Essential Auction News
Auction activity strengthened in March, with volumes and total raised both ahead of last year. Lots sold increased by 20.3% to 2,897, while total raised reached £559.1m, up 16.6%. This is in line with the typical seasonal pattern, as sellers look to complete sales before the end of the financial year. Despite the higher supply, the success rate held steady at 68.6%, in line with 68.2% last year, showing that demand is keeping pace with increased stock levels. This momentum is reflected across the first quarter, with 7,738 lots sold, up 19.5%, and £1.49b raised, an increase of 12.7%. Residential activity continues to drive the market, with sales up 19.6% in March, while commercial performance strengthened, with volumes up 26.5% and a higher success rate of 70.6%.
Regionally, London and the West Midlands stand out, both recording strong growth in volumes and improved success rates. In contrast, areas such as Yorkshire and the North East have seen sharp increases in supply, which has led to weaker success rates despite higher sales volumes. Other regions, including Wales and East Anglia, showed more balanced growth, with improvements in both activity and success rates.
With the Renters Rights Act due to come into effect in May, April may see an additional wave of landlord disposals as some look to exit ahead of the changes. This could influence supply levels in the short term, following the already elevated volumes seen in March. The longer-term impact remains uncertain, with potential implications for stock levels, pricing, and overall market activity still to play out over the coming months, although the consistent strength in transaction volumes suggests the market remains well positioned to adapt to changing conditions.
Please note the newsletter can also be viewed online. Kind regards David Sandeman
davids@eigroup.co.uk P.S. Here at the Essential Information Group we maintain a database of virtually every property coming up for sale at auction as well as over 1 million lots that have been to auction in the past. It is fully searchable and allows you to identify properties coming up for sale that you might be interested in, and to see what similar properties have sold for in the past. If you would like a trial of our website, please register here. |
|
Overall Statistics March 2026 |
| Total Lots Offered |
4,222 |
| Total Lots Sold |
2,897 |
| Percent Sold |
68.6% |
| Total Realised |
£559,075,800 |
|
|
National Auction Analysis
OverallN.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
|
March 2026 |
January 2026 to March 2026 |
April 2025 to March 2026 |
| Lots Offered |
4,222 (3,531) |
▲ 19.6% |
10,989 (9,254) |
▲ 18.7% |
43,350 (39,607) |
▲ 9.5% |
| Lots Sold |
2,897 (2,408) |
▲ 20.3% |
7,738 (6,476) |
▲ 19.5% |
30,219 (28,019) |
▲ 7.9% |
| Percent Sold |
68.6% (68.2%) |
▲ 0.6% |
70.4% (70.0%) |
▲ 0.6% |
69.7% (70.7%) |
▼ 1.4% |
| Total Raised |
£559.1M (£479.6M) |
▲ 16.6% |
£1,488.6M (£1,321.4M) |
▲ 12.7% |
£6,040.6M (£5,584.1M) |
▲ 8.2% |
ResidentialN.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
|
March 2026 |
January 2026 to March 2026 |
April 2025 to March 2026 |
| Lots Offered |
3,776 (3,168) |
▲ 19.2% |
9,822 (8,275) |
▲ 18.7% |
38,445 (35,051) |
▲ 9.7% |
| Lots Sold |
2,582 (2,159) |
▲ 19.6% |
6,940 (5,794) |
▲ 19.8% |
26,837 (24,856) |
▲ 8.0% |
| Percent Sold |
68.4% (68.2%) |
▲ 0.3% |
70.7% (70.0%) |
▲ 1.0% |
69.8% (70.9%) |
▼ 1.6% |
| Total Raised |
£430.9M (£379.6M) |
▲ 13.5% |
£1,211.4M (£1,066.1M) |
▲ 13.6% |
£4,938.7M (£4,488.2M) |
▲ 10.0% |
CommercialN.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
|
March 2026 |
January 2026 to March 2026 |
April 2025 to March 2026 |
| Lots Offered |
446 (363) |
▲ 22.9% |
1,167 (979) |
▲ 19.2% |
4,905 (4,556) |
▲ 7.7% |
| Lots Sold |
315 (249) |
▲ 26.5% |
798 (682) |
▲ 17.0% |
3,382 (3,163) |
▲ 6.9% |
| Percent Sold |
70.6% (68.6%) |
▲ 2.9% |
68.4% (69.7%) |
▼ 1.9% |
69.0% (69.4%) |
▼ 0.6% |
| Total Raised |
£128.2M (£100.0M) |
▲ 28.2% |
£277.2M (£255.3M) |
▲ 8.6% |
£1,101.9M (£1,095.9M) |
▲ 0.5% |
Regional Auction Analysis
As is usually the case, variations across all the measurable parameters can be seen across the regions.
