Solid sales in Leinster

IT’S A busy time in the auction rooms with steady if unspectacular prices being achieved all round, reports Jim O’Brien.

A 92ac farm at Mayne, Coole in Co Westmeath sold at auction last week making €520,000 or about €5,600/ac.

Located near Coole village the farm is described as a substantial block of high land with road access on three sides. The ground needs attention but, according to Stephen Barry of Raymond Potterton Auctioneers, it has great potential.

The farm is entirely under permanent pasture, laid out in nine good-sized, well-sheltered divisions with a natural water supply and mature hedging.

At auction the bidding opened at €250,000 and with two bidders in the chase the property was bid to €520,000 when it was put on the market and sold to the highest bidder. A businessman with farming interests bought the farm

ASHBOURNE FARM SALE

A substantial part of a 61ac residential farm at Borranstown, Ashbourne, Co Meath sold prior to auction last Thursday and the remainder is now on the market by private treaty.

The portion that sold includes the house and yard on 27ac making a price that is believed to exceed the pre-auction guide of €550,000. The remaining 34ac are for sale by private treaty with a guide of €400,000.

Pat O’Hagan of Savills describes the place as ‘a super farm’ that was originally a Land Commission holding extended and improved over the years.

The house and yards are set on 27ac that is mainly in winter cereal, aside from a small grass paddock beside the house. The fields have plenty of road frontage and several entrance points on to the Garristown road.

The lands will be available for vacant possession by the end of September or when the crops have been harvested.

The yard has a separate entrance and is made up of a substantial range of sheds covering some 7,535sqft. These include wintering sheds, a lean-to machinery shed, a holding yard with cattle handling facilities, a four-bay haybarn with a concrete floor and an open silage pit. This portion of 27ac with the house and yards was sold prior to auction.

Across from the house and yards is the 34ac parcel now for sale by private treaty. The land is all in grass with two gated entrances and a piped water supply. Described as top quality grazing ground it is bounded by the road and the River Hurley and guided at €400,000.

KILDARE SALE

In Dunlavin on the Kildare side of the border with Wicklow, Coonans of Maynooth handled the sale of a 22ac parcel of ground that was withdrawn after being bid to €245,000 at auction. It sold immediately after for a price believed to be in excess of €12,000/ac. The property is described by Phillip Byrne of Coonans as an outstanding non-residential farm that is all in grass with plenty of road frontage on to the Dunlavin/Gormanstown/ Kilcullen road. The holding was well looked after and is in great heart.

At auction the property opened at €175,000 and attracted the attention of three bidders until it held at €245,000. It sold immediately afterwards.