Essential Auction News
National auction activity continued to grow in May, with 3,988 lots offered across the UK, up 6.1% year-on-year. While sales volumes also increased, up 3.4%, supply once again grew at a faster rate than demand, resulting in a slight reduction in the national success rate to 67.0%. Total funds raised remained stable at £526.9 million. Residential auctions continued to underpin market performance, with total raised increasing 2.1%, while the commercial sector saw a strong increase in lots sold despite a fall in the overall value raised.
Regionally, Yorkshire and The Humber and the South-West continued to post some of the strongest growth over the rolling March to May period, with both regions recording substantial increases in lots offered, lots sold and total funds raised. London also delivered a strong performance, with sales and total raised both increasing year-on-year, while the West Midlands maintained its positive momentum. Scotland recorded the largest increase in activity levels, although success rates remain well below the national average.
Overall, the auction market remains ahead of last year's levels, with growth in both supply and sales volumes continuing across much of the UK. However, the increase in stock coming to market is continuing to place some pressure on success rates. As the market moves into the summer period, activity levels remain healthy, supported by a steady flow of stock and sustained buyer demand.
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 May 2026 |
| Total Lots Offered |
3,990 |
| Total Lots Sold |
2,683 |
| Percent Sold |
67.2% |
| Total Realised |
£528,619,600 |
|
|
National Auction Analysis
OverallN.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
|
May 2026 |
March 2026 to May 2026 |
June 2025 to May 2026 |
| Lots Offered |
3,990 (3,757) |
▲ 6.2% |
11,685 (10,436) |
▲ 12.0% |
43,878 (39,953) |
▲ 9.8% |
| Lots Sold |
2,683 (2,582) |
▲ 3.9% |
7,891 (7,166) |
▲ 10.1% |
30,441 (28,097) |
▲ 8.3% |
| Percent Sold |
67.2% (68.7%) |
▼ 2.2% |
67.5% (68.7%) |
▼ 1.7% |
69.4% (70.3%) |
▼ 1.3% |
| Total Raised |
£528.6M (£526.4M) |
▲ 0.4% |
£1,498.9M (£1,401.4M) |
▲ 7.0% |
£6,063.7M (£5,626.5M) |
▲ 7.8% |
ResidentialN.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
|
May 2026 |
March 2026 to May 2026 |
June 2025 to May 2026 |
| Lots Offered |
3,493 (3,333) |
▲ 4.8% |
10,397 (9,266) |
▲ 12.2% |
38,936 (35,323) |
▲ 10.2% |
| Lots Sold |
2,331 (2,294) |
▲ 1.6% |
7,012 (6,344) |
▲ 10.5% |
27,066 (24,850) |
▲ 8.9% |
| Percent Sold |
66.7% (68.8%) |
▼ 3.1% |
67.4% (68.5%) |
▼ 1.6% |
69.5% (70.4%) |
▼ 1.3% |
| Total Raised |
£436.8M (£426.5M) |
▲ 2.4% |
£1,223.4M (£1,127.6M) |
▲ 8.5% |
£4,983.3M (£4,506.3M) |
▲ 10.6% |
CommercialN.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
|
May 2026 |
March 2026 to May 2026 |
June 2025 to May 2026 |
| Lots Offered |
497 (424) |
▲ 17.2% |
1,288 (1,170) |
▲ 10.1% |
4,942 (4,630) |
▲ 6.7% |
| Lots Sold |
352 (288) |
▲ 22.2% |
879 (822) |
▲ 6.9% |
3,375 (3,247) |
▲ 3.9% |
| Percent Sold |
70.8% (67.9%) |
▲ 4.3% |
