Online Auction Index: HY1 2026

Welcome to Auction Index, the industry’s only dedicated report exploring the UK residential online auction market.

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Auction Index HY1 2026

This edition reviews the six-month period from October 2025 to March 2026 – a window that has tested the resilience of the wider housing market with uncertainty caused by a delayed Autumn Budget at home and turbulence abroad, further reinforcing auction’s position as a high-performing route to sale in any market conditions.

Over recent months we’ve seen auction featuring in mainstream consumer media, from TV shows to consumer press. The conversation around auction is growing quickly. The result? Google searches lit up across the UK for “property auction”, sparking a new wave of consumer interest.

With Private Treaty timelines continuing to stretch beyond 200 days*, transaction delays, fall-throughs and elongated timelines are placing pressure on pipelines. Agents who are embedding auction into their services are reaping the rewards.

*TwentyEA 2025

 

iamproperty Co-Founder Jamie Cooke, and Head of Sales Scott Highton, sit down to discuss how auction can help Estate Agents make the most of their market

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HY1 2026 at auction

Between October and March, our Partner Agents sold 5,710 properties via auction, the exact same number of sales achieved in the same period last year. While total Capital Value reached £992m, just marginally below the previous year, this reflects a stable and consistent performance in a more challenging market environment.

Auction continues to demonstrate its strength as a reliable route to sale, with high levels of engagement from buyers. Over the period, there were more than 102,000 property viewings and over 33,000 bids, highlighting sustained demand and competition across a broad range of property types and price points.

Read the full Index

HY1 2026 at auction

Between October and March, our Partner Agents sold 5,710 properties via auction, the exact same number of sales achieved in the same period last year. While total Capital Value reached £992m, just marginally below the previous year, this reflects a stable and consistent performance in a more challenging market environment.

Auction continues to demonstrate its strength as a reliable route to sale, with high levels of engagement from buyers. Over the period, there were more than 102,000 property viewings and over 33,000 bids, highlighting sustained demand and competition across a broad range of property types and price points.

Read the full Index
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Regional Success

  • All
  • North East
  • North West
  • Yorkshire
  • Midlands
  • South
  • South West
  • South East
  • Wales
Highest Sale Price
£900,000
The Grove, Marine Villa Road, Knottingley
GR Estates, Stockton-On-Tees

• 14 bedrooms
• Block of apartments
• 6 viewings
• 4 bids
Most Bids Received
159 bids
37 Montreal Road, Blackburn
Hunters, Darwen

• 5-bedrooms
• Semi- detached house
• Reserve Price: £275,000
• Sale Price: £354,500
• 25 viewings
• 159 bids
Most Bids Received
131 bids
5 Farr Royd, Burley in Wharfedale, Ilkley
• 3 bedrooms  
• Detached house
• Reserve Price: £150,000
• Sale Price: £260,000
• 50 viewings
Highest Sale Price
£1,028,000
18 Wentworth Road, Sutton Coldfield
Acres Estate Agents, Four Oaks

• 3-Bedrooms
• Detached house
• 6 viewings 

Most Bids Received
103 bids
133 Chase Cross Road, Romford
Bairstow Eves

• 2-bedrooms
• Detached bungalow
• Reserve Price: £410,000
• Sale Price: £430,000
• 11 viewings
• 103 bids

Highest Sale Price
£716,250
Mangold House Of Sutton, Upton Cross, Liskeard
Country & Waterside Prestige, Truro

• House & Land



Highest Sale Price
£1,250,000
31 Albemarle Road, Beckenham, Kent
Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, Beckenham

• 6-Bedrooms
• Detached house
• 27 viewings
• 2 bids 
Highest Sale Price
£620,000
Coppa House, Padeswood Lake Road, Mold
eXp UK, Paul Hartshorne Powered by eXp

• 5-bedrooms
• Detached house
• 28 viewing
• 3 bids

My standout auction success was a house I sold in Daventry. I valued the property between £140,000- £150,000 and the seller wanted £150,000. By the end, we were able to surpass the reserve by £32,000– people just kept bidding! There were three people who wanted the property more than anyone else and kept going back and forth every 30 seconds. In total 36 bids come through. In the end, the seller was beyond happy, especially as they didn’t have to pay any Estate Agency fees on top of this sale.

