WITH plans afoot for the €70m-plus investment property sale of the ‘old’ Roches Stores/Debenhams Cork’s store by the publicity-shy Roche family, the arrival of a neighbouring niche investment with a more modest €1.5m price tag has impeccable timing, and opportunity.

A primely-set Patrick Street retail unit, being vacated by long-established fashion chain French Connection, is up to let with a reverse premium incentive offered to a new occupant.

The estate agent has sold the sumptuous Ileclash three times before. It’s easy to see why, writes Tommy Barker.

The early success of Cork’s soon-to-be largest office block will spur the commercial property market into life and help alleviate key infrastructural shortcomings in the city, according to a leading consultancy firm.

IRELAND’S signature castle hotels have been changing hands with aplomb this year – think Ashford Castle, and now Adare Manor on the hook for c €40m, while this week the illustrious roll-call is joined by the more modestly priced Waterford Castle.

A Dublin 8 retail investment let to Tesco Express is on offer at a c 7% net initial yield. Michelle McGarry of Colliers International seeks offers around €1.6 million for the ground floor investment at 51/52 Thomas Street, Dublin 8, close to the Meath Street junction near NCAD and St James Hospital.

After years in abeyance, Cork harbour’s infrastructural asset Marino Point may be poised for new uses and employment, subject to its multi-million euro sale being ratified by Nama in coming weeks.

CORK harbour and port amenity with a deep water jetty at Marino Point is to be sold after a ‘Best Bids’ process in October, with a price expectation of up to €7m indicated.

Dublin’s profit-making Castleknock Golf Course, on 125 acres by the capital, is being sold with a €2.5m price tag.

Revised plans for a €45m quayside office block, with the potential to deliver 1,800 jobs for Cork City, have been given planning permission.

Blarney Golf Resort’s new owner was also the buyer of Co Tipperary’s 1,200 acre Kilcooley estate, the Irish Examiner has learned.

A Bray Tesco Express sale has closed out for €2.7m, indicating a net initial yield of 8.6%.

Size: Sq m 420 (4,500 sq ft)

An emblem of the Celtic Tiger era, the Heritage Hotel in Co Laois, goes for sale this week with €5.5m price guide.

Confidence in investment recovery in the past year is evident in the €3m-plus sale to Norwegian buyers of a Bank of Ireland bank branch in Cork’s Wilton suburb.

A SCANDINAVIAN investor is the buyer of a significant office investment in Cork, paying about €15m for buildings at Cork Airport Business Park.

Cork’s traditional office precinct on South Mall needs to modernise to provide the hi-tech office space which is being sought by national and international investors.

Bidders for the jewel in Cork’s €20m tourism crown came from India, Taiwan, the US, Europe, China, and Cork — with a Chinese family, the Kangs, yesterday coming up trumps.

Foreign investors aretaking advantage of sharply reduced prices, with the sale of the Burlington, Fota Island Hotel and others attracting American and Chinese investors. Realistic prices are helping to attract these overseas buyers and breathing some life into a moribund market. Tommy Barker says major property sales were also a good sign and it’s likely that receivership sales will feature more strongly in 2013.

THIS time of year, the leaves are falling in drifts around the paddocks, grounds and long avenue of Acraboy House, a late Georgian Tipperary estate — and those same leaves will also muffle the clatter of horses hooves, if you don’t get to work soon with the yard brushes.

BOTH the Parknasilla Hotel and the Cork International Airport Hotel have overseas buyers, the first in legals, the second sold to Phillips Hotels Ltd for approximately €5m. So Savills’ successful run of sales shows it’s not just the Dublin hotel market (where the 500 bed Burlington’s selling for €70 m to the private equity group Blackstone) that’s attracting investors.

O’Callaghan Properties are looking for up to €25m for the 180-bed River Lee hotel they built in 2006 on the old Jurys Hotel site in Cork city.

DON’T spare the rod – you can angle to your heart’s content at this River Suir fishing lodge at Knocklofty.

Property prices in the once red-hot Middle East boomtown of Dubai plunged 41% in the first three months of this year.

IF you’re going to go for an estate purchase, then Tipperary is probably a good choice.

A PHASED €40 million plus mixed development is coming out of the starting blocks in the East Cork town of Midleton - moving from its market town status to major growth centre.