Sligo maintained a solid performance for land throughout 2016 with almost no change in price and supply. It’s another one of those counties where the majority of land sells within a certain price range (€3,000 to €7,000/acre) but out of the blue, there can be a number of outliers that can fetch anywhere from €11,000/acre to €15,000/acre.

The average price paid for land in the county last year was €6,126/acre, almost identical to the 2015 average of €6,089/acre. Prices ranged from €1,900/acre for a mixed-quality farm that contained some commonage to a top price of €15,800/acre for a small 8.25-acre residential holding near Curry that sold under the hammer for €131,000. Only five other properties sold at auction. These included a 18.5-acre parcel near Standhill that sold for €150,000 or €8,100/acre; a 23.2-acre residential package at Doon, Gorteen, sold for €87,000 or €3,750/acre; 24.5 acres of average land near Ballinfull made €106,000 or €4,300/acre; and another 19.5-acre lot, also in the Strandhill area, averaged €12,900/acre.

Other prices included €5,000/acre for a 50-acre block suitable for forestry; €9,200/acre for a small parcel near Collooney; 35 acres in the Ballinacarrow area averaged €7,100/acre; a small field near Cliffoney averaged €7,100/acre and 30 acres in the Tubbercurry area sold for €4,400/acre. Top prices included €10,800/acre for top-quality land a few miles south of Sligo town; a small parcel in the Carrowcrory area sold for €11,600/acre; while an excellent quality parcel close to Ballinfull made €14,000/acre. It’s clear that when top quality land arrives on the market, there are plenty of buyers who are willing to pay well above the average.

A total of 45 farms incorporating 1,115 acres were brought to the market last year. This is only slightly below the 1,167 acres that were offered for sale in 2015. The majority of these (87%) were less than 40 acres with just six farms comprising 40 to 99 acres.