The average price for a second-hand house in Ireland grew by just 0.1 per cent during the final quarter of 2006, according to new figures from Sherry Fitzgerald.
However, combined with strong growth in the first three quarters of the year, this brings the total growth during 2006 to 18.1 per cent.
In Dublin, the cost of second-hand houses fell 0.66 per cent during the quarter, although prices rose by 22.2 per cent for the year. This compares to growth of 23.3 per cent in 2005.
Prices in Cork grew some 0.6 per cent, to end the year at a total inflation rate of 15.1 per cent.
First-time buyers are still a major player in the second-hand market in 2006 accounting for about 34 per cent of properties traded, the report said.
Investors also increased their activity, purchasing 20 per cent of all second-hand properties in the year, compared to 17 per cent in 2005.
"After a phenomenal first six months in which average house prices rose spectacularly, price inflation moderated notably in the latter months of the year," said Marian Finnegan, chief economist of Sherry Fitzgerald.
"This moderation in price inflation is good news as it comes on the back of a more robust level of supply in the market and perhaps most notably six interest rate increases," she said.
"That said, 2006 was still one of the strongest years ever on record for house price inflation.
"The combination of a reduction in the gap between demand and supply and some upward movement in interest rates in 2007 will facilitate a moderation of house price growth in the year ahead with current estimates suggesting price inflation will slow towards single digits in the year," Ms Finnegan said.