. These fees can cover maintenance of shared spaces, insurance for common areas and contributions to a sinking fund.
They are not always front of mind when buyers are focused on deposits and mortgage approval, but they can become a meaningful part of your ongoing housing costs. Make sure you understand what the annual charge is and what it covers before committing to buy.
Maintenance and repairs in the first year
Even a newer home will usually come with some maintenance costs. Boilers need servicing, gutters may need cleaning, seals and fittings can wear, and small repairs are part of normal homeownership.
These costs may not appear in the legal or mortgage process, but they are still part of the real cost of buying a home. Setting aside a contingency fund can help reduce the pressure when those first repairs inevitably arise.
How to avoid financial surprises
There are several practical steps first time buyers can take to manage hidden costs:
- Request a detailed breakdown of solicitor fees and outlays.
- Confirm what is included in the sale, including appliances and fixtures.
- Ask your lender about all potential administrative fees.
- Plan utility setup in advance.
- Build a contingency fund into your savings plan
Buying your first home is an exciting milestone. Understanding not only the headline costs but also the hidden expenses can help you approach the process with greater confidence and financial security.
Get ready for completion with home insurance in place
By the time you reach completion, many of the major costs of buying a home will already have been paid or accounted for. One final item to plan for is home insurance, which will usually need to be in place before mortgage funds are released.
Including this in your budget ahead of time can help avoid last-minute pressure and ensure you are ready to move in with confidence.
At Zurich, we offer flexible home insurance cover designed to protect your property and belongings from the day you receive your keys. You can get a quote online or speak to one of our advisors to arrange cover in advance and make sure everything is in place before you move into your new home.
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