Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 516: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the estimated number of first-time buyers annually from 1997 to date. [23413/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department does not have definitive figures on the number of first-time buyers in the housing market. However, using data on the numbers of loans drawn down for new and second hand houses, together with data on buyer status based on a voluntary statistical survey of mortgagees, the following estimates arise:

My Department is currently developing a new house price statistics system, which will incorporate the production of a mix-adjusted house price index, as well as characteristics such as type of buyer, including first-time buyer, region, age of dwelling, house type and number of rooms. It is hoped to launch this system later this year.

As the data outlined is based on profiling those taking out mortgages for house purchase purposes, it will not cover all purchases of new or second-hand houses. It is estimated that in 2004, approximately 35% of new houses were not mortgage financed.