David Palmer, chairman of Independent Newspapers Ireland, has done well out of the Dublin property boom. When he was parachuted into Abbey Street from the UK in 1996, one of the first things he did was to buy a house on St John's Road, Sandymount, that was owned by Declan Ryan, son of Tony. It cost him around £300,000 prior to auction, a big price at the time but a bargain in retrospect. The terraced house is now back on the market - and it may be just the right time to sell. The best performing houses in the current market are close to town and in walk-in condition. Number 12 St John's Road qualifies on both counts and it is likely to make a premium over the £850,000 guide price being suggested by Sherry FitzGerald (see page 4).