House auctions have become something of a rarity, particularly in the provinces, since the property market took a hit. For that reason Navan auctioneer Loman Dempsey of Raymond Potterton Auctioneers was pleasantly surprised yesterday when he got a packed auction room for the sale of a fairly standard four-bedroom house, The Elms, on half an acre at Boyne Road, Navan. There were four bidders when the house went on the market at €480,000 and it was eventually knocked down to a public servant at €510,000.

The 30-year old-house had been owned by a local dentist, Mrs Margaret Fenlon, who died last year.

Lisney didn’t have the same luck yesterday with Ashley, a large Edwardian house on an acre of grounds on Adelaide Road, Glenageary, co Dublin that went to auction yesterday. No bidders emerged for the property which was withdrawn. It’s now for sale at €2.5m.