Picking an auction provider to trust with the sale of your home or through whom to buy a property can be tricky.
For some auction participants, that is because they are unfamiliar with how property auctions work, and for others, due to the diversity of service providers, specialisms, and fee structures out there.
Like any buyer or seller, you'll want to ensure the fees you pay are justifiable and transparent, feel confident you'll benefit from the speed and certainty property auctions are intended to provide, and can tap into advice and expertise about the auction process.
Our top tip is to look at auction houses with a positive track record. Great feedback, good customer service, and established success rates are key attributes upon which the Clive Emson team has built our reputation as a leading property auction specialist.
Key takeaways
- When choosing an auction provider for your property purchase or sale, it’s always worth comparing several factors rather than making a big financial decision based solely on fees. For example, unrealistically low auction fees compared to those elsewhere may indicate lower service standards than you’re expecting.
- Reputation, credibility, and marketing expertise are equally relevant because an accomplished and well-regarded auction house can offer support and guidance throughout your sale or purchase.
- The better the quality of service an auction house offers, the faster and more efficient you can expect your transaction to be, and the greater the variety of lots to choose between or use as a pricing reference – since competitive auction houses attract a larger proportion of serious buyers and committed sellers.
Get a quote from a reputable auction house.
Let us know the details of your property and we’ll provide you with our recommendations for the guide price and reserve price.
Deciding Which Property Auctioneer to Use: The Contrasts Between Size and Specialisms
We often speak with prospective buyers, sellers, developers, investors, and landlords who need specific and contextual support when planning a sale or purchase.
Many rely on localised knowledge to set appropriate pricing for a lot or determine whether a property for sale is a good option for them.
This is why, in the property auction space, most buyers and sellers look to strike a balance between opting for the biggest auction house they can find and selecting a smaller specialist in real estate auctions who can offer added-value input.
Although our teams have expanded considerably over the last 36 years, with auctioneers and support colleagues across Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Essex and the West Country, we’ve retained our signature focus on quality and service.
That means we have maintained a strong presence in each region, sustained high success rates based on achieving a sale the first time a property or plot is listed at auction, and offer a combination of speed, flexibility and tailored services with one office or adviser as your point of contact.
Comparing Auction House Success Rates When Planning a Sale or Purchase
The next factor you might want to assess is the track record and sales performance of your short-listed auctioneers by reviewing recent sales or browsing current listings to see how well properties are marketed, promoted and featured.
Success rates tell you how likely it is that your property will be sold within the expected timescale for an acceptable price or that your purchase will be completed as swiftly as you wish.
Across the market, average success rates stand at about 70%—which, although still higher than the rates recorded through alternative sales methods.
We are delighted to achieve an average success rate far above national averages, with 75% to 80% of properties sold within a minimal time frame. Although a handful of the thousands of lots we manage are unsold, this is often due to issues such as:
Limitations on viewing opportunities
Last-minute access to legal documents
The inability of buyers to bid on the day
As part of our commitment to every client, we provide a backup solution, listing all unsold auction property lots with excellent online visibility and ensuring buyers who missed out or couldn't bid can access particulars and legal packs to be able to proceed with a subsequent offer.
Consulting Customer Feedback and Reviews When Choosing a Property Auction House
Testimonials and verified user reviews are valuable resources when choosing any professional service. They showcase how confirmed customers—whether buyers or sellers—have felt about their experiences doing business with each potential auctioneer.
Our recommendation rate through our social media reviews stands at 94%, while the independent review site Trustpilot has assigned a ‘Great’ rating, with some example excerpts as follows:
‘Knowing that I was a first time buyer and not having an idea of where to start. Paul was extremely helpful, resourceful and just outstanding all the way through!’ PW January 2025
‘I had Russell come help me with my property and put it into auction for us.He has been above and beyond at every hurdle we've had, and we couldn't be more grateful. Such a fantastic company, and the customer service is 10*.’ RR, January 2024
As a note of caution, many property businesses may operate other functions alongside auctions, so if you are considering an auctioneer who isn't a specialist or concentrates their business on other areas, you may need to spend a little more time comparing reviews to ensure they are relevant to the services you're looking for.
Checking for Fee Transparency and Accreditations When Choosing Property Auctioneers
Finally, we recommend that you verify that all the fees, expenses, and charges associated with your purchase or sale are clear and without potential changes or unexpected additions.
It's also important to ensure any auctioneer has comprehensive legal packs available on demand. We ask all bidders to register so we can verify that they are authentic and offer legal documentation as a downloadable resource so all parties can make informed, knowledgeable decisions before they choose to enter a bid.
Once you have narrowed down your options, the deciding factor may be whether each auctioneer is suitable, accredited and respected within the industry.
We hold memberships or designations with, among many others, The Property Ombudsman, the National Association of Estate Agents, and the National Association of Valuers and Auctioneers, all of which should be baseline expectations from a professional property auction team.
