June marks ten years of real success with her estate agency business

A CARLOW real estate agent who has built her business across four counties has just celebrated a decade in operation with a surprise party organised by her sister Miriam.

June Doran, who established June Doran Properties on Dublin Street in Carlow town ten years ago, was taken aback when she walked into her office on 11 September to find it decorated with balloons and filled with well-wishers raising glasses of champagne.

“I walked in the door and lots of people were there; they had decorated the office with balloons and there was champagne,” said Ms Doran, describing the surprise celebration. “I was shocked, but it was such a nice surprise.” 

The party was organised by her sister Miriam, marking a significant milestone for the business that has expanded well beyond Carlow’s borders.

Ms Doran’s journey into property began after returning from the United States of America and buying a home, which inspired her career change from sales. As a mature student, she completed a four-year, full-time property course at TU Dublin, Bolton Street, graduating in 2002 before establishing her own agency.

Her work now spans residential sales and development across not just Carlow but also Kildare, Kilkenny and Laois. Outside successful sales in Carlow county, she has sold approximately 80 properties in Kildare and 30 to 40 each across both Kilkenny and Laois in the past two years alone.

“I love the property market. I always have and I’ve always been curious about it,” Ms Doran said. “Wherever I go, I’d take a look in the windows and see what’s around and what prices things are going for. I just keep an eye on it all the time.” 

Despite her success across multiple counties, she maintains a particular fondness for local work. “I do love getting in Carlow properties. You’d know a lot of people, and I enjoy local work,” she said.

Ms Doran finds satisfaction in the personal aspects of her role, particularly in delivering good news to clients. “When you get to tell somebody that their bid has gotten the property they wanted, there’s a great satisfaction in it for them and for me,” she explained.

However, she acknowledged the challenging side of the business. “You do have to give people bad news, that they didn’t get the house they wanted, or the bid has gone up or something.” 

Looking back over the past decade, Ms Doran has witnessed significant changes in the local property market, particularly around supply and demand dynamics.

“Ten years ago, there was enough supply coming to the market, but very quickly that supply and demand went from medium supply to short supply, high demand, and then particularly more so after Covid,” she said. “So yes, we’ve had an ongoing battle with supply and demand all of this time.” 

Her philosophy remains straightforward: “I just enjoy my job, essentially. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be doing it.”