Mortgage approvals reached 15-year monthly high in July

Mortgage approvals reached their highest monthly levels in at least 15 years in July, latest figures from Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) show.

BPFI said first-time buyers (FTBs) continued to drive approvals, accounting for over half (3,575) of the 6,253 mortgages approved during the month.

The total number of approvals was 14.4% higher than July 2025.

Those remortgaging and switchers made up one fifth of all approvals – which was a 71.6% rise on last year.

In terms of value, mortgage approvals in July surpassed €2 billion, which was up 15% year on year.

BPFI Chief Executive Brian Hayes said these were “the highest monthly levels since the data series began in 2011, although it’s worth noting that mortgage approval activity typically peaks between May and July each year”.