A four-bedroom semidetached house on The Rise, Mount Merrion, has sold at auction for a strong price of £358,000 - all the more remarkable as it comes at a time when the market is usually in a summer slumber. There were six bidders for the house, 123 The Rise, when it was sold at auction this week by Hamilton Osborne King - the first time the agency had put a house on the market in the first fortnight in August, traditionally a slow selling period.

Bidding for the property, which had a guide price of £275,000 to £300,000, began at £250,000. It was declared on the market at £315,000, and minutes later, sold for £358,000 to a woman returning home to Ireland from the US.

The large 1,600 sq ft house with a secluded 130 ft long back garden is a Kenny-built house dating from the late 1940s, and needs complete modernisation.

While being well-maintained, and with attractive features such as bow windows, it has no central heating and only has a small, scullery-style kitchen. The front door opens into a bright square hall. To the left of the hall is a good-sized sittingroom overlooking the front garden; to the rear is a livingroom with a French door opening on to the back garden. Both rooms have picture rails and features of their period, such as tiled fireplaces and the tall mahogany mantelpiece in the livingroom.

Upstairs, there are three double bedrooms and a small single. There is plenty of space at the back to add on a conservatory.

Arthur Davis of Hamilton Osborne King believes there is a lot of demand from people with between £250,000 and £400,000 to spend on a home, and expects that property prices will go on rising in the season to come, since demand still exceeds supply - although not as fast as last year. There is particular demand for the Kenny-built houses all over Mount Merrion, and he expects to see more of these coming to the market. Elsewhere in south Dublin, a three-bedroom semi-detached house at 21 Woodbine Avenue, Blackrock, sold at auction for £226,000 through Dunne Estates.

In Dalkey, 16 Sorrento Road, a spacious three-bedroom bungalow, was sold at auction for £365,000 through Lisney. The house has two reception rooms, a one-bedroom annexe, and extensive off-street car-parking.

In Dublin 6, 6 Woodstock Gardens, Ranelagh, a three-storey sixbedroom period house without a basement, was withdrawn at auction and agent Sherry FitzGerald is quoting £385,000.

At 187 South Circular Road, a four-bedroom terraced house sold at auction for £240,000 through Sherry FitzGerald.

Meanwhile in Co Westmeath, a four-bedroom country house on about 11 acres at Tullaniskey, Mullingar, was withdrawn at £232,000 and is under negotiation through joint agents James B. McDonnell and Murtagh Bros.

In Gorey, Co Wexford, a threestorey four-bedroom Georgian house was withdrawn at auction and agent Harrington Lait is quoting in excess of £175,000.

In Co Limerick, Ivy Lodge, a superb four-bedroom redbrick townhouse at Clancy Strand, was withdrawn at auction and agent de Courcy is quoting £140,000.

Also in Co Limerick, at Patrickswell, Lurriga National School, on 0.25 of an acre, was sold at auction for £28,000 through de Courcy Estate Agents.

At Moyhill, Bunratty, Co Clare, the same agent sold a house on 13 acres at auction in four lots:

Lot 1: house on about 0.75 of an acre sold at auction for £83,000;

Lot 2: seven acres sold for £40,000;

Lot 3: two acres sold at auction for £11,800;

Lot 4: 3.5 acres sold at auction for £29,500.

Also in Co Clare, seven acres at Ballymorris, Cratloe, was sold at auction for £55,000 through de Courcy Estate Agents.

At Macepool, The Ward, Co Meath, a three-bedroom extended cottage was sold prior to auction for an undisclosed price through Grimes Estate Agents.

At Roundwood, Co Wicklow, two adjoining houses sold at auction for £255,000 through Clarke Auctioneers.

At Bridge Street, Clifden, Connemara, a commercial property was withdrawn at £130,000 and is under negotiation through Matt O'Sullivan.

Tims Tavern, a licensed premises at Main Street, Co Wexford, sold at auction for £395,000 through Morrisseys.

At Ardee, Co Louth, The Castle Inn was withdrawn at £380,000 and is under negotiation through Gunne Estates.