THE ESTATE AGENT
Maura Donohoe, an estate agent in Newbridge, says: "It's all gloom and doom at the moment.
"The downturn is definitely having a knock-on in the town. The clothes shops, particularly those selling ladies' fashions are being hit hard.
"Fortunately, I operate on my own. So I have not had to lay off staff. There are still people out there who will buy houses, but the vendor has to be realistic.''
Maura says a three-bed semi-detached house that fetched €345,000 a year ago would now go for €280,000.
"The market has just gone dead,'' says Paddy Fitzpatrick, the developer who built some of the houses which are being sold by Maura.
