DUN LAOGHAIRE €650,000: A BUYER LOOKING for a home and office might be interested in a large Victorian house in Dún Laoghaire, a short walk from the town centre and the sea.

WHILE THE PRIVATE treaty market is continuing to languish in the doldrums, 2012 is likely to see another wave of distressed property auctions, as receivers look to extract value and the National Asset Management Agency encourages developers to off-load their stock. Moreover, private individuals looking to offload their properties might go down the public auction route this year, rather than rely on the vagaries of the market.

Despite new regulation of estate agents, the basic rule will still apply for vendors and purchasers alike, – ‘if you snooze, you lose’

THERE’S a new kid on the auction block aiming to get a slice of the national market. It should have at least 25 properties going to auction at the Red Cow Moran Hotel just before Easter on April 5th under the banner of Independent Property Auctions (IPA).

This Love Bugs print by Famille Summerbelle measures 50cm x 70cm, and normally sells for €42. Garrendenny Lane Interiors (086-1051007 garrendennylane.com), situated in Garrendenny, Crettyard, Carlow, Co Laois, is selling it for €29 until February 29th, so it is suitable as a Valentine’s Day gift or a way for women to propose on February 29th – this being a leap year. It is sold flat and unframed.

 TAKE FIVE FOR €400,000: DNG Thomas Reid Auctioneers is seeking €400,000 for a new three bedroom house at Ballymabin, Dunmore East, Co Waterford with sea views.  EMMA CULLINAN finds properties at a similar price in France, Portugal, Barbados and Italy

Two four-storey over basement Georgian houses with development possibilities on sale for €2 million each

WHILE THE retail sector continues to suffer in the ongoing economic crisis, fine art and antiques auctioneers appear to be coping somewhat better – helped by collectors seeking alternative “safe haven” investments.

It’s a good time for galanthophiles – snowdrop growers to you and me – and for us, as we enjoy their crop, writes  FIONNUALA FALLON 

There’s golf, swimming, tennis, and luxury holiday homes for sale at a Caribbean resort where neighbours include Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney, Andrew Flintoff and David O’Leary