Property sellers are increasingly turning to auctions to secure faster sales ahead of the Autumn Budget with First for Auctions, part of the Leaders Romans Group (LRG), reporting its largest catalogue on record.
The October auction will feature 70 lots, the highest in the company’s history, following a sharp rise in new instructions as vendors seek greater speed and certainty in a market characterised by hesitation and fluctuating buyer sentiment.
Across August and September, the firm achieved an 82% success rate and total sales exceeding £19 million.
September’s auction alone generated £7.19 million from 66 lots, with prices averaging 17% above guide.
MARKET CAUTION
Buyer engagement has remained robust, with 688 registered interests and 365 active bidders, suggesting continued confidence in well-priced stock despite wider market caution.
The number of listings has climbed steadily through the year – from an average of 38 lots per auction earlier in 2025 to 54 in September and now 70 in October – reflecting a growing appetite among sellers to conclude transactions swiftly rather than risk delays in the private treaty market.
Since launching its partnership programme in 2024, First for Auctions has seen sustained growth in instructions from regional and independent agents.
Collaborations with firms including Curchods, Staples & King, and Tim Russ have resulted in a series of successful sales, among them a property in Blumfield Crescent, which sold for £372,000 against a £300,000 guide, a 24% uplift.
BUDGET SPECULATION
Daniel Gale (main picture, inset), Head of Auctions at First for Auctions, reckons market uncertainty has strengthened demand for the transparency and efficiency that auctions provide.
He says: “Budget speculation always creates hesitation in the private sales market, but auctions thrive on realism. Sellers want certainty and buyers want clarity, so both sides are taking a pragmatic approach. The Budget has encouraged people to make decisions, not delay them, and that’s why we’re seeing such strong activity.”
He adds that partnership sales were performing particularly well, with traditionally mortgageable homes – often unsold through private treaty – achieving notable uplifts at auction when appropriately priced and presented.
