Exhibition has over 70 tax-break schemes nationwide

Over 70 different property developments with tax incentives will be on sale this weekend as the new selling season gets underway.

The various developments throughout the country will form part of a larger exhibition being staged in Dublin's Burlington Hotel on Saturday by Sherry FitzGerald Countrywide. The schemes, which range from a two-bedroom apartment in Bundoran costing €101,579, to a four-bedroom townhouse at Headford Road in Galway for €499,000, carry either Section 23 tax breaks or Section 50 incentives for student accommodation near third-level colleges. There are also valuable tax breaks for owner occupiers.

Many of the properties will be of particular interest to Dublin-based civil servants who will be relocating to the provinces as part of the Government's controversial decentralisation plan. In most, house prices will be substantially below the going rate in the Dublin area. The transfer of government officials will also be of interest to investors looking for rental income outside the capital. Here again, the investment properties will cost far less than in Dublin.

Phillip Sherry, managing director of Sherry FitzGerald Countrywide, said that the Government's decentralisation plan would bring additional interest in property purchase in many locations outside Dublin.

"The exhibition will give those who may be considering moving an overview of the widest selection of property available in the country - all under the same roof."

The biggest variety of property is available in both Leitrim and Longford, two counties with a growing weekend population because of the attractive tax breaks and the fact that both are within relatively easy commuting distance of Dublin.

Clare also figures prominently in the list with the choice including a block of six Section 23 apartments at Millhouse, Ennis for an asking price of €800,000. There is also a selection of apartments in the popular seaside resort of Kilkee where there has been fairly massive development of holiday homes over the past five years.

Youghal in Cork has also witnessed considerable growth and Sherry FitzGerald local agents will be offering a number of two and three-bedroom apartments overlooking the coast priced from €180,000.

In Kerry the selection is a little more limited and prices tend to slightly higher. Here buyers have the choice of apartments or houses in towns like Tralee, Dingle and Ventry with prices ranging from €230,000 upwards. Roscommon and Sligo also figure on the list with large bungalows at The Marina in Boyle costing from €217,000 and cottages set in five acres of woodlands at Ballinafad, Co Sligo, modestly priced from €145,000.

In Waterford the local Sherry FitzGerald agent is quoting a starting price of €198,000 for one and two-bedroom apartments on Wellington Street in the city. Buyers will be able to avail of the tax breaks in the current year. There is also good value available in the Co Westmeath village of Castlepollard where a three-bedroom townhouse is available at €175,000. The investment properties form a part of what is a much larger exhibition with 10,000 properties for sale and an estimated value of €2.5 billion.

The exhibition moves to London on Saturday, February 7th for its third successive year. Sherry FitzGerald's branded companies throughout the country will be represented at the show, offering a broad range of investment properties, new housing schemes, public houses, commercial properties and second homes.