Essential Auction News
January delivered a strong start to 2026. National auction activity rose sharply across all key measures, with 2,162 lots offered in the month, up 47.3% year on year, and 1,462 lots sold, an increase of 53.1%. The success rate improved to 67.6%, while total funds raised reached £269.7 million, up 56.7%, confirming firm buyer demand at the opening of the year.
At a regional level, the latest three-month period from November to January showed broad-based growth. London led the market, with lots offered up 50.5% and total raised reaching £350.2 million, a 64.4% increase year on year, driven by residential demand. East Anglia also recorded strong growth, with total raised up 57.7%, while the South-East Home Counties saw total raised rise 20.9%. The North-West remained the highest-volume regional market, offering 1,264 lots and raising £130.2 million, up 23.1%, despite a marginally softer success rate.
January’s figures point to a market entering 2026 with solid momentum. Rising supply has been met by sustained demand, particularly for residential stock, while commercial buyers remain more selective. With volumes and values continuing to trend higher, the auction sector appears well positioned to build on the record levels achieved in 2025.
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 January 2026 |
| Total Lots Offered |
2,162 |
| Total Lots Sold |
1,462 |
| Percent Sold |
67.6% |
| Total Realised |
£269,739,700 |
|
|
National Auction Analysis
OverallN.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
|
January 2026 |
November 2025 to January 2026 |
February 2025 to January 2026 |
| Lots Offered |
2,162 (1,468) |
▲ 47.3% |
9,179 (7,575) |
▲ 21.2% |
42,342 (39,473) |
▲ 7.3% |
| Lots Sold |
1,462 (955) |
▲ 53.1% |
6,350 (5,139) |
▲ 23.6% |
29,511 (28,188) |
▲ 4.7% |
| Percent Sold |
67.6% (65.1%) |
▲ 3.8% |
69.2% (67.8%) |
▲ 2.1% |
69.7% (71.4%) |
▼ 2.4% |
| Total Raised |
£269.7M (£172.2M) |
▲ 56.7% |
£1,334.6M (£1,049.2M) |
▲ 27.2% |
£5,996.5M (£5,554.7M) |
▲ 8.0% |
ResidentialN.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
|
January 2026 |
November 2025 to January 2026 |
February 2025 to January 2026 |
| Lots Offered |
1,965 (1,349) |
▲ 45.7% |
8,154 (6,664) |
▲ 22.4% |
37,531 (34,873) |
▲ 7.6% |
| Lots Sold |
1,356 (878) |
▲ 54.4% |
5,680 (4,514) |
▲ 25.8% |
26,186 (24,964) |
▲ 4.9% |
| Percent Sold |
69.0% (65.1%) |
▲ 6.0% |
69.7% (67.7%) |
▲ 3.0% |
69.8% (71.6%) |
▼ 2.5% |
| Total Raised |
£238.3M (£148.3M) |
▲ 60.7% |
£1,101.2M (£818.7M) |
▲ 34.5% |
£4,884.0M (£4,426.8M) |
▲ 10.3% |
CommercialN.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
|
January 2026 |
November 2025 to January 2026 |
February 2025 to January 2026 |
| Lots Offered |
197 (119) |
▲ 65.5% |
1,025 (911) |
▲ 12.5% |
4,811 (4,600) |
▲ 4.6% |
| Lots Sold |
106 (77) |
▲ 37.7% |
670 (625) |
▲ 7.2% |
3,325 (3,224) |
▲ 3.1% |
| Percent Sold |
53.8% (64.7%) |
▼ 16.8% |
65.4% (68.6%) |
▼ 4.7% |
69.1% (70.1%) |
▼ 1.4% |
| Total Raised |
£31.5M (£23.9M) |
▲ 31.8% |
£233.4M (£230.5M) |
▲ 1.3% |
£1,112.5M (£1,127.9M) |
▼ 1.4% |
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)
| November 2025 to January 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
