Another big price for Sorrento terrace home

17 July 1998

Sorrento Terrace was the focus on the auction scene again yesterday when another property on Dublin's most fashionable parade sold for seven figures.

No. 7 Sorrento Terrace, Dalkey was withdrawn from auction at £1.7m and sold afterwards for an undisclosed higher price to solicitor Guy French acting in trust.

The property is a terraced six-bedroom house just doors away from Sorrento House, which sold for a spectacular £5.9m to publicity shy mobile phone mogul Terry Coleman last month.

Comparatively speaking, the house auctioned yesterday is a more modest abode than its record-shattering neighbour. It has a small garden and no off-street parking. It does, however, share the splendid sea vista enjoyed by the whole terrace and so highly prized by today's buyers.

Auctioneer Corry McMahon initially gave a guide price of £1m for the four-storey terraced property which is in need of extensive refurbishment. This was, however, revised to £1.5m after the Sorrento House sale.

Elsewhere, Brittas House, a Georgian residence on 280 acres at Nobber, Co Meath has been sold for around £1.4m prior to auction.

The ten-bedroom house includes a staff apartment, gate lodge, gardener's cottage and lawn tennis court. Gunnes were the auctioneers.

Sherry FitzGerald sold Knockrath, Castleknock Road, Dublin 15 under the hammer at £770,000. This is a detached three-bedroom bungalow on over half an acre. Yesterday, Gunnes secured £570,000 for 25 Georgian Village, Castleknock, a four-bedroom property comprising around 2,700 sq ft. The pre-auction guideline was £440,000.

In Dublin 4, James Adam auctioned 7 Percy Place for £480,000. On the outskirts of the city, Heathersville, Redgap, Rathcoole was withdrawn, now quoting £585,000, by Ganly Walters.

Outside Dublin, country properties are still selling well. The Rectory, Glenealy, Co Wicklow was sold prior to auction by Jackson Stops McCabe, who were guiding £700,000-plus beforehand.

Ballyvartry, Calary, Co Wicklow, on two acres with granny flat, realised £500,000 for Gunnes who were guiding £300,000 before auction.

In Galway, Raford House, Athenry was sold after being withdrawn from auction for a figure in excess of the £600,000 guide price by the same agents. Built around 1735, this is an important early Georgian house located on about 37 acres.

Crescent House, 11, The Crescent, Taylors Hill was sold under the hammer for £450,000 by FB Heaslip. The property comprises a terraced house which has been refurbished by the owners to a very high standard and has a small mews residence to the rear.

The house was purchased by Paul Horan solicitors in trust. The pre-auction guideline of £350,000 was substantially exceeded on the day.

A residence on eight acres at Alma Park, Wexford was withdrawn at £600,000 by John W Corish. Washington House, Rosses Point, Sligo sold for £520,000 through IPM Estates.

Kilfamma, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny fetched £560,000 at a Jordan auction. The sale comprises the main house with around 26 acres, including fishing rights. However, the lodge on two acres was withdrawn at £150,000.

Development land continues to command substantial sums.

Around five acres at Trim, Co Meath secured £545,000 at a T.E. Potterton sale.

Some 64 acres at Badger Hill, Kill, Co Kildare was auctioned by Colm McEvoy for £543,000.

The commercial market remains strong. Orwell Lodge Hotel, Orwell Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6 and an adjoining private residence was auctioned for £1.95m by Gunnes hotel division.

The property has ten en suite bedrooms, restaurant and function room. It is adjoined by Woodville, a six-bedroom modern residence with its own private entrance.

The property was disposed of on behalf of the Negi family to Dublin solicitors Hanley Lynch acting in trust for an undisclosed client.

O'Connor's licensed premises, Doolin, Co Clare has been sold for £1.5m by private treaty through Morrissey's. The residential pub was bought in trust by auctioneer John Fitzgerald.