The average price of a house in Ireland has exceeded €200,000 for the first time, according to the latest Permanent TSB house price index.
The figures, which are compiled with the Economic & Social Research Institute, show the average price paid for a house in Dublin is now €262,000, and average price for a house outside Dublin is €177,000.
The survey says that over the last year national house prices rose by 10.4 per cent.
The General Manager of Permanent TSB, Mr Niall O'Grady, said that the key factor in the rise was the return of investors to the market."In the second half of last year we had first-time buyers sitting on their hands waiting to see whether or not prices were going to come down," he said.
"But when investors went in this year essentially the first-time buyers followed them."
He said it was a sign that strong growth rates would continue in the future.