Property auction market remains ‘active’ as more stock meets steady buyer demand

David Sandeman

The national property auction market saw a modest year-on-year rise in activity last month, with lots offered up 4.3% and sales increasing 2.2% to 3,024, according to the latest figures provided by the Essential Information Group (EIG).

The total raised rose 9.6% to £611.2m, though the success rate eased to 68.2%, indicating a market that remains active but increasingly selective.

Residential volumes were broadly steady, with sales unchanged year-on-year, while the total raised increased 7.1%, pointing to firm pricing.

The commercial sector performed more strongly, with sales up 24.4% and a 27.0% uplift in total raised, suggesting improved investor appetite for income-producing assets.

EIG’s David Sandeman explained: “Across the regions, the rolling quarter showed a mixed pattern. The South-West delivered one of the stronger performances, with sales up 29.8%, while the South-East Home Counties recorded a solid 22.3% rise in total raised. Scotland also reported marked improvements in both activity and values, particularly within the residential sector.

“Results were weaker in the North-East, where sales fell 36% and totals declined 32.3%, and in London, where the total raised was 6.5% lower, despite increased stock levels. These variations reflect differing levels of demand across regions and changing local market conditions.”

“Overall, the auction sector remains active, supported by increased stock and selective but consistent buyer demand. While success rates have softened slightly, auctions continue to offer an effective route to market, with both residential and commercial buyers engaging where value and opportunity align.”

National Auction Analysis

Overall

N.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year

October 2025 August 2025 to October 2025 November 2024 to October 2025
Lots Offered 4,434 (4,251)  4.3% 10,812 (10,239)  5.6% 40,759 (39,778) ▲ 2.5%
Lots Sold 3,029 (2,959)  2.4% 7,496 (7,216)  3.9% 28,286 (28,457)  0.6%
Percent Sold 68.3% (69.6%)  1.9% 69.3% (70.5%)  1.7% 69.4% (71.5%)  2.9%
Total Raised £611.8M (£557.7M)  9.7% £1,473.3M (£1,401.4M)  5.1% £5,704.2M (£5,524.8M)  3.2%

Residential

N.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year

October 2025 August 2025 to October 2025 November 2024 to October 2025
Lots Offered 3,924 (3,826)  2.6% 9,550 (9,099)  5.0% 36,062 (35,151) ▲ 2.6%
Lots Sold 2,677 (2,676)  0.0% 6,634 (6,465)  2.6% 25,011 (25,247)  0.9%
Percent Sold 68.2% (69.9%)  2.4% 69.5% (71.1%)  2.3% 69.4% (71.8%)  3.3%
Total Raised £521.7M (£486.8M)  7.2% £1,218.1M (£1,181.1M)  3.1% £4,597.0M (£4,430.1M)  3.8%

Commercial

N.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year

October 2025 August 2025 to October 2025 November 2024 to October 2025
Lots Offered 510 (425)  20.0% 1,262 (1,140)  10.7% 4,697 (4,627) ▲ 1.5%
Lots Sold 352 (283)  24.4% 862 (751)  14.8% 3,275 (3,210)  2.0%
Percent Sold 69.0% (66.6%)  3.6% 68.3% (65.9%)  3.6% 69.7% (69.4%)  0.4%
Total Raised £90.1M (£70.9M)  27.0% £255.2M (£220.2M)  15.9% £1,107.1M (£1,094.7M)  1.1%

Regional Auction Analysis

As is usually the case, variations across all the measurable parameters can be seen across the regions.

N.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year

East-AngliaEast Anglia

(Includes Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk)

August 2025 to October 2025 Total Residential Commercial
Lots Offered 495 (495)  0.0% 447 (439)  1.8% 48 (56)  14.3%
Lots Sold 358 (350)  2.3% 324 (308)  5.2% 34 (42)  19.0%
Percent Sold 72.3% (70.7%)  2.3% 72.5% (70.2%)  3.3% 70.8% (75.0%)  5.6%
Total Raised £60.7M (£63.2M)  3.9% £50.5M (£49.7M)  1.7% £10.2M (£13.5M)  24.7%

East-MidlandsEast Midlands

(Includes Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland)

August 2025 to October 2025 Total Residential Commercial
Lots Offered 845 (823)  2.7% 734 (728)  0.8% 111 (95) ▲ 16.8%
Lots Sold 605 (604)  0.2% 522 (538)  3.0% 83 (66)  25.8%
Percent Sold 71.6% (73.4%)  2.5% 71.1% (73.9%)  3.8% 74.8% (69.5%)  7.6%
Total Raised £108.4M (£101.0M)  7.4% £72.1M (£81.6M)  11.6% £36.3M (£19.4M)  87.6%

LondonLondon

August 2025 to October 2025 Total Residential Commercial
Lots Offered 819 (781)  4.9% 765 (721)  6.1% 54 (60)  10.0%
Lots Sold 592 (579)  2.2% 554 (536)  3.4% 38 (43)  11.6%
Percent Sold 72.3% (74.1%)  2.4% 72.4% (74.3%)  2.6% 70.4% (71.7%)  1.8%
Total Raised £273.0M (£291.8M)  6.5% £255.2M (£257.1M)  0.8% £17.8M (£34.7M)  48.7%

North-EastNorth-East

(Includes Cleveland, County Durham, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear)

August 2025 to October 2025 Total Residential Commercial
Lots Offered 658 (854)  23.0% 614 (819)  25.0% 44 (35) ▲ 25.7%
Lots Sold 438 (681)  35.7% 405 (657)  38.4% 33 (24)  37.5%
Percent Sold 66.6% (79.7%)  16.4% 66.0% (80.2%)  17.7% 75.0% (68.6%)  9.3%
Total Raised £34.0M (£49.9M)  31.9% £28.7M (£42.4M)  32.4% £5.3M (£7.5M)  29.1%

