10 Reasons to Purchase Property at Auctions

Tips when buying at property auctions

I visited many property auctions going back around 15 years ago. There was a time that every month through the post I would regularly receive property auction catalogues and I was always excited to see the listings close to where I lived and be tempted in by the low guide prices! Most times the guide price, though a good % below the average price for the property, would sell for more.

Property auctions were really trending thanks to television shows such as Homes Under the Hammer, Grand Designs and Location, Location, Location. During the 2,000’s and on to 2010’s these shows pulled in millions of viewers and will have helped countless people purchase homes via auction. Many an afternoon, I’m sure many of our readers too, will have been spent with a cup of tea and biscuits whilst watching a couple on television purchase their dream home at auction and tackle the renovation – It was always all about how much they paid in full and what it was worth in the end, right!?

What type of property are sold at auctions?

It was very much regarded that property at auction were those to do up or those with problems, the stock that could not sell at the estate agency and instead needed motivated cash buyers / specialists. Also, those property which were repossession thus in control of banks looking to sell quickly to release capital would regularly be seen as lots in auction catalogues.

To be honest you can find any and all property at auctions. This means from homes that are ready to move in to, maybe the vendor wants a quick sale, through to land with planning permission.

Why purchase at a property auction?

  1. You are likely to make a purchase below market value.
  2. You can still carry out our own surveys / viewing / checks prior to bidding at auction.
  3. You can find all property types from renovations to new builds including building plots, agricultural land, commercial property and more.
  4. You will acquire ownership faster (usually within 30 to 60 days).
  5. You will find property that might not be listed with estate agencies / property portal websites.
  6. Legal paperwork is mostly done upfront for the potential buyer, prior to bidding, to view saving time.
  7. The price you get the property for is the price you will pay (commissions depending to auction agent). No chance to be gazumped.
  8. You don’t have to be a cash buyer only as lenders will also provide finance for auction purchases.
  9. Property auctions are frequent and over most parts of the UK and there are many property sold this way so you have plenty of choice.
  10. You can also make pre-auction offers and purchase prior to the auction running.

 

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

to let sign 2025
Breaking News

London rents up just 0.7% since RRA became law

The latest research from London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed that rental growth across London has remained consistent since the Renters’ Rights Act received Royal Assent, with rents increasing by just 0.7% since, the same rate of growth seen during the equivalent period prior to October of last year. In fact,…
Read More
Letting Agent Talk

Will RRA mean almost 50% of renters need a guarantor?

A surge in tenants who require a rent guarantor is coming to the post-RRA rental market   New analysis by Zero Deposit reveals that the proportion of local authority districts in which the average tenant is likely to need a rent guarantor to secure pass tenancy affordability checks could increase from one-in-five to almost one-in-two…
Read More
Breaking News

Nationwide House Price Index for May 2026 – Thoughts from the Industry

The latest Nationwide House Price Index for May 2026 shows that: House prices fell by -0.6% between April 2026 and May 2026. This marks the first monthly decline recorded so far this year. Annual house price growth slowed to 1.7% in May 2026, down from 3.0% in April 2026. The average UK house price now…
Read More
Breaking News

Annual house price growth slows in May

UK annual house price growth slowed to 1.7% in May, from 3.0% in April House prices were down 0.6% month on month   Headlines May-26 Apr-26 Monthly Index* 551.0 554.3 Monthly Change* -0.6% 0.4% Annual Change 1.7% 3.0% Average Price (not seasonally adjusted) £278,024 £278,880 * Seasonally adjusted figure (note that monthly % changes are…
Read More
Home and Living

Signs of Outdated Wiring in Older Tulsa-Area Homes

Tulsa has a lot of beautiful older homes. Brookside bungalows, Maple Ridge tudors, the postwar neighborhoods that fill out Midtown and East Tulsa. They were built well, but most were built before central air, before microwaves, before two-car households with two laptops and a dozen phone chargers. The electrical systems inside them were designed for…
Read More
LIVING BY THE SEASIDE 2022
Breaking News

Britain’s seaside price hotspots revealed

New analysis from the UK’s largest property platform Rightmove reveals Britain’s seaside hotspots where prices are rising the fastest Bootle in Merseyside leads the way, with average asking prices up 11% year-on-year, followed by Crosby in Liverpool (+9%) and Penarth in South Glamorgan (+9%) Other coastal locations including Llantwit Major in South Glamorgan (+8%) and Llanelli, in Carmarthenshire (+7%) are also seeing strong price growth Average asking prices are currently 0.3% lower in Great Britain compared to last year, with some seaside hotspots outpacing the…
Read More