With a number of big properties coming up for sale in Dublin 6 lately, Lisney’s first big auction of 2015 was watched with interest. When Darna, 30 St Kevin’s Park, Dartry, went up for auction last week with an AMV of €3 million just two parties chased the bidding upwards until the hammer finally fell significantly above at €3.5 million. The buyers are a young professional couple trading up within Dublin 6.

The result comes as something of a relief in a climate plagued by uncertainty around values, and follows a couple of auctions in late spring last year where luxury properties failed to sell. According to the selling agent, David Byrne of Lisney: “It shows strength in the prices at the upper end, though some of that is driven by a lack of supply of houses of this calibre . . . I believe this year will be all about price sensitivity and getting the price right.” In September Number 31, its neighbour, sold for €1.97 million, and Number 49 sold for €2.05 million last July. Both were semi-detached while Darna is detached and has a vast southwest-facing back garden.

Meanwhile 56 Northumberland Road also for auction on the same day with an AMV of €2.5million failed to sell. It is now for sale by private treaty asking €2.79 million. Different strokes.