Rising residential prices in the south Dublin area and growing competition for a limited supply of houses has prompted three estate agencies to pin their colours to the mast of growth and open up new retail branches in key locations.

Sherry FitzGerald has taken a lease on a retail site in Blackrock village on the corner of Main Street and the Dart station road. Scheduled to open in early March it sits bang in the south Dublin residential market that has seen a strong recovery in the past year. Sherry Fitz has a strong foothold in the area and will be hoping to capitalise on passing footfall.

Meanwhile, Lisney is planning to open a flagship retail branch in the former Bank of Ireland premises that sits between Leeson Street Upper and Sussex Road opposite the Doubletree Hilton Hotel (formerly The Burlo). The branch is expected to open in April, and is clearly a move to retain a prominent shopfront presence following Lisney’s move later this month of its head offices from St Stephen’s Green to a new 930sq m (10,000sq ft) site opposite the National Concert Hall on Earlsfort Terrace.

Not too far away, Hunters Estate Agents has the builders currently working on a 223sq m (2,400sq ft) premises on the high profile corner site of Baggot Street and Waterloo Road that was formerly occupied by Xtravision.

Its third branch after Foxrock and Dalkey, it will be headed up by Bobby Geraghty and is scheduled to open next month.