417 (305) |
▲ 36.7% |
381 (278) |
▲ 37.1% |
36 (27) |
▲ 33.3% |
| Lots Sold |
300 (206) |
▲ 45.6% |
274 (184) |
▲ 48.9% |
26 (22) |
▲ 18.2% |
| Percent Sold |
71.9% (67.5%) |
▲ 6.5% |
71.9% (66.2%) |
▲ 8.6% |
72.2% (81.5%) |
▼ 11.4% |
| Total Raised |
£53.2M (£33.7M) |
▲ 57.7% |
£46.0M (£28.7M) |
▲ 60.3% |
£7.2M (£5.0M) |
▲ 42.7% |
 East Midlands
(Includes Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland)
| November 2025 to January 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
690 (645) |
▲ 7.0% |
614 (550) |
▲ 11.6% |
76 (95) |
▼ 20.0% |
| Lots Sold |
504 (441) |
▲ 14.3% |
445 (370) |
▲ 20.3% |
59 (71) |
▼ 16.9% |
| Percent Sold |
73.0% (68.4%) |
▲ 6.7% |
72.5% (67.3%) |
▲ 7.7% |
77.6% (74.7%) |
▲ 3.9% |
| Total Raised |
£74.3M (£83.8M) |
▼ 11.3% |
£63.1M (£59.1M) |
▲ 6.8% |
£11.2M (£24.7M) |
▼ 54.5% |
 London
| November 2025 to January 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
906 (602) |
▲ 50.5% |
859 (560) |
▲ 53.4% |
47 (42) |
▲ 11.9% |
| Lots Sold |
691 (443) |
▲ 56.0% |
655 (411) |
▲ 59.4% |
36 (32) |
▲ 12.5% |
| Percent Sold |
76.3% (73.6%) |
▲ 3.7% |
76.3% (73.4%) |
▲ 4.0% |
76.6% (76.2%) |
▲ 0.5% |
| Total Raised |
£350.2M (£213.1M) |
▲ 64.4% |
£313.9M (£179.0M) |
▲ 75.3% |
£36.4M (£34.0M) |
▲ 6.8% |
 North-East
(Includes Cleveland, County Durham, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear)
| November 2025 to January 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
567 (484) |
▲ 17.1% |
528 (456) |
▲ 15.8% |
39 (28) |
▲ 39.3% |
| Lots Sold |
417 (353) |
▲ 18.1% |
392 (332) |
▲ 18.1% |
25 (21) |
▲ 19.0% |
| Percent Sold |
73.5% (72.9%) |
▲ 0.8% |
74.2% (72.8%) |
▲ 1.9% |
64.1% (75.0%) |
▼ 14.5% |
| Total Raised |
£38.2M (£26.6M) |
▲ 43.4% |
£27.3M (£21.8M) |
▲ 24.8% |
£10.9M (£4.8M) |
▲ 128.2% |
 North-West
(Includes Cheshire, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside)
| November 2025 to January 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,264 (1,069) |
▲ 18.2% |
1,139 (958) |
▲ 18.9% |
125 (111) |
▲ 12.6% |
| Lots Sold |
853 (726) |
▲ 17.5% |
780 (663) |
▲ 17.6% |
73 (63) |
▲ 15.9% |
| Percent Sold |
67.5% (67.9%) |
▼ 0.6% |
68.5% (69.2%) |
▼ 1.0% |
58.4% (56.8%) |
▲ 2.8% |
| Total Raised |
£130.2M (£105.8M) |
▲ 23.1% |
£113.1M (£85.3M) |
▲ 32.6% |
£17.1M (£20.5M) |
▼ 16.4% |
 North-West Home Counties
(Includes Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Oxfordshire)
| November 2025 to January 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
698 (501) |
▲ 39.3% |
613 (442) |
▲ 38.7% |
85 (59) |
▲ 44.1% |
| Lots Sold |
494 (364) |
▲ 35.7% |
442 (319) |
▲ 38.6% |
52 (45) |
▲ 15.6% |
| Percent Sold |
70.8% (72.7%) |
▼ 2.6% |
72.1% (72.2%) |
▼ 0.1% |
61.2% (76.3%) |
▼ 19.8% |
| Total Raised |
£130.2M (£92.8M) |
▲ 40.3% |
£106.1M (£73.8M) |
▲ 43.8% |
£24.1M (£19.0M) |
▲ 26.7% |
 Northern Ireland
| November 2025 to January 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
91 (44) |
▲ 106.8% |
60 (44) |
▲ 36.4% |
31 (0) |
▲ n/a |
| Lots Sold |
31 (20) |
▲ 55.0% |
19 (20) |
▼ 5.0% |
12 (0) |
▲ n/a |
| Percent Sold |
34.1% (45.5%) |
▼ 25.1% |
31.7% (45.5%) |
▼ 30.3% |
38.7% (0.0%) |
▲ n/a |
| Total Raised |
£5.1M (£2.1M) |
