A homeowner who sold her childhood family home at auction to help fund her mother’s care has spoken about the certainty the process provided during one of the most emotional periods of her life.
Christine Mackay (main picture) turned to auction after needing to sell her late parents’ four-bedroom period home, which required modernisation following her father’s death.
With her mother having moved from hospital into residential care and savings beginning to run low, the family needed a sale that could complete within a defined timescale.
Following a recommendation from a local estate agent, Christine chose to sell through Auction House South West, valuing the legally binding nature of the traditional auction process.
TIME SAVING
She says: “The thing we had at the back of our mind was that mum’s cash to pay for her care would be running out soon, so we didn’t want to hang around.
“Time was of the essence. That was the main reason why we went with auction. We wanted to know that when the hammer came down, it was sold.”
The property entered the auction with a guide price of £130,000 before attracting competitive bidding and eventually selling for £179,000.
Photo credit: Auction House South West
While the price exceeded the family’s expectations, Christine said the greatest benefit was the certainty of securing the funds needed to support her mother’s ongoing care.
LIVE BIDDING
Despite initially questioning whether she wanted to watch the auction, she decided to follow the bidding live.
Photo credit: Auction House South West
“I was in two minds about watching it because it was our family home, so it meant a lot to us,” she says. “But I knew I would regret not watching it.”
When the reserve price was passed, the family knew the sale was secured.
“We were over the moon with the result. It was a really good experience, and I did shed a tear of happiness as well as relief.”
Christine also praised the support she received from auctioneer Olivia Boulting throughout the transaction.
“Olivia held our hands the whole way along,” she says. “She was excellent. Even when there was a little hiccup towards completion, she sorted it out. I can’t speak highly enough of Olivia and all the office team too.”
NEW CHAPTER
Looking back, Christine said she was pleased to see the property begin a new chapter after being extensively modernised by its new owners.
Photo credit: Auction House South West
“My mum was also very pleased with the auction result and what’s happened to the house since,” she said. “Somebody’s bought it and they’ve done a really great job modernising it. It looks lovely.”
Olivia Boulting, a NAVA Propertymark Advisory Panel member, says: “It was a real pleasure to work with Christine and her family during what was understandably an emotional time. They needed a sale within a clear timeframe so they could plan for their mother’s ongoing care, and we were pleased to help them achieve that certainty.
“Christine’s experience highlights how auction can provide a practical solution during significant life events. Whether a property has been inherited, requires renovation or needs to be sold within a defined timescale, auction can offer a transparent process, competitive bidding and the reassurance of a secure sale.
“I am delighted that Christine was happy with the service we provided and that she felt supported throughout every stage of the process.”
