The supply of farmland for sale in Donegal in 2021 returned to more usual levels, after a drop the previous year caused by the lengthy COVID-19 lockdowns put on border counties.
In 2021, 25 farms came to the market comprising a total of 1,121ac. This was an increase of 800ac on the previous year. Of these farms, 21 sold with an area of 854ac.
The average price two years ago was skewed by the small area of land sold. The average price in 2021 was €9,589/ac and this more closely reflects prevailing prices for the mix of land that came on sale.
The land for sale was a mix of nice grassland, rougher hill land and forestry planting land, a normal mix for Donegal. Thirteen of the farms offered for sale were under 40ac, nine were between 40ac and 99ac and the other three over 100ac.
Only one holding was residential. Auctions are not that popular in the county – only four of the 25 holdings were offered for auction.
Size of holding made a difference to price. Average for under 40ac was €10,603/ac while for the farms over 40ac it was €8,236/ac.
The top price for land was €16,950/ac. This was paid for good-quality grazing land, with good road frontage, in the east of the county.
The lowest price was €2,479/ac. This was paid at auction for a 47ac block of rough grazing land in the north of the county, outside Malin.
One sale made national headlines: the purchase of 116ac Inch Island at auction for €850,000 with the buyer – a business person – planning to rewild the land.
Drystock cattle farmers were active buyers. The beef category purchased over one-third of holdings sold. Business buyers bought 30% and dairy farmers 20%. Some three of the farms sold were bought by sheep farmers.
The supply of farmland for sale in Donegal in 2021 returned to more usual levels, after a drop the previous year caused by the lengthy COVID-19 lockdowns put on border counties.
In 2021, 25 farms came to the market comprising a total of 1,121ac. This was an increase of 800ac on the previous year. Of these farms, 21 sold with an area of 854ac.
The average price two years ago was skewed by the small area of land sold. The average price in 2021 was €9,589/ac and this more closely reflects prevailing prices for the mix of land that came on sale.
The land for sale was a mix of nice grassland, rougher hill land and forestry planting land, a normal mix for Donegal. Thirteen of the farms offered for sale were under 40ac, nine were between 40ac and 99ac and the other three over 100ac.
Only one holding was residential. Auctions are not that popular in the county – only four of the 25 holdings were offered for auction.
Size of holding made a difference to price. Average for under 40ac was €10,603/ac while for the farms over 40ac it was €8,236/ac.
The top price for land was €16,950/ac. This was paid for good-quality grazing land, with good road frontage, in the east of the county.
The lowest price was €2,479/ac. This was paid at auction for a 47ac block of rough grazing land in the north of the county, outside Malin.
One sale made national headlines: the purchase of 116ac Inch Island at auction for €850,000 with the buyer – a business person – planning to rewild the land.
Drystock cattle farmers were active buyers. The beef category purchased over one-third of holdings sold. Business buyers bought 30% and dairy farmers 20%. Some three of the farms sold were bought by sheep farmers.
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