KILDARE PROPERTY WATCH: Paddy Jordan reveals how he found an unexpected surprise on a job

WHEN DID YOU FIRST GET THE PROPERTY BUG?

My first memory of my love for property was when I accompanied my father to an auction at school going age, and although he wasn’t successful on the day, I came away with something bigger and better, the property bug and I haven’t looked back since.

WHAT WAS LAND SELLING FOR BACK IN THE DAY ?

The price of agricultural land when I first started work in 1969/1970 was £300 per acre and subsequently when I joined Warrens in 1971 it was approximately £500 per acre. I remember selling 150 acres on the Carlow/Wexford border for £500 per acre which was £75,000.

I had to include a spring crop of corn to get the deal over the line, so it was a difficult time! But then come the early 80’s and land was making something in the region of £3,000 per acre which was a great price.

HOW DID YOU GAIN YOUR VAST KNOWLEDGE OF LAND AND LAND VALUES ?

After attending the College of Commerce in Rathmines and obtaining a Diploma in Auctioneering and Estate Agency (Dip AEA) I started working in the property business in 1968 when I joined a company called Hassett and Fitzsimons.

I remained with them until 1971, and then joined Warren Estates until a great friend of mine Johnny Harrington asked me to join him and set up CBA Estates with the Curragh Bloodstock Agency in 1977 where we became involved in the sale and purchase of stud farms, racing stables and country properties in general which was then the beginning of the arrival of our Arab clients.

HOW WAS JORDAN AUCTIONEERS BORN ?

I left CBA in 1992 and set up Jordan Auctioneers shortly after to continue expanding and developing the Country and Land sales. To help further develop land sales, I recruited Clive Kavanagh from Athy who joined the practice in 2003.

Clive, a raw recruit having just graduated from Bolton Street, has since been working with me in the Country and Land Department looking after country properties, stud farms, racing stables and agricultural land.

WHAT WAS THE MOST MEMORABLE OR FUNNIEST EXPERIENCE DURING A PROPERTY VIEWING ?

There were several although the most memorable for me was when I was working for Hassett Fitzsimons back in the early 70’s. I wasn’t with them for very long and was put under a fella called Tony Toole, who eventually set up his own Toole McKay. We had to do a valuation on a semi-detached property, so we measured up downstairs and proceeded to go upstairs when we were stopped in our tracks. There was a corpse in the bed!

I turned to Tony and said ‘Jesus what are we going to do’ and he said ‘sure what can we do, just keep measuring, sure we won’t disturb her’.