Estate agency software for sales, lettings and property management in Dublin (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

A Dublin agency with 3 branches that pays for 4 separate subscriptions to list, sell, manage lettings and keep client accounts spends between 40,000 and 60,000 EUR a year in 2026, re-keying included. A unified custom platform (sales, letters of engagement, rent collection, landlord statements) costs 70,000 to 120,000 EUR on the Irish market and pays back in 20 to 30 months above 600 managed units. Below 300 units, a well-configured off-the-shelf suite remains the better choice.

What the software must cover: PSRA, engagement letters, lettings

In Dublin, an agency running both sales and lettings handles two businesses with different constraints. The Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA) requires a licence for every agent, a signed letter of engagement before any service starts, a professional indemnity policy and strict segregation of client money in a dedicated client account. Each new tenancy must be registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), and rent pressure zone rules cap increases across the whole of Dublin.

On the lettings side, 900 managed units generate monthly rent demands, receipts, arrears chasing, deposit tracking and a landlord statement for every owner. When these flows live in a tool separate from the sales software, each property is keyed in 2 or 3 times.

Off-the-shelf suites or custom software: 2026 figures

Property suites on the Irish and UK market charge between 150 and 450 EUR per month per branch depending on modules, often plus a per-unit fee for lettings and a separate portal feed subscription. Custom software requires a heavier upfront investment but removes double entry and fits the agency's real workflow.

The 5 to 6 month timeline typically breaks down into 3 weeks of scoping, 11 weeks of building the sales and lettings modules, 4 weeks of data migration (engagement letters, tenancies, client account balances) and 3 weeks of parallel testing alongside the old tool. Migrating client account balances is the critical step: a one euro gap blocks month-end and worries your accountant at the annual client money audit.

At Kolonell, an application of this complexity falls in our complex application range, 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (10,670 to 22,870+ EUR), with the scope fixed in the quote. Maintenance is then monthly: 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA (53, 114 or 183 EUR) depending on the service level. See our custom web applications page.

Mistakes that sink the project

The first mistake is rebuilding everything, including portal feeds, when standard connectors exist for a few dozen euros a month. The second is launching lettings without validating the client account ledger structure with the agency's accountant. The third is neglecting the landlord portal: it cuts inbound calls by 20 to 30 % and justifies, to a hesitant landlord, a management fee of 8 to 12 % of rent collected plus VAT.

Mini case study

Aoife, managing director of an agency with 3 branches in Dublin (Rathmines, Clontarf, Dún Laoghaire), 900 managed units and 180 sales a year, pays for 4 subscriptions: portal feeds 1,200 EUR a month, sales CRM 600 EUR, lettings 1,170 EUR (1.30 EUR per unit), client accounting 450 EUR. Total: 3,420 EUR a month, or 41,040 EUR a year. Her two administrators re-key properties and payments 12 hours a week in total, 552 hours a year at 35 EUR loaded cost: 19,320 EUR.

Current cost: 41,040 + 19,320 = 60,360 EUR a year. With a unified platform at 95,000 EUR and an estimated running cost of 11,000 EUR a year (hosting, maintenance, portal connector), annual savings reach 49,360 EUR. Payback: 95,000 / 49,360 = 1.92 years, about 23 months, not counting the management mandates retained thanks to the landlord portal.

FAQ

Can letters of engagement be fully digital?

Yes, the PSRA accepts electronically signed letters provided they are stored and retrievable on inspection. The module and its timestamped archive take 2 to 3 weeks to build.

Should we keep a market portal feed tool?

Usually yes: a connector costs 50 to 150 EUR a month and already handles Daft.ie and MyHome.ie formats. Building your own costs 10,000 to 18,000 EUR for little gain.

From how many units does custom software pay off?

As a 2026 order of magnitude, above 600 units and 2 branches, when subscriptions and re-keying exceed 40,000 EUR a year. Below 300 units, a market suite stays cheaper.

How long does migration from the old software take?

Plan 3 to 4 weeks for 900 units: engagement letters, tenancies, tenants, client balances and 24 months of statement history. One month of parallel running secures the switch.

Who owns the data?

With custom development, the agency owns the code and the database. Exports are free and unlimited, unlike some suites that charge 500 to 2,000 EUR for a full export.

Let's scope your project. We define with you the sales, engagement letter and lettings modules, your data migration and a realistic go-live plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.