June 8 was the light at the end of the tunnel for many working in the property industry as property viewings recommenced and auctioneers around the country reacquainted themselves with the roads and housing estates in their local areas. Large volumes of viewings were requested and booked well in advance by those who have funds in place and eagerly await the closing of a deal on their future new home.
Well known Galway auctioneers O’Donnellan & Joyce reopened its Mary Street offices to the public on Monday June 8 after staff worked from home for a number of weeks due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While no property viewings could take place during this time, the company reported that it had a huge number of valuation requests and has many properties lined up to come to the market over the coming weeks as property owners prepare their homes for viewings and get paperwork in order, to ensure swift transactions take place.
Speaking on behalf of the private treaty team at O’Donnellan & Joyce, Niall Browne noted: “We have sale agreed a great number of homes over the past week. The phones are ringing non-stop and we are bombarded with emails from those who want to view properties. Strong offers are coming in and we are wrapping up sales much quicker than we expected. While economists say that house prices are down, we certainly have not seen any evidence to support this with many houses sales agreed at, and in excess of, asking prices.”
In a press statement last week, the Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers said: "The fluctuations in the market would appear to indicate that, provided the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic do not prove to be too severe on the economy in general, the housing market is likely to be more stable over the next 12 to 18 months than many had thought.” O’Donnellan & Joyce reports that many homes are selling with prices remaining stable and strong despite what economists were originally predicting.
O’Donnellan & Joyce is listing multiple new properties daily with new developments also opening up for showhouse viewings. The company held three open showhouses last Saturday with enormous interest from first time buyers and those trading up. New developments in Craughwell, Moycullen, and Furbo attracted many finance ready couples and families who have waited patiently over the past two months for viewings to recommence. During this time, video tours conducted by the company helped to publicise these developments and those interested in purchasing a new home could decide whether they were interested in a particular property from the comfort of their own homes.
Among the many sales concluded by the team at O’Donnellan & Joyce over the past weeks are the following notable properties:
· Cregmore, Claregalway - four bed detached home at €535,000.
· Whitestrand Park, Salthill - two bed apartment at €154,000.
· Blackrock, Salthill - two bed apartment at €337,500.
· Ballymoneen Road, Knocknacarra - five bed detached home at €450,000.
· Rosan Glas, Rahoon - four bed semidetached home at €304,000.
· Ashe Road, Shantalla – three bed end of terrace home at €275,000.
· Boireann Bheag, Roscam - three bed end of terrace home at €260,000.
· Dun na Coribe, Headford Road – three bed apartment, €265,000.
· Dun na Coribe, Headford Road – four bed detached home, €378,500.
· Lurgan Park, Renmore – three bed semidetached home, €300,000.
· Dun Aengus, Galway city – four bed end of terrace, €350,000
· Commerce Court, Galway city – three bed apartment, €310,000.
· Tirellan Heights – three bed semidetached, €220,000.
While the O’Donnellan & Joyce private treaty and new homes teams are busy with viewings and logging offers, the auction team are busy gearing up for their next property auction which is set for Friday July 3 at 2pm. The auction will take a slightly different format to the usual style – taking place behind closed doors with no public audience attending, and streamed live over the internet to those who wish to watch it and take part in bidding. Intending purchasers should register their interest with the auction team well in advance of auction day as some paperwork will be required to enable phone, proxy, and internet bidders to participate. Prior to the July 3 auction, the nationwide auction house will release a second catalogue of properties set to go under the hammer on July 24 under similar conditions, assuming Government restrictions will not allow for a buzzing audience to attend the excitement of the auction room in person.
As part of the upcoming catalogue, there are a number of Galway city and county properties for sale as well as properties further afield. The catalogue includes a great variety of property with two commercial units in the Liosban Industrial Estate offered at an attractive €65,000 each; a detached home on a large site at Knocknavoddy, Furbo, Co Galway; a home in need of renovation in Durrow, Co Offaly; and a plot of land at Foxford, Co Mayo. There are also two three bedroom apartments in Waterslade Place in Tuam offered at €130,000 and €140,000, and detached homes in Monivea, Kinvara, and Ardrahan.
In Galway city and suburbs, a number of very attractive homes are due to go under the auction hammer on July 24 including a three bedroom detached home at McHugh Avenue in Mervue guiding at €220,000; a three bedroom semidetached home in Grattan Park, Salthill, guiding at €365,000; and a one bedroom terraced home at Raleigh Row guiding at €220,000.
As the auction catalogue continues to grow, registration remains open for additional property listings. If you are thinking of selling your home, contact O’Donnellan & Joyce auctioneers on 091 564 212 and avail of the free thinking of selling valuation service.
The auction catalogue is live on www.odonnoyce.com while further information and bidding registration forms can be requested from [email protected].
