The first six months of 2026 have seen continued focus on transaction volumes as the market navigated a barrage of national and international turbulence. However, activity across auction has remained resilient, with performance holding steady despite wider market pressures.
UK House Price Index data provides important context for this performance. In March 2026, the average UK property price was unchanged year on year and fell by 0.4% month on month, while rising borrowing costs were reported to have affected both buyer demand and sales volumes. The estimated 104,000 residential transactions completed during the month represented a 40.9% decrease from March 2025, when activity was significantly elevated by the rush to complete ahead of the Stamp Duty Land Tax changes.^ By June, the average UK property price had reached £272,188, but annual growth remained modest at 2.0%, with prices rising by just 0.1% between May and June – further evidence of a market moving forward cautiously.^^
Against this backdrop, our Partner Agents sold 5,884 properties via auction during the first half of 2026, compared with 6,008 during the same period last year. This represents a decrease of just 2.1%, despite the 2025 comparison period being boosted by the Stamp Duty deadline. Almost matching the performance of this exceptional sales period in a slower, less-confident market demonstrates the resilience of auction and its continued ability to generate activity when wider conditions are challenging.
Total Capital Value raised remained above £1bn and was only marginally below the previous year, reflecting another 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 109,000 property viewings and over 35,000 bids placed, highlighting sustained demand and competition across a broad range of property types and price points.
It’s no surprise that more consumers are exploring auction as an alternative method of sale, particularly as timelines via Private Treaty continue to stretch beyond 200 days*, compared to auction’s typical 56-day timeframe**. For agents, this ongoing demand is translating into consistent returns, with £22.5m paid out to our Partner Agent network over the six-month period.
* TwentyEA 2025
**From receipt of draft contracts. Based on grade one standard properties.
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