Ethan Gaulter, Director of Ethan Gaulter Estate Agents powered by eXp

Working with iamproperty makes a real difference to our business for a variety of reasons. Auction offers our clients a different method of disposal, it helps to convert more customers, it means customers get money into their banks quicker and it saves our clients and us valuable time. A standout success has been the significant improvement of branch engagement which ultimately has helped to list more properties, sell more properties via Auction and grow revenues by over 20%.

Kirsty Smith, Branch Manager, Stephenson Browne, Crewe

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Consumer Viewpoint

From hesitation to conversion: what buyers really think about auction

Hollie and Alex, first-time buyers searching for a renovation project, initially dismissed a property purely because it was listed for auction. Like many buyers, their assumptions were shaped by outdated perceptions: that auction is high risk, suited only to cash buyers, or reserved for problematic stock.

“At the start, it did feel risky,” Hollie explained. “I was more comfortable with the traditional route because it felt more familiar.” Despite this hesitation, the strength of the property itself prompted a viewing and from that point, their perspective began to shift.

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Consumer Viewpoint

What changed their mindset

Their initial concerns centred on the unknown, as auction felt unfamiliar and therefore risky. However, once they engaged with clear, accessible information on how the Modern Method of Auction works, that uncertainty was quickly replaced with confidence.

“The iamsold website was really helpful,” said Alex. “There were videos explaining everything – how bidding works, maximum bids and the process. It’s actually more like eBay than the kind of stereotypical auction you see on TV.”

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Consumer Viewpoint

Auction day: competitive but controlled

On the day of the auction, Hollie and Alex found that they enjoyed the pace of the auction.

While the property had a competitive day of bidding, the structure of the process and tools like maximum bids and auto-bidding allowed them to remain in control and avoid overcommitting.

“The auction went on a bit longer than expected with back-and-forth bids,” says Alex, “but we understood what was happening, so it felt manageable.”

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Consumer Viewpoint

What this means for your buyers and your business

This journey reflects a broader trend across the market:

  • Buyers are open to auction, but often lack understanding at the outset
  • Confidence increases significantly when auction is clearly explained and contextualised
  • Agent guidance plays a pivotal role in whether buyers engage or opt out

For agents, this presents a clear opportunity to:

  • Introduce auction earlier in the conversation
  • Position it as a strong route to purchase in the right circumstances
  • Convert hesitant buyers into committed bidders
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Jamie's predictions

The trends Jamie expects to see in the auction market for the rest of the year.
Auction de-risking transactions

Uncertainty driving auction demand 

Over the past six months, the wider housing market has become increasingly volatile, with rising mortgage rates, reduced buyer confidence and a growing number of collapsed chains impacting transactions. As a result, both buyers and sellers are becoming more risk aware. Auction will see increased adoption as a “de-risking” strategy, particularly among vendors who have experienced delays or failed sales via Private Treaty.

Security for first-time buyers

First-time buyers trusting auction 

Recent market conditions have seen a shift in buyer behaviour. First-time buyers are becoming more cautious due to affordability pressures, being careful to avoid fall-through situations that cause wasted money on surveys and solicitor fees. Often these first-time buyers are also used to having digitalised services, across everything from banking to shopping, so the transparency of online auctions and live bidding appeals to their modern consumer demands. Auction will continue to appeal to first-time buyers and sellers who want to move quickly and confidently.

 

 

 

Auction boosting agent success

Auction driving pipeline momentum for agents 

Across the past six months, transaction volumes have been impacted by falling buyer enquiries, affordability constraints and macroeconomic uncertainty. At the same time, stock levels have increased, meaning agents are operating in a more competitive and slower-moving market. In these market conditions auction provides a clear operational advantage, helping agents convert instructions into completed sales more efficiently and maintain cash flow. Auction is set to become an increasingly important tool for agents to protect pipeline performance, particularly in periods where Private Treaty transactions are slower than ever.

Become an Auction partner

iamproperty Auctions help agents succeed in any market, with a service that gives your clients an alternative method of sale to match their circumstances.

  • Fewer fall throughs with our 95% completion rate
  • Faster, 7-day payments
  • More choice and increased security for your clients

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