Resources
Everyone you'll need between the listing and the first night in the house.
A working directory we keep for American and Canadian owners: where the houses are listed, who handles the legal side, which organisations to know, and the bodies that set the standards we build to. Nobody pays to be listed here.
Irish property portals
Where the houses actually are. We're regularly asked to view listings from these sites before an American buyer bids.
- Daft.ie
Ireland's largest residential sales and rental portal
- MyHome.ie
Backed by the Irish Times; strong for period homes
- Sherry FitzGerald
National agency with a country homes department
- Savills Ireland
Prime coastal and country property
- Knight Frank Ireland
Luxury and heritage houses
- Property Price Register
Official record of what every Irish house actually sold for
- Buy and Sell Ireland Property
Secondary listings, occasional off-market finds
Relocation, legal and tax
The people you'll need alongside the renovation if you're buying from the US.
- Citizens Information — buying a home
State-run plain-English guide to the Irish purchase process
- Law Society of Ireland — find a solicitor
Verify any conveyancing solicitor before you engage them
- Revenue.ie
Stamp duty, Local Property Tax and non-resident obligations
- IPAV
Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers — Ruth is a member
- Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland
Find a chartered building surveyor for a pre-purchase survey
- Irish Immigration Service
Visas, residency and long-stay rules for US citizens
Irish-American organisations
Networks our clients often belong to, and good places to start if you're tracing a family house.
- Ireland Funds America
Philanthropic network across the US and Ireland
- Irish American Chamber of Commerce
Business links between the two countries
- American Chamber of Commerce Ireland
US companies and executives based in Ireland
- Irish Ancestry Research (National Archives)
Tracing the townland before you buy in it
- EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
Diaspora history and genealogy advisory service
- Embassy of Ireland, USA
Citizenship, passports and Foreign Birth Register
- Irish Central
Irish-American news, property and travel coverage
Architecture, heritage and trades
The bodies that set the standards we build to, and where to check anyone working on your house.
- RIAI
Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland — registered architects
- Engineers Ireland
Structural and assigned certifier register
- Heritage Council
Protected structures and conservation guidance
- Built Heritage Investment Scheme
Grants for works to protected structures
- SEAI Home Energy Grants
Insulation, heat pump and retrofit grants
- Irish Georgian Society
Conservation of Ireland's Georgian and period buildings
- Irish Architecture Foundation
Open House Dublin and contemporary Irish practice
- Archiseek
Long-running archive of Irish buildings and architects
Interior design publications
Irish and US titles our clients read. We work fluently in both visual languages.
- Image Interiors & Living
Ireland's leading interiors title
- House and Home Magazine
Irish homes, renovations and sourcing
- Irish Times Property
Market coverage and renovation features
- Architectural Digest
AD100 standards of finish and detail
- Elle Decor
Colour confidence and modern layering
- House Beautiful
Liveable rooms families actually use
- Veranda
Country houses and coastal calm
- Milieu Magazine
European antiques in American homes
- Houzz Ireland
Photo research and Irish professional directory
Letting your house when you're not in it
If the house earns its keep between family visits, these are the channels and the rules.
- Fáilte Ireland
National tourism authority — quality standards and registration
- Airbnb Ireland — hosting rules
Short-term letting regulations by area
- Imagine Ireland
Established Irish self-catering letting agency
- Discover Ireland
Where guests plan the trip that fills your calendar
Run a service on this list? We're happy to talk.
We work alongside agents, solicitors, surveyors and letting agencies on nearly every project. If you look after American clients buying in Ireland, email info@rkdesigns.ie.