Almost 3,000ac sold by REA auctioneers in 2025

Recording an average price of €13,232/ac, the 2025 Real Estate Alliance (REA) land price survey shows that Ireland’s farmland market remained resilient throughout a challenging year.

This represented a fall in the average land price of 6.2% on 2024 levels.

Compiled from interviews with REA auctioneers nationwide, the survey revealed that its agents recorded 91 farm sales last year, down from 98 in 2024.

In all, these transactions totalled 2,992ac, with the average farm size of approximately 33ac, largely unchanged compared with 2024.

Private treaty remained the dominant method of sale, accounting for 62% of transactions, with auctions used for the balance of land sold.

The report also stated that demand for good-quality agricultural land continued to outstrip supply, providing a solid underpinning for the market. Despite the modest easing in values, agents reported continued strong competition for well-located, high-quality land.

Stable

REA agents expect demand to remain stable in 2026, supported by strong balance sheets among established farmers and continued competition for limited supply.

Demand remains driven by expansion among established operators, alongside ongoing interest from buyers seeking to secure additional acreage close to existing holdings.

Limited supply continues to underpin prices in many regions, particularly where farms of workable scale become available.

Commenting on national trends, compiler of the report Eoin Dillon of REA said regional variation remained a defining feature of the market.

“A large proportion of sales achieve prices in the €20,000 to €30,000/ac bracket and this, in some cases, is three to four times the average in the poorer counties.

"Forestry lands, both planted and unplanted, were the big losers in 2025, with the effects of recent storms and ongoing problems with felling licences having a major impact.”

The report also showed a competitive land rental price in 2025.

“Rental markets reflected this divergence throughout the year. In dairy- and tillage-dominated regions, strong competition pushed rents to averages of €450 to €500 per acre. Areas focused on beef and sheep farming typically recorded rental levels closer to half the average figure.”