Friday last, in a packed auction room in the Radisson Blu Hotel, saw the team at DNG Maxwell Heaslip & Leonard hold their highly anticipated September auctions, with 20 lots going under the hammer. The Galway city based estate agent drew a large crowd, with more than 300 in attendance and 112 separate buyers registering to bid on a wide range of residential and commercial properties.
James Heaslip, who heads the auction team, kicked off proceedings just after 3pm and did not take long to get in his stride. The first lot of the day was No 4 Amarillo Court in Tuam and, within moments of asking for an opening bid of €40,000, the bidding got under way, with four separate parties vying to acquire this well presented two bed semidetached house close to Tuam town centre. The hammer fell after some quick-fire bidding and it was sold for €65,000, much to the delight of the purchaser.
Lot no 2, a mid-terrace residence in Mount Street, Claremorris, quickly followed suit and after an opening bid of €35,000, the gavel was lowered at €65,000. Staying in Mayo, lot no 3 was No 5 Seaview Terrace, a two bed terraced house in the gorgeous seaside village of Killala. Again the bidding was quick to get going and after a sustained period of bidding, it eventually went for €68,000.
Heaslip continued without taking breath in front of an enthralled audience. With his unique style and unrivalled enthusiasm, lot 4 – No 23 Roscam House, and lot 5 – No 1 The Grainstore, Clifden, went for €185,000 and €72,000 respectively. Both properties sold for well beyond their expected guide prices. As the lots came to the floor, the proceedings continued in the same vein with a total of 16 lots selling on the auction floor or directly afterwards.
Heaslip commented: “It was a great event and we had a really big turnout. Our regional auctions take in the whole of the west of Ireland and we attract properties from everywhere west of the Shannon, so we always have a really good mix of buyers. Our team are used to dealing with large numbers and we take it all in our stride.”
The team in DNG Maxwell Heaslip & Leonard obviously put a lot of effort into ensuring the day runs smoothly. James Heaslip added: “While we pride ourselves on our professionalism, we do try to ensure that proceedings don’t get too serious and always look to keep the afternoon as lighthearted as possible. It can be a stressful time for a bidder, so it’s nice to be able to bring a smile to the faces of those in the auction room. Our job is to achieve the highest prices possible on the day, but we are conscious that not every bidder will get what they want, so it’s important that the experience isn’t totally negative for unsuccessful bidders.”
The company's next auction will take place on November 23 and the team have already starting working on their listings. “We will be back in the Radisson in November and once again we will have a large range of properties with something to suit all buyers," Heaslip said. "It's already looking to be our best auction of the year so we all preparing for another busy build-up. There is no question that the market is on the rise and our latest DNG figures show that there is a 70 per cent rise nationally since the bottom of the market in 2012. We are seeing the benefits of this through all facets of our business and particularly on the auction floor.”
To list a property with DNG Maxwell Heaslip & Leonard call any of the auction team at 091 565261.
