Auction House has passed the milestone of 3,000 lots sold this year – claiming to be the only property auctioneer to do so in 2015, and reaching the landmark figure more than a week earlier than the company did last year.

The individual property named as the 3,000th auction lot was 27 Kent Road, St Denys, Southampton, Hampshire, which was sold at the Auction House Pearsons sale in Southampton with Bryan Baxter wielding the gavel.

The property, a two-bed semi, was guided at £130,000-£150,000 with the hammer coming down at £150,000.

Auction House had earlier reported cumulative sales of 2,885 lots through to the end of November at a success rate of 76.5%, raising over £376m.

Founding director Roger Lake said: “Healthy sales in November have helped us to a position that is up over 8% on last year.

“At a time when EIG [Essential Information Group, which monitors property auction sales] is reporting a downturn in total sales, the Auction House performance is a stand-out result which is some 15% ahead of the sector.

“Yet again, our 40 regional auction rooms are punching well above their weight.”

Auction House has also announced a tie-up with Brighton auctioneers Austin Gray, who are to join the network and trade as ‘Auction House Sussex’ from January.

Lake added: “Auction House is predicting a very busy first quarter for 2016, with greater numbers of sellers wanting to dispose of surplus stock and some of their tenanted investments before the 3% Stamp Duty surcharge hits home.”