The UK’s auction market registered a strong performance in August, with both residential and commercial lots showing growth, according to figures from Essential Information Group (EIG).
Lots offered rose 22.7% year-on-year to 1,738, while sales increased 15.3% to 1,113. The total raised advanced 14.1% to £171.8m.
Despite the uplift, the proportion of lots sold dipped to 64%, suggesting buyers are becoming more selective even as activity strengthens.
Residential auctions drove much of the growth, with amounts raised climbing 13.5% on an annual basis. Commercial sales also improved, up 20.5% compared to August 2024.
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES
Regional data highlights uneven conditions across the country. In the rolling quarter to August, the North-West saw sales volumes rise 14.6%, while Yorkshire and the Humber recorded a 41.8% surge in capital raised, fuelled by residential demand.
The East and West Midlands also reported double-digit growth. By contrast, activity fell sharply in the North-East and Wales.
Over the past 12 months, the sector has continued to expand despite cooling sentiment in the wider housing market.
The increase in lots offered and higher amounts raised point to an auction model that remains resilient, though softer success rates indicate greater caution on pricing.
ADAPTABLE SECTOR
David Sandeman, managing director of EIG, says: “Looking at the past 12 months, the market has demonstrated resilience and steady growth despite shifting buyer sentiment. Increased volumes and higher overall totals raised point to a sector that remains attractive to investors and owner-occupiers alike, though the easing in success rates suggests greater caution and price sensitivity.
“Overall, the auction sector is proving adaptable, with buyers focused on value and sellers still finding an effective route to market, even amid a more selective environment.”
FANTASTIC GROWTH
Stuart Collar-Brown, NAVA Propertymark President, adds: “In July, we witnessed fantastic growth in the residential sector year-on-year, and today’s figures further demonstrate the same pattern.
“The auction market has defied the seasonal summer lull that is usually seen in the overall property market and has been the busiest period that I can remember since starting out in 2008.
“It is also encouraging to see that the commercial market enjoyed growth in August 2025 at a time when inflation and a lack of confidence in the retail market are two factors continuing to overshadow high street growth.
“However, while it is clear that many people are opting to sell by auction in the North of England, Wales, and the Midlands, this is an indication that house price growth is accelerating faster in some parts of the country compared to others due to there being more affordable house prices in those regions.”
