77-acre Midlands farm offers tempting value at €6,500/acre
There is already a good deal of interest in the 77-acre farm near Athlone, Co Westmeath.
There is already a good deal of interest gathering around a 77-acre holding near Athlone, Co Westmeath.
This is a specific part of the country where low-lying land creates an agricultural scene that leans much more towards grassland and dairying than any other sector. This particular farm is located in the heart of the Midlands, about 15 minutes’ drive from Athlone.
According to the Ballinahown-based selling agents Kearney Auctioneers, the property is attracting attention from farmers outside the immediate area in the main — both those looking at it as an outside farm and those looking at the house and outbuildings.
“The land quality is half and half,” says selling agent Francis Kearney. “There’s some excellent high, dry land and there would be some callow land on it as well.... Of the 77 acres, you would be looking at approximately 40 acres of very good land.”
The remainder, he says, is made up of lower-lying land of lesser value, but this is a holding that has been well-maintained over the years, he said.
“Any improvements that can be done to it have been done over the years. It’s in as good a shape as it can be. It has been used for grazing as a livestock farm up to now. It’s laid out in 11 paddocks with water pumped to each one," Mr Kearney said.
"The property has very generous road frontage, all gates are hanging well and it’s well-fenced all around... it’s in a good state of fertility and it’s a very easy farm to manage.”
The property benefits from a house and some outbuildings. The house is situated close to a public road that runs through the property and is already attracting some attention of itself.
Bearing this in mind and the manner in which the public road facilitates sub-division, the auctioneers are not ruling out the possibility of selling the farm in lots, should the nature of interest in the farm dictate so.
The house is a three-bedroom bungalow and is in basically sound condition but in need of renovation. It has not been lived in for over a decade.
“The house hasn’t been lived in for almost 12 years,” Mr Kearney said. “But it’s well laid out. It’s a generous three-bedroom home.
“The outbuildings comprise two two-bay hay barns and one of them has a lean-to on either side. They’re of their time but they are both in good condition and are being used for storage at the moment... there are cattle-handling facilities and a soiled water tank as well.”
The price guide of €500,000 (€6,500/acre) makes it a very tempting prospect. As an outside farm, it is an easily-managed and substantial parcel of land that may well suit a number of dairy farmers.
The existence of the house is surely a strong pull — either as a source of income or a home to live in.
