Hectic bidding saw a 45.3ac block of land at Athlone East make more than double its guide price when sold at auction by joint agents Colliers and Francis Kearney last week.

The land, at Warren High, came with a vacant farmhouse, an old piggery, a three-bay hayshed – and substantial gravel deposits. It was one of four lots being sold for the same owners.

This lot had been guided by the agents at in excess of €1m, or €22,000/ac. However, the bidding actually opened at €1m and rose to €1.52m, at which point the lot was declared on the market.

Further bids were invited and the land was eventually knocked down at €2.201m. This equalled €48,587/ac. The buyer was a local person with business interests.

Bidding on the other lots was more sedate. A 15.6ac block at Baylin opened at €60,000 and it sold at €100,000.

The 37ac at Bawnoges, Moate opened at €600,000 and was knocked down at €670,000 to a local business person.

The final lot was a 3ac site. It opened at €30,000 and sold at €52,500. In all, 176 bids were made on the different lots.

hobby farm

Four bidders competed to buy a hobby farm located near Trim, Co Meath when it was put up for auction this week.

The property was 4.5ac with a house at Dogstown and it was sold by REA TE Potterton. It was guided in the range of €350,000 to €400,000.

The bidding opened at €350,000 and rose in bids of €10,000 to €450,000. At this point it was put on the market and after an interval knocked down at this price.

The buyers are understood to be a business family from the area with farming interests.

In other auction results, GVM Tullamore sold a c9.4ac parcel at Deerpark, Cadamstown, Co Offaly for €116,000, while James L Murtagh auctioned at c30ac farm at Glascorn, Ballinea, Mullingar.

A lot of c26ac made €365,000, and a derelict house on c4ac sold for €230,000. Meanwhile, GVM Limerick sold a 2.56ac site with a derelict house at Ballyclough Avenue, Castletroy, Limerick for €175,000.