Property prices across county fell in recent months Tiny seven-week-old kitten was rescued from ditch
HOWEVER, THE NUMBERS OF HOUSE VIEWINGS REMAINS STRONG
TWO separate housing surveys have revealed property prices in Wicklow falling over the past number of months.
The latest MyHome.ie Property Report in association with Davy states that property prices in Wicklow have fallen by €2,000 over the last quarter.
The price of a three-bedroomed semi-detached house in County Wicklow fell by 0.8 per cent over the past three months, according to a national survey carried out by Real Estate Alliance. However, agents in the county are reporting a larger than expected increase in enquiries since they reopened their doors after lockdown.
The MyHome.ie Property Report for Quarter Two shows that the median asking price for a property in the county is now €335,000. This represents an increase of €6,000 compared to this time last year.
However, despite this overall trend, asking prices for a three-bed semi-detached house in the county increased by €1,000 in the quarter to €316,000. Prices for this house type are down by €6,500 compared to this time last year.
Meanwhile, the asking price for a four-bed semi-detached house in Wicklow fell over the quarter by €7,000 to €428,000. Prices in the segment also dropped by €7,000 compared to this time last year.
The number of properties for sale in Wicklow on MyHome.ie fell by 11 per cent in the last quarter and was down 34 per cent on this time last year.
The average time for a property to go sale agreed in the county after being placed up for sale now stands at nearly seven and a half months.
The price of the average three-bed semi in the Garden County fell by 2.4 per cent to €283,000 in the past year, the REA Average House Price Survey has found.
Karl Tracey of REA Forkin in Bray, North East Wicklow, and Wicklow town, said: ‘Viewings are currently very strong, and purchasers have a lot of confidence in the market. Houses with home offices are highly sought after, and broadband speed has become very important for homes in rural Ireland.
‘There is a surge of new home developments in the North Wicklow area which is keeping second-hand prices at a steady level, allowing for a small decrease this quarter.’
REA Forkin reported that the average three-bed semi prices fell by 4.8 per cent to €300,000 over the last year in North East Wicklow, with a 1.9 per cent drop this quarter.
Average Bray prices fell by 4.3 per cent over the past year, and 1.47 per cent this quarter, to €335,000.
Wicklow town reported a 3.1 per cent fall over the past 12 months to €310,000, with prices remaining static this quarter.
Time to sell increased by one week in North East Wicklow this quarter to 16 weeks, while in both Wicklow town and Bray it remained unchanged at 15 weeks.
REA Murphy of Blessington and Baltinglass reported that house prices rose by 3 per cent in Baltinglass over the past year to €175,000, remaining unchanged this quarter. Time to sell in the area rose from 12 weeks to 16.
Blessington prices remained at €295,000 since this time last year, and time to sell in the area increased from eight weeks to ten this quarter.
THE ISPCA has rescued a tiny kitten from near a busy road in Enniskerry.
Chief Inspector Conor Dowling responded to a call from a concerned member of the public about a cat heard crying in a ditch near Ballyremon Commons.
Inspector Dowling investigated the call made to the ISPCA’s National Animal Helpline and located the little kitten shivering in a hedge.
‘Although the road was noisy with traffic, I heard a faint cry for help and discovered a very scared and soaked little tabby kitten. I had to act quickly in case she attempted to run,’ he said.
The kitten, now named Star, was taken to a foster home for some much needed food and a warm, dry bed.
‘It is unclear how the kitten came to be in such a perilous position, so close to the busy road There are not a lot of houses in the vicinity and, enquiries suggest that none of the locals have kittens. Star was no more than seven weeks old and far too young to be wandering on her own. Huge thanks to the member of the public who heard her cry for help and called us.’
Although Star experienced a traumatic start in his/her young life, she is safe now in ISPCA care.
They will be appealing for a new loving home once she is a little older, if they have been unable to locate an owner.
All cats and kittens adopted from the ISPCA are fully vaccinated, treated for parasites, neutered/spayed (when of age), cat-flap and litter-trained. They also offer six weeks free pet insurance. The ISPCA asks for an adoption donation of €75 to help cover some of the veterinary costs.
To make a donation,go to ispca.ie.