The one thing about public auctions is that they are completely unpredictable. You don’t know who will turn up, how many will turn up and most importantly, if there will be any genuine bidders in the room.

But for selling agent David Quinn, Carnew and Gorey, last week’s auction of a 50.5-acre residential farm situated at Ballybeg, Ballinglen, Tinahely, Co Wicklow, materialised into an extremely fruitful event when the property sold in four separate lots for a combined total of €580,000 – well ahead of the €380,000 to €400,000 guide price.

Over 80 people packed into the auction room where David put up the first lot comprising circa 21.4 acres which was situated about half a mile away from the other lots.

Laid out in three nice grass fields, bidding opened at €120,000 and, although declared on the market at €180,000, it took a further €70,000 before the hammer finally came down at €250,000 to a local farmer.

This works out at €11,600/acre – well ahead of the €8,000/acre guide price.

Next up was the cottage residence in need of refurbishment on four acres. Keenly guided at €60,000, this lot was later snapped up by a farmer from the Gorey area for €150,000.

Directly across the road was the third lot of 20.2 acres.

Comprising circa 10 acres of good quality land and circa 10 acres of marginal-type ground, this lot sold under the hammer for €140,000 to the same farmer from Gorey.

He also went on to secure the final lot comprising a 4.5-acre field which probably offered the most value when it sold for €40,000. This gave a combined total of €580,000 or an average of almost €11,500/acre for 50.5 acres.