North-WestNorth-West

(Includes Cheshire, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside)

August 2025 to October 2025 Total Residential Commercial
Lots Offered 1,556 (1,544)  0.8% 1,410 (1,384)  1.9% 146 (160)  8.8%
Lots Sold 1,081 (1,035)  4.4% 986 (938)  5.1% 95 (97)  2.1%
Percent Sold 69.5% (67.0%)  3.7% 69.9% (67.8%)  3.1% 65.1% (60.6%)  7.4%
Total Raised £135.5M (£130.4M)  3.9% £115.0M (£111.2M)  3.4% £20.5M (£19.2M)  6.5%

North-West-Home-CountiesNorth-West Home Counties

(Includes Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Oxfordshire)

August 2025 to October 2025 Total Residential Commercial
Lots Offered 877 (694)  26.4% 750 (607)  23.6% 127 (87) ▲ 46.0%
Lots Sold 572 (500)  14.4% 496 (440)  12.7% 76 (60)  26.7%
Percent Sold 65.2% (72.0%)  9.4% 66.1% (72.5%)  8.8% 59.8% (69.0%)  13.3%
Total Raised £154.2M (£130.1M)  18.5% £124.3M (£117.1M)  6.1% £29.8M (£12.9M)  130.6%

Northern-IrelandNorthern Ireland

August 2025 to October 2025 Total Residential Commercial
Lots Offered 70 (72)  2.8% 62 (63)  1.6% 8 (9)  11.1%
Lots Sold 24 (35)  31.4% 21 (34)  38.2% 3 (1)  200.0%
Percent Sold 34.3% (48.6%)  29.4% 33.9% (54.0%)  37.2% 37.5% (11.1%)  237.8%
Total Raised £1.9M (£3.6M)  46.3% £1.7M (£3.6M)  52.6% £0.2M (£0.0M)  764.3%

ScotlandScotland

August 2025 to October 2025 Total Residential Commercial
Lots Offered 345 (327)  5.5% 208 (231)  10.0% 137 (96) ▲ 42.7%
Lots Sold 143 (104)  37.5% 104 (65)  60.0% 39 (39)  0.0%
Percent Sold 41.4% (31.8%)  30.2% 50.0% (28.1%)  77.9% 28.5% (40.6%)  29.8%
Total Raised £18.6M (£10.3M)  81.6% £12.0M (£4.8M)  152.0% £6.6M (£5.5M)  20.3%

South-East-Home-CountiesSouth-East Home Counties

(Includes Channel Islands, East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Surrey, West Sussex)

August 2025 to October 2025 Total Residential Commercial
Lots Offered 1,621 (1,409)  15.0% 1,480 (1,268)  16.7% 141 (141)  0.0%
Lots Sold 1,103 (949)  16.2% 992 (860)  15.3% 111 (89)  24.7%
Percent Sold 68.0% (67.4%)  0.9% 67.0% (67.8%)  1.2% 78.7% (63.1%)  24.7%
Total Raised £277.7M (£226.8M)  22.4% £231.9M (£191.5M)  21.1% £45.8M (£35.3M)  29.7%

South-WestSouth-West

(Includes Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Isles of Scilly, Somerset, Wiltshire)

August 2025 to October 2025 Total Residential Commercial
Lots Offered 1,002 (770)  30.1% 813 (652)  24.7% 189 (118) ▲ 60.2%
Lots Sold 750 (577)  30.0% 603 (489)  23.3% 147 (88)  67.0%
Percent Sold 74.9% (74.9%)  0.0% 74.2% (75.0%)  1.1% 77.8% (74.6%)  4.3%
Total Raised £145.5M (£126.5M)  15.0% £117.1M (£105.0M)  11.5% £28.4M (£21.6M)  31.8%

WalesWales

August 2025 to October 2025 Total Residential Commercial
Lots Offered 580 (579)  0.2% 503 (495)  1.6% 77 (84)  8.3%
Lots Sold 380 (361)  5.3% 323 (307)  5.2% 57 (54)  5.6%
Percent Sold 65.5% (62.3%)  5.1% 64.2% (62.0%)  3.5% 74.0% (64.3%)  15.1%
Total Raised £49.7M (£44.2M)  12.3% £38.2M (£34.9M)  9.5% £11.4M (£9.3M)  22.8%

West-MidlandsWest Midlands

(Includes Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire)

August 2025 to October 2025 Total Residential Commercial
Lots Offered 1,085 (1,095)  0.9% 982 (994)  1.2% 103 (101) ▲ 2.0%
Lots Sold 811 (836)  3.0% 723 (762)  5.1% 88 (74)  18.9%
Percent Sold 74.7% (76.3%)  2.1% 73.6% (76.7%)  4.0% 85.4% (73.3%)  16.5%
Total Raised £138.3M (£143.9M)  3.9% £110.5M (£122.2M)  9.6% £27.8M (£21.7M)  28.4%

Yorkshire-and-The-HumberYorkshire and The Humber

(Includes North Humberside, North Yorkshire, South Humberside, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire)

August 2025 to October 2025 Total Residential Commercial
Lots Offered 859 (796)  7.9% 782 (698)  12.0% 77 (98)  21.4%
Lots Sold 639 (605)  5.6% 581 (531)  9.4% 58 (74)  21.6%
Percent Sold 74.4% (76.0%)  2.1% 74.3% (76.1%)  2.4% 75.3% (75.5%)  0.3%
Total Raised £75.8M (£79.6M)  4.8% £60.9M (£60.0M)  1.4% £14.9M (£19.6M)  23.9%

The figures are based on sales data provided by the auctioneers. 

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