Despite all the hype that it is the true voice of Irish auctioneers, the Irish Auctioneers & Valuers Institute (IAVI) failed to attract most of the big names in the Dublin property industry to its annual conference, held in Derry last weekend. Conspicuous by their absence were well-known faces from Gunne, Lisney, Douglas Newman Good, Hamilton Osborne King (though John Morley was a worthy representative), Jackson-Stops and Ross McParland. The inaccessibility of the venue may have accounted for the poor showing by the leading Dublin players. Not so for Ken MacDonald of Hooke & MacDonald, who made a fleeting visit - attending the strategic Saturday night dinner - in between selling £13 million worth of apartments and houses in Blackrock, Co Dublin. Sherry FitzGerald's team of delegates had a clear run, not to mention a vested interest in attracting more provincial agents to join its national network. Phillip Sherry spent the weekend meeting and greeting potential partners. However, membership of the IAVI is not a condition for joining the Sherry FitzGerald stable. It is happy to take in members from the IAVI's rival, the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers, or for that matter, agents who have no affiliation at all. The bottom line is: if they are doing the business, Sherry Fitz wants them. The agency has just signed up its 29th member but, contrary to rumours, it is not about to take over a Cork agency even though its newly opened Cork branch is not yet making much of an impact in the highly competitive local market. Things are likely to get even more difficult in the Munster capital later this year when Gunne opens a new branch.
One of the main issues on the agenda over the weekend was the need for estate agents to gear up for the technology era that is now upon us. Ironic that chief executive Alan Cooke doesn't seem to have much faith in mobile phones - his is usually switched off - and IAVI president Wendy Jane Catherwood's 088 number does not work in the North.
In April, the presidency of the IAVI is to move to the kingdom of Kerry when Eddie Barrett of James North & Co takes over the chain of office. To mark the occasion, next year's conference will move to Tralee. Also due to be honoured by the IAVI is pubs specialist John Young, who takes over the presidency in March, 2001.