▲ 141.7% |
£2.3M (£2.1M) |
▲ 10.6% |
£2.8M (£0.0M) |
▲ n/a |
 Scotland
| November 2025 to January 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
282 (294) |
▼ 4.1% |
203 (208) |
▼ 2.4% |
79 (86) |
▼ 8.1% |
| Lots Sold |
138 (89) |
▲ 55.1% |
117 (54) |
▲ 116.7% |
21 (35) |
▼ 40.0% |
| Percent Sold |
48.9% (30.3%) |
▲ 61.4% |
57.6% (26.0%) |
▲ 121.5% |
26.6% (40.7%) |
▼ 34.6% |
| Total Raised |
£15.6M (£11.8M) |
▲ 31.6% |
£9.7M (£3.2M) |
▲ 200.7% |
£5.9M (£8.6M) |
▼ 31.6% |
 South-East Home Counties
(Includes Channel Islands, East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Surrey, West Sussex)
| November 2025 to January 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,332 (1,214) |
▲ 9.7% |
1,208 (1,087) |
▲ 11.1% |
124 (127) |
▼ 2.4% |
| Lots Sold |
877 (805) |
▲ 8.9% |
783 (709) |
▲ 10.4% |
94 (96) |
▼ 2.1% |
| Percent Sold |
65.8% (66.3%) |
▼ 0.8% |
64.8% (65.2%) |
▼ 0.6% |
75.8% (75.6%) |
▲ 0.3% |
| Total Raised |
£230.5M (£190.7M) |
▲ 20.9% |
£174.9M (£152.1M) |
▲ 15.0% |
£55.6M (£38.6M) |
▲ 44.0% |
 South-West
(Includes Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Isles of Scilly, Somerset, Wiltshire)
| November 2025 to January 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
799 (580) |
▲ 37.8% |
672 (506) |
▲ 32.8% |
127 (74) |
▲ 71.6% |
| Lots Sold |
569 (427) |
▲ 33.3% |
484 (372) |
▲ 30.1% |
85 (55) |
▲ 54.5% |
| Percent Sold |
71.2% (73.6%) |
▼ 3.3% |
72.0% (73.5%) |
▼ 2.0% |
66.9% (74.3%) |
▼ 10.0% |
| Total Raised |
£107.1M (£94.1M) |
▲ 13.9% |
£87.6M (£80.5M) |
▲ 8.9% |
£19.5M (£13.6M) |
▲ 43.2% |
 Wales
| November 2025 to January 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
454 (408) |
▲ 11.3% |
390 (354) |
▲ 10.2% |
64 (54) |
▲ 18.5% |
| Lots Sold |
302 (263) |
▲ 14.8% |
256 (224) |
▲ 14.3% |
46 (39) |
▲ 17.9% |
| Percent Sold |
66.5% (64.5%) |
▲ 3.1% |
65.6% (63.3%) |
▲ 3.6% |
71.9% (72.2%) |
▼ 0.4% |
| Total Raised |
£38.4M (£39.4M) |
▼ 2.5% |
£31.2M (£23.9M) |
▲ 30.5% |
£7.2M (£15.5M) |
▼ 53.5% |
 West Midlands
(Includes Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire)
| November 2025 to January 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
916 (778) |
▲ 17.7% |
830 (693) |
▲ 19.8% |
86 (85) |
▲ 1.2% |
| Lots Sold |
648 (540) |
▲ 20.0% |
585 (476) |
▲ 22.9% |
63 (64) |
▼ 1.6% |
| Percent Sold |
70.7% (69.4%) |
▲ 1.9% |
70.5% (68.7%) |
▲ 2.6% |
73.3% (75.3%) |
▼ 2.7% |
| Total Raised |
£95.4M (£84.4M) |
▲ 13.1% |
£79.0M (£65.0M) |
▲ 21.5% |
£16.4M (£19.3M) |
▼ 15.1% |
 Yorkshire and The Humber
(Includes North Humberside, North Yorkshire, South Humberside, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire)
| November 2025 to January 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
763 (651) |
▲ 17.2% |
657 (528) |
▲ 24.4% |
106 (123) |
▼ 13.8% |
| Lots Sold |
526 (462) |
▲ 13.9% |
448 (380) |
▲ 17.9% |
78 (82) |
▼ 4.9% |
| Percent Sold |
68.9% (71.0%) |
▼ 3.0% |
68.2% (72.0%) |
▼ 5.3% |
73.6% (66.7%) |
▲ 10.3% |
| Total Raised |
£66.1M (£70.9M) |
▼ 6.8% |
£47.0M (£44.1M) |
▲ 6.4% |
£19.1M (£26.7M) |
▼ 28.5% |
Disclaimer: The figures in this newsletter are based on sales data provided to us by the auctioneers.
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