68.2% (70.3%) |
▼ 3.0% |
68.3% (70.1%) |
▼ 2.6% |
| Total Raised |
£91.8M (£100.0M) |
▼ 8.2% |
£275.6M (£273.8M) |
▲ 0.6% |
£1,080.4M (£1,120.2M) |
▼ 3.5% |
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)
| March 2026 to May 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
541 (528) |
▲ 2.5% |
496 (472) |
▲ 5.1% |
45 (56) |
▼ 19.6% |
| Lots Sold |
367 (361) |
▲ 1.7% |
331 (326) |
▲ 1.5% |
36 (35) |
▲ 2.9% |
| Percent Sold |
67.8% (68.4%) |
▼ 0.9% |
66.7% (69.1%) |
▼ 3.5% |
80.0% (62.5%) |
▲ 28.0% |
| Total Raised |
£76.5M (£64.7M) |
▲ 18.2% |
£69.7M (£56.8M) |
▲ 22.6% |
£6.8M (£7.9M) |
▼ 13.9% |
 East Midlands
(Includes Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland)
| March 2026 to May 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
878 (852) |
▲ 3.1% |
786 (757) |
▲ 3.8% |
92 (95) |
▼ 3.2% |
| Lots Sold |
585 (600) |
▼ 2.5% |
521 (526) |
▼ 1.0% |
64 (74) |
▼ 13.5% |
| Percent Sold |
66.6% (70.4%) |
▼ 5.4% |
66.3% (69.5%) |
▼ 4.6% |
69.6% (77.9%) |
▼ 10.7% |
| Total Raised |
£98.0M (£100.7M) |
▼ 2.6% |
£71.7M (£73.5M) |
▼ 2.4% |
£26.3M (£27.2M) |
▼ 3.3% |
 London
| March 2026 to May 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
877 (792) |
▲ 10.7% |
831 (713) |
▲ 16.5% |
46 (79) |
▼ 41.8% |
| Lots Sold |
647 (574) |
▲ 12.7% |
609 (513) |
▲ 18.7% |
38 (61) |
▼ 37.7% |
| Percent Sold |
73.8% (72.5%) |
▲ 1.8% |
73.3% (71.9%) |
▲ 1.9% |
82.6% (77.2%) |
▲ 7.0% |
| Total Raised |
£274.2M (£257.4M) |
▲ 6.5% |
£243.3M (£216.3M) |
▲ 12.5% |
£30.9M (£41.1M) |
▼ 24.9% |
 North-East
(Includes Cleveland, County Durham, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear)
| March 2026 to May 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
723 (659) |
▲ 9.7% |
683 (594) |
▲ 15.0% |
40 (65) |
▼ 38.5% |
| Lots Sold |
504 (470) |
▲ 7.2% |
479 (418) |
▲ 14.6% |
25 (52) |
▼ 51.9% |
| Percent Sold |
69.7% (71.3%) |
▼ 2.2% |
70.1% (70.4%) |
▼ 0.4% |
62.5% (80.0%) |
▼ 21.9% |
| Total Raised |
£44.2M (£42.3M) |
▲ 4.4% |
£35.1M (£30.1M) |
▲ 16.5% |
£9.1M (£12.2M) |
▼ 25.6% |
 North-West
(Includes Cheshire, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside)
| March 2026 to May 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,790 (1,525) |
▲ 17.4% |
1,655 (1,396) |
▲ 18.6% |
135 (129) |
▲ 4.7% |
| Lots Sold |
1,199 (1,058) |
▲ 13.3% |
1,113 (971) |
▲ 14.6% |
86 (87) |
▼ 1.1% |
| Percent Sold |
67.0% (69.4%) |
▼ 3.5% |
67.3% (69.6%) |
▼ 3.3% |
63.7% (67.4%) |
▼ 5.5% |
| Total Raised |
£148.7M (£140.6M) |
▲ 5.8% |
£128.4M (£124.9M) |
▲ 2.8% |
£20.3M (£15.7M) |
▲ 29.5% |
 North-West Home Counties
(Includes Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Oxfordshire)
| March 2026 to May 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
730 (729) |
▲ 0.1% |
635 (652) |
▼ 2.6% |
95 (77) |
▲ 23.4% |
| Lots Sold |
515 (506) |
▲ 1.8% |
446 (450) |
▼ 0.9% |
69 (56) |
▲ 23.2% |
| Percent Sold |
70.5% (69.4%) |
▲ 1.6% |
70.2% (69.0%) |
▲ 1.7% |
72.6% (72.7%) |
▼ 0.1% |
| Total Raised |
£148.7M (£137.1M) |
▲ 8.5% |
£118.3M (£105.6M) |
▲ 12.0% |
£30.5M (£31.5M) |
▼ 3.2% |
 Northern Ireland