N.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
 East Anglia
(Includes Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk)
| January 2026 to March 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
544 (474) |
▲ 14.8% |
497 (425) |
▲ 16.9% |
47 (49) |
▼ 4.1% |
| Lots Sold |
386 (325) |
▲ 18.8% |
356 (296) |
▲ 20.3% |
30 (29) |
▲ 3.4% |
| Percent Sold |
71.0% (68.6%) |
▲ 3.5% |
71.6% (69.6%) |
▲ 2.9% |
63.8% (59.2%) |
▲ 7.8% |
| Total Raised |
£66.0M (£54.8M) |
▲ 20.5% |
£57.8M (£48.6M) |
▲ 18.9% |
£8.2M (£6.1M) |
▲ 33.2% |
 East Midlands
(Includes Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland)
| January 2026 to March 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
828 (782) |
▲ 5.9% |
738 (681) |
▲ 8.4% |
90 (101) |
▼ 10.9% |
| Lots Sold |
608 (556) |
▲ 9.4% |
548 (473) |
▲ 15.9% |
60 (83) |
▼ 27.7% |
| Percent Sold |
73.4% (71.1%) |
▲ 3.2% |
74.3% (69.5%) |
▲ 6.9% |
66.7% (82.2%) |
▼ 18.9% |
| Total Raised |
£100.9M (£100.5M) |
▲ 0.4% |
£75.3M (£65.2M) |
▲ 15.5% |
£25.6M (£35.3M) |
▼ 27.5% |
 London
| January 2026 to March 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
908 (791) |
▲ 14.8% |
849 (738) |
▲ 15.0% |
59 (53) |
▲ 11.3% |
| Lots Sold |
677 (574) |
▲ 17.9% |
628 (532) |
▲ 18.0% |
49 (42) |
▲ 16.7% |
| Percent Sold |
74.6% (72.6%) |
▲ 2.8% |
74.0% (72.1%) |
▲ 2.6% |
83.1% (79.2%) |
▲ 4.9% |
| Total Raised |
£320.3M (£267.4M) |
▲ 19.8% |
£280.5M (£231.1M) |
▲ 21.4% |
£39.8M (£36.3M) |
▲ 9.6% |
 North-East
(Includes Cleveland, County Durham, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear)
| January 2026 to March 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
738 (560) |
▲ 31.8% |
691 (520) |
▲ 32.9% |
47 (40) |
▲ 17.5% |
| Lots Sold |
517 (408) |
▲ 26.7% |
483 (382) |
▲ 26.4% |
34 (26) |
▲ 30.8% |
| Percent Sold |
70.1% (72.9%) |
▼ 3.8% |
69.9% (73.5%) |
▼ 4.9% |
72.3% (65.0%) |
▲ 11.2% |
| Total Raised |
£42.7M (£33.2M) |
▲ 28.8% |
£33.3M (£26.2M) |
▲ 27.2% |
£9.4M (£7.0M) |
▲ 34.9% |
 North-West
(Includes Cheshire, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside)
| January 2026 to March 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,522 (1,319) |
▲ 15.4% |
1,389 (1,204) |
▲ 15.4% |
133 (115) |
▲ 15.7% |
| Lots Sold |
1,071 (939) |
▲ 14.1% |
979 (862) |
▲ 13.6% |
92 (77) |
▲ 19.5% |
| Percent Sold |
70.4% (71.2%) |
▼ 1.1% |
70.5% (71.6%) |
▼ 1.5% |
69.2% (67.0%) |
▲ 3.3% |
| Total Raised |
£141.1M (£127.4M) |
▲ 10.8% |
£114.5M (£110.3M) |
▲ 3.8% |
£26.6M (£17.1M) |
▲ 56.1% |
 North-West Home Counties
(Includes Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Oxfordshire)
| January 2026 to March 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
730 (670) |
▲ 9.0% |
650 (596) |
▲ 9.1% |
80 (74) |
▲ 8.1% |
| Lots Sold |
527 (473) |
▲ 11.4% |
476 (416) |
▲ 14.4% |
51 (57) |
▼ 10.5% |
| Percent Sold |
72.2% (70.6%) |
▲ 2.3% |
73.2% (69.8%) |
▲ 4.9% |
63.8% (77.0%) |
▼ 17.1% |
| Total Raised |
£138.6M (£128.0M) |
▲ 8.2% |
£109.9M (£95.2M) |
▲ 15.5% |
£28.7M (£32.9M) |
▼ 12.8% |
 Northern Ireland
| January 2026 to March 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
80 (64) |
▲ 25.0% |
57 (62) |
▼ 8.1% |
23 (2) |
▲ 1,050.0% |
| Lots Sold |
42 (26) |
▲ 61.5% |
28 (24) |
▲ 16.7% |
14 (2) |
▲ 600.0% |
| Percent Sold |
52.5% (40.6%) |
▲ 29.3% |
