Independent property buying advice in Ireland
Breffnie O’Kelly - Your Irish Buyers Agent
Breffnie O’Kelly is a highly experienced buyer’s agent in Ireland, offering independent property advice and tailored support to help clients find and secure the right home. Working solely for the buyer, Breffnie provides professional guidance through every stage of the property buying process, from property search and valuation to negotiation and completion.
As a dedicated Irish buyer’s agent, Breffnie works with local and international clients who want a trusted professional to represent their interests in the Irish property market. With extensive experience, strong relationships across estate agencies, and a reputation for fairness and discretion, Breffnie ensures each purchase is handled with integrity and precision.
Why Work with a Buyers’ Agent in Ireland?
Buying property in Ireland can be complex, especially for people overseas, busy Irish professionals and first-time buyers. Having an independent buyer’s agent offers you great local and industry knowledge to help shape and drive your property buying plans. Breffnie only works with four clients at a time so you’re sure of highly personal attention at every step of the way.
Breffnie O’Kelly’s service includes:
Comprehensive Property Search – sourcing on-market and off-market opportunities across Dublin, Cork, Galway and beyond.
Objective Evaluation – assessing condition, location, price and long-term value.
Negotiation Expertise – securing the best possible outcome and protecting your interests.
End-to-End Support – liaising with estate agents, surveyors, and solicitors for a smooth transaction.
The Breffnie O’Kelly Approach…
Independent Representation – Breffnie acts only for buyers, never for sellers.
Transparent Fees – clear, upfront pricing with no hidden costs.
Local Knowledge – in-depth understanding of the Irish property market.
Personal Service – each client receives individual attention, honest feedback and clear guidance from the very start of their search to the moment they have the keys to their new home in their hand.
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Find a Property to Buy
Use my personalised, hand-held property finding service to discover and buy your ideal home in Ireland.
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Property Coaching Sessions
Get one-to-one advice in my one-hour property buyers coaching sessions, providing expert insights on how to navigate the Irish property market.
Thinking About Moving to Ireland from the United States?
If you’ve ever dreamt of owning a home in Ireland - waking up to green countryside, vibrant towns and welcoming communities - you’re not alone. Every year, more Americans choose to move to Ireland, either to retire, work remotely, reconnect with family roots or simply enjoy a slower pace of life.
As a licensed buyers’ agent based in Dublin, I help clients from the US navigate the Irish property market with ease and confidence. From understanding how to buy property in Ireland, to learning what’s required for visas, banking, taxes and relocation logistics, my goal is to make the move as seamless as possible.
Whether you’re browsing Irish homes from California, planning a retirement move to County Clare, or preparing to relocate permanently, I’ll guide you through each step - from finding the right property and negotiating the purchase to connecting you with trusted local professionals.
🎧 Watch & Listen: Real Stories and Expert Advice
Does Buying a Property Entitle You to Live in Ireland?
One of the biggest questions I’m asked by overseas buyers is: “If I buy a property in Ireland, can I live there?”
In this podcast, I’m joined by Aaron Flynn, a solicitor specialising in Irish and European immigration law and head of the Irish practice at Envoy Global. Together, we explore the legal and visa requirements for Americans moving to Ireland, including:
Who is entitled to live in Ireland
Which nationalities require a visa or residence permission
Whether purchasing property grants residency rights
What Stamp 0 means and how to apply for it
If you’re planning to retire to Ireland, work remotely from Ireland, or simply own a holiday home, this episode provides clear answers about visas, residency and long-term stays. Click here or on the image above to watch.
Moving to Ireland from America – Colleen’s Story
Meet Colleen, an American who began her journey by browsing Irish properties online from California before taking the leap to move across the Atlantic.
In this video, Colleen shares her real-life experience of moving to Ireland, from deciding on Ireland over other European destinations to purchasing her home and settling into her new village community.
She explains what surprised her about the Irish home-buying process, how it differs from the American system, and how she found help along the way.
Colleen also offers practical advice for anyone relocating to rural Ireland, including how to integrate locally and what to expect during your first months.
If you’d like a clear, step-by-step guide to buying property in Ireland as an American, you can find it here or by clicking on the image above.
“We were so fortunate to be referred to Breffnie as a buyers agent when looking for an apartment in Dublin Ireland. As US citizens, it would not have been possible for us to effectively navigate the real estate market in Ireland. Breffnie was there and committed to helping us find a place from the beginning to the very end. We couldn’t be happier with the services and absolutely love our new home in Dun Laoghaire. Plus, the gifts that kept giving, was that Breffnie had fantastic referrals for Home remodeling too.”
“I moved back to Ireland after many years abroad and I cannot thank Breffnie enough for finding me my dream home! From engaging over Zoom while I was still abroad to going to viewings and following up on the legal process, she really went above and beyond to make my house purchasing journey a great experience. As Breffnie has a lot of experience in this field, she has invaluable insight about what makes a good house, a good area and is also able to challenge some of my preconceived notions, which I especially appreciate. Cannot recommend her enough!”
“I find the process of finding and buying an apartment very stressful, but Breffnie made the whole process so much easier. She always kept me up to date and handled the hard parts for me. That meant that I could focus on being excited about my new home instead of worrying.”
“ I cannot thank Breffnie enough for finding me my dream home! ...she really went above and beyond to make my house purchasing journey a great experience ...Cannot recommend her enough!”
“She is professional, thoughtful, tenacious, patient, and your trusted advisor through a process that can at times be bumpy ...we could not have navigated choosing and buying an Irish home without her guidance and services. Her network of solicitors, tax advisors, rental agents and a host of others were always generously offered and likewise a pleasure to work with.
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“Breffnie did an expert job, helping us find a great match for our needs and guiding us through an unfamiliar process. Highly recommend her!”
“Where to begin? Well, we have a home to love and raise our family in. :) How did we get here?
Breffnie was friendly, down to earth, practical, knowledgeable, positive, encouraging, and absolutely willing to meet us where we were. She suggested new areas that we hadn’t thought to look, and critically evaluated the homes that we suggested. We were buying before we landed, sight unseen, and Breffnie built a portfolio of suitable homes, then attended viewings and reported back with excellent clarity on the viability of the choices. She was in all things punctual, communicative, clear, and absolutely dedicated to helping us achieve our goal of owning a lovely family home in Ireland. She never once made us feel like what we were attempting was anything other than normal (even though it isn’t, really!).
And here we are, the proud owners of an honest, beautiful home in an excellent situation, near a charming town, and natural amenities. We couldn’t have done it without her expert guidance and knowledge, and her excellent references to additional professionals. We will forever be in her debt, and grateful! Don’t think twice—book Breffnie as your property guru. You will absolutely not regret it.”
“Breffnie was absolutely amazing to work with. She was kind and helped us navigate the property market and purchase process in Ireland with ease ...She was endlessly flexible for us as we began this process while we still lived outside of Ireland. Absolutely would recommend working with her for anyone considering making a property purchase.”
“We had a wonderful experience being guided and thoroughly assisted by Breffnie throughout the purchase, from overseas, of a property in Dublin.
She was practical, gave sound advice and had an incredible knowledge of the market ...She continued to be available to us at all stages of the purchase through to settlement and after.
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Latest Blog Posts
Buying a house in Ireland? Follow this step-by-step guide to bidding, sale agreed, surveys, solicitors, contracts, stamp duty and getting the keys.