The state of play for country estates heading into the new year

Sterling and dollar strength is delivering a boon in sales, says country homes estate agent Michael H Daniels. 

At this same time last year, we speculated that 2015 had the potential to produce the most definitive year in some time for the super-prime estate market.

Heralding a positive start to the year was Tony O’Reilly’s Castlemartin Estate, selling at around €26.4 million with reports of two further €20m plus estate sales privately in the offing. As 2015 ends, it is clear that the year didn’t quite live up to its billing with the anticipated deals failing to happen.