An Irish Permanent survey of first-time buyers has shown that 13 per cent are under 24 years of age. The survey of Irish Permanent's customer base of first-time buyers revealed that 82 per cent of customers over the past 12 months were buying properties outside Dublin.

Irish Permanent is the State's largest mortgage provider, with a 22 per cent share of the market. The institution wrote approximately £1.5 billion (€1.9 billion) of mortgage business last year.

Almost three-quarters of the home buyers surveyed were buying as a couple, with only 1 per cent buying as a group of three or more. The most favoured repayment terms were 25 years and 20 years.

At 63 per cent, the largest proportion of first-time buyers remain in the 25 to 34 age category, with 13 per cent aged 20 to 24.

The gender split in the survey is pretty even. Some 53 per cent of new borrowers are male and 47 per cent are female.

Irish Permanent also announced details of its new package for first-time buyers. The lender joins ICS, First Active, IIB and AIB in offering the highest loan-to-value ratio in the marketplace at 92 per cent.

In common with other mortgage providers, Irish Permanent will pay the £3,000 first-time buyers grant up-front, avoiding a potential 12-week wait for the grant to be issued by the Department of the Environment and Local Government.

Irish Permanent's first-time buyer's package has a low start option, allowing borrowers to postpone or reduce the first three repayments of the mortgage.