Asking price of €7,500 per acre in West Cork

As one travels east in West Cork, the quality of land and depth of soil generally increases.

The craggier tracts tend to be located farther west and in areas where the land is higher.

The area around the coastal village of Leap features a lot of fertile pockets, and whenever any parcels of land come on the market, there is usually a good degree of interest from a variety of sources.

Such is the case with a 26.5-acre residential holding that’s newly listed with Clonakilty-based auctioneer Henry O’Leary.

The farm is located in the townland of Tullig, approximately 7.5km inland from Leap village, 8.5km from Rosscarbery, and 14km from Clonakilty.

Cork Airport is 60km away.

The land quality varies within this holding, as selling agent Henry explains: “There are about 15 acres of it that is excellent, level, easily worked land. And then there’s about 11.5 acres that would need reclamation.”

The area where the work is required to bring it up to a good standard is mainly in the western boundary of the property, at a point where it backs onto an established forestry plantation.

“The location is quite central,” Henry points out.

“The main N71 route is quite close to the property, so it’s easily accessible.”

Access to the land is via a public road. From there, an internal roadway leads to the remainder of the fields and to the house, which is in a derelict condition, in a setting surrounded by trees.

“Access to the property is easy,” says Henry.

“It has road frontage to the right of the lane, probably about 100m of it.

The better land and the farmhouse are tucked away at the end of the lane. The house is quite discreetly located.

Small to medium sized holdings such as this one can often generate strong interest because they attract bidders from various quarters, not always from a strictly farming background.

The old farmhouse is derelict but its existence provides the possibility for someone to get planning permission to build their own home.

“The interest in it is quite varied,” says Henry. “We have some interest in it from people who want to use it as a hobby farm and as a base for a family home and I also have some local farming interest.”

It is an area dominated more by dairying, but there are other farming sectors here too.

However, one would suspect that a buyer from the milk sector will be the most likely to purchase it.

“There’s a lot of dairying in the area, but there’s also sheep and beef farming here.”

The asking price of €200,000 (€7,500 per acre) is probably a good reflection of what it is worth, with its particular location and mixture of land quality.

With brisk interest, it shouldn’t hang around on the market for too long, one would imagine. The only question will be to see what kind of farmer buys it, whether a full-timer or a part-timer looking to build a house here.

“It’s a realistic price guide, and it should be achievable,” says Henry.

“It’s hard to predict what way it’s going to go, because it fits quite nicely into both categories, as an extension to an existing holding or it would be a fabulous hobby farm for someone who wants something different.”