For the second year in succession, leading Galway city estate agent, DNG Maxwell Heaslip & Leonard has recorded a 92 per cent sales success rate for properties offered for sale by public auction. This is believed to be one of the highest rates in Ireland and the St Francis Street-based firm is now considered by many to be one of the country's foremost exponents of the public auction.
According to James Heaslip, auction director of DNG Maxwell Heaslip & Leonard, the reason for the company’s success is its highly organised auction team who can provide the greatest exposure for each of the properties they bring to the market. “Our auction team are all experienced agents and their support crew know exactly what our ethos is," he said. "We strive to achieve the best prices and offer a different model than other auction houses, with the promotion and marketing of each lot, be it residential, commercial, or land, foremost in our approach.”
The firm begins each auction launch with a six-week extensive marketing campaign, which includes an online marketing campaign and advertising through both local and national print media. Each property will have a time allocated for bi-weekly open viewings, opening for an hour on Wednesday and Saturday. James Heaslip said this six-week period allows potential buyers time to research each property and get a feeling on whether it is right for them. “Most other auction houses list their properties for four weeks and we have always felt it’s not long enough," he added. "Buying a property at auction is a big commitment, and we believe that by giving more time to buyers, it is something they appreciate when trying to organise viewings, finance, engineers, etc.” During the summer months, the agents also carry out late evening viewings to accommodate those who are unable to view during normal hours.
“While we work for the vendor, we are more than aware that the purchasers must be looked after and that their needs are paramount when bring properties to the auction floor," Heaslip added. "We go to great lengths to ensure that they are afforded the opportunity to buy, with as little hassle as possible. We work seven days a week so everyone has a chance to visit a property.”
DNG Maxwell Heaslip & Leonard moved its auctions two years ago to the five star Radisson Blu Hotel in Galway in order to cater for the ever increasing numbers attending the auctions. On the day of the auctions, the team creates a relaxed environment with refreshments provided and numerous big screens throughout the venue. The company was the first agent in the west of Ireland to screen an auction live via the internet, and its auctions are now regularly viewed by thousands all over the world. “We’ve always been a very tech-savvy office and we try to embrace all formats of multimedia marketing," Mr Heaslip said. "Our HD online streaming service is just another way of ensuring that we reach what is now a global marketplace. We have had online buyers from as far away as Malaysia, Australia, USA, and the UAE, and our phone bidding has risen by over 80 per cent in the past 12 months”.
The success of DNG Maxwell Heaslip & Leonard's auctions is a culmination of a number of factors. Directors Alan Maxwell, Fergal Leonard, and James Heaslip have among them more than 70 years of experience in the property game. When it comes to valuing each property, they take great care in giving realistic reserve prices. This allows the purchaser to arrive at the auction with the knowledge that they have a fair opportunity to buy on the auction floor and that they could get value for their money. James Heaslip, who carries out the auctions, is widely regarded as one of the finest exponents of the art of wielding the gavel. His style and charisma, mixed with his professional approach, make for what is always an entertaining and engaging event. The atmosphere puts those in attendance at ease, which is what makes the auctions so successful.
Now known across the country as an auction house that gets results in a highly professional manner, DNG Maxwell Heaslip & Leonard is expecting another busy year and team are already in the process of listing for upcoming 2016 auctions, beginning with the first of its spring auctions on Thursday February 25.
For full details of upcoming auctions, contact any member of the team at 091 565261 or visit www.dnggalway.ie
