First-time-buyer self-build mortgages fall 5.8% in Q3 2026

First-time buyers drew down 666 self-build mortgages in July to September 2026, down 5.8% from 707 in the same quarter of 2025. Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) published the figures on 23 October.

How does that compare with previous years?

Each row counts first-time-buyer self-build mortgages in July to September:

Year	Mortgages
2024	704
2025	707
2026	666

That is 41 fewer mortgages than a year earlier. The percentage change is 41 divided by 707, rounded to one decimal place.

The wider mortgage market grew: BPFI recorded 14,217 drawdowns across all borrower types in Q3 2026, up 13.1% on Q3 2025. That overall increase does not describe first-time-buyer self-build activity.

What does a drawdown count here?

BPFI counts each mortgage once, when the borrower first receives money from it. Later payments from the same self-build mortgage do not add another mortgage to the count. The report covers participating BPFI member lenders.

These figures measure mortgages reaching their first payment, rather than planning permissions, building starts or finished houses. The 666 figure covers first-time buyers only; it is not the total for all self-build borrowers. The report does not establish why this group fell.

What should you check for your own build?

Ask your lender to confirm your approved amount, when approval expires and the conditions for releasing each payment. National activity figures cannot tell you whether your own loan will be approved. Use the self-build mortgage guide to prepare those questions.

Before agreeing a builder’s payment schedule, compare when bills fall due with when the lender will release funds. Use the stage-payment cash-flow guide to work through any gap you would need to fund yourself.