49.1% (38.7%) |
▲ 26.9% |
60.9% (100.0%) |
▼ 39.1% |
| Total Raised |
£4.7M (£2.7M) |
▲ 75.3% |
£3.1M (£2.5M) |
▲ 23.9% |
£1.6M (£0.2M) |
▲ 714.8% |
 Scotland
| January 2026 to March 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
319 (279) |
▲ 14.3% |
227 (197) |
▲ 15.2% |
92 (82) |
▲ 12.2% |
| Lots Sold |
146 (117) |
▲ 24.8% |
122 (90) |
▲ 35.6% |
24 (27) |
▼ 11.1% |
| Percent Sold |
45.8% (41.9%) |
▲ 9.3% |
53.7% (45.7%) |
▲ 17.5% |
26.1% (32.9%) |
▼ 20.7% |
| Total Raised |
£13.3M (£13.1M) |
▲ 1.2% |
£10.5M (£7.9M) |
▲ 33.3% |
£2.8M (£5.2M) |
▼ 47.2% |
 South-East Home Counties
(Includes Channel Islands, East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Surrey, West Sussex)
| January 2026 to March 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,597 (1,372) |
▲ 16.4% |
1,439 (1,248) |
▲ 15.3% |
158 (124) |
▲ 27.4% |
| Lots Sold |
1,088 (954) |
▲ 14.0% |
973 (866) |
▲ 12.4% |
115 (88) |
▲ 30.7% |
| Percent Sold |
68.1% (69.5%) |
▼ 2.0% |
67.6% (69.4%) |
▼ 2.6% |
72.8% (71.0%) |
▲ 2.5% |
| Total Raised |
£252.1M (£243.2M) |
▲ 3.7% |
£199.5M (£201.3M) |
▼ 0.9% |
£52.5M (£41.9M) |
▲ 25.4% |
 South-West
(Includes Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Isles of Scilly, Somerset, Wiltshire)
| January 2026 to March 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,002 (794) |
▲ 26.2% |
875 (690) |
▲ 26.8% |
127 (104) |
▲ 22.1% |
| Lots Sold |
713 (585) |
▲ 21.9% |
616 (505) |
▲ 22.0% |
97 (80) |
▲ 21.3% |
| Percent Sold |
71.2% (73.7%) |
▼ 3.4% |
70.4% (73.2%) |
▼ 3.8% |
76.4% (76.9%) |
▼ 0.7% |
| Total Raised |
£131.9M (£120.6M) |
▲ 9.4% |
£107.4M (£102.9M) |
▲ 4.3% |
£24.6M (£17.6M) |
▲ 39.2% |
 Wales
| January 2026 to March 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
557 (520) |
▲ 7.1% |
458 (455) |
▲ 0.7% |
99 (65) |
▲ 52.3% |
| Lots Sold |
385 (326) |
▲ 18.1% |
315 (282) |
▲ 11.7% |
70 (44) |
▲ 59.1% |
| Percent Sold |
69.1% (62.7%) |
▲ 10.2% |
68.8% (62.0%) |
▲ 11.0% |
70.7% (67.7%) |
▲ 4.4% |
| Total Raised |
£46.6M (£43.5M) |
▲ 7.1% |
£35.2M (£32.1M) |
▲ 9.7% |
£11.4M (£11.4M) |
▼ 0.3% |
 West Midlands
(Includes Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire)
| January 2026 to March 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,193 (908) |
▲ 31.4% |
1,094 (837) |
▲ 30.7% |
99 (71) |
▲ 39.4% |
| Lots Sold |
921 (654) |
▲ 40.8% |
849 (599) |
▲ 41.7% |
72 (55) |
▲ 30.9% |
| Percent Sold |
77.2% (72.0%) |
▲ 7.2% |
77.6% (71.6%) |
▲ 8.4% |
72.7% (77.5%) |
▼ 6.2% |
| Total Raised |
£147.6M (£113.3M) |
▲ 30.3% |
£124.3M (£94.6M) |
▲ 31.3% |
£23.4M (£18.7M) |
▲ 25.1% |
 Yorkshire and The Humber
(Includes North Humberside, North Yorkshire, South Humberside, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire)
| January 2026 to March 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
971 (721) |
▲ 34.7% |
858 (622) |
▲ 37.9% |
113 (99) |
▲ 14.1% |
| Lots Sold |
657 (539) |
▲ 21.9% |
567 (467) |
▲ 21.4% |
90 (72) |
▲ 25.0% |
| Percent Sold |
67.7% (74.8%) |
▼ 9.5% |
66.1% (75.1%) |
▼ 12.0% |
79.6% (72.7%) |
▲ 9.5% |
| Total Raised |
£82.8M (£73.8M) |
▲ 12.3% |
£60.1M (£48.2M) |
▲ 24.6% |
£22.7M (£25.5M) |
▼ 11.1% |
Disclaimer: The figures in this newsletter are based on sales data provided to us by the auctioneers.
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