| March 2026 to May 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
89 (78) |
▲ 14.1% |
53 (59) |
▼ 10.2% |
36 (19) |
▲ 89.5% |
| Lots Sold |
49 (37) |
▲ 32.4% |
31 (23) |
▲ 34.8% |
18 (14) |
▲ 28.6% |
| Percent Sold |
55.1% (47.4%) |
▲ 16.2% |
58.5% (39.0%) |
▲ 50.0% |
50.0% (73.7%) |
▼ 32.2% |
| Total Raised |
£5.1M (£4.9M) |
▲ 4.1% |
£3.3M (£2.5M) |
▲ 32.2% |
£1.8M (£2.4M) |
▼ 25.8% |
 Scotland
| March 2026 to May 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
374 (251) |
▲ 49.0% |
270 (161) |
▲ 67.7% |
104 (90) |
▲ 15.6% |
| Lots Sold |
145 (91) |
▲ 59.3% |
128 (74) |
▲ 73.0% |
17 (17) |
▼ 0.0% |
| Percent Sold |
38.8% (36.3%) |
▲ 6.9% |
47.4% (46.0%) |
▲ 3.0% |
16.3% (18.9%) |
▼ 13.8% |
| Total Raised |
£15.1M (£8.6M) |
▲ 76.1% |
£12.5M (£6.1M) |
▲ 103.6% |
£2.6M (£2.5M) |
▲ 7.7% |
 South-East Home Counties
(Includes Channel Islands, East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Surrey, West Sussex)
| March 2026 to May 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,615 (1,582) |
▲ 2.1% |
1,467 (1,466) |
▲ 0.1% |
148 (116) |
▲ 27.6% |
| Lots Sold |
1,048 (1,049) |
▼ 0.1% |
937 (959) |
▼ 2.3% |
111 (90) |
▲ 23.3% |
| Percent Sold |
64.9% (66.3%) |
▼ 2.1% |
63.9% (65.4%) |
▼ 2.3% |
75.0% (77.6%) |
▼ 3.4% |
| Total Raised |
£235.5M (£249.2M) |
▼ 5.5% |
£192.3M (£201.6M) |
▼ 4.6% |
£43.2M (£47.6M) |
▼ 9.1% |
 South-West
(Includes Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Isles of Scilly, Somerset, Wiltshire)
| March 2026 to May 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,172 (937) |
▲ 25.1% |
949 (808) |
▲ 17.5% |
223 (129) |
▲ 72.9% |
| Lots Sold |
838 (687) |
▲ 22.0% |
663 (585) |
▲ 13.3% |
175 (102) |
▲ 71.6% |
| Percent Sold |
71.5% (73.3%) |
▼ 2.5% |
69.9% (72.4%) |
▼ 3.5% |
78.5% (79.1%) |
▼ 0.8% |
| Total Raised |
£169.3M (£139.4M) |
▲ 21.5% |
£128.1M (£114.1M) |
▲ 12.2% |
£41.2M (£25.3M) |
▲ 63.1% |
 Wales
| March 2026 to May 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
686 (653) |
▲ 5.1% |
584 (546) |
▲ 7.0% |
102 (107) |
▼ 4.7% |
| Lots Sold |
443 (423) |
▲ 4.7% |
370 (350) |
▲ 5.7% |
73 (73) |
▼ 0.0% |
| Percent Sold |
64.6% (64.8%) |
▼ 0.3% |
63.4% (64.1%) |
▼ 1.1% |
71.6% (68.2%) |
▲ 5.0% |
| Total Raised |
£60.2M (£53.2M) |
▲ 13.2% |
£42.3M (£37.9M) |
▲ 11.6% |
£17.9M (£15.3M) |
▲ 17.0% |
 West Midlands
(Includes Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire)
| March 2026 to May 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,167 (1,072) |
▲ 8.9% |
1,043 (965) |
▲ 8.1% |
124 (107) |
▲ 15.9% |
| Lots Sold |
837 (769) |
▲ 8.8% |
746 (686) |
▲ 8.7% |
91 (83) |
▲ 9.6% |
| Percent Sold |
71.7% (71.7%) |
▼ 0.0% |
71.5% (71.1%) |
▲ 0.6% |
73.4% (77.6%) |
▼ 5.4% |
| Total Raised |
£139.6M (£129.3M) |
▲ 7.9% |
£111.9M (£105.4M) |
▲ 6.2% |
£27.6M (£24.0M) |
▲ 15.3% |
 Yorkshire and The Humber
(Includes North Humberside, North Yorkshire, South Humberside, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire)
| March 2026 to May 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,043 (778) |
▲ 34.1% |
945 (677) |
▲ 39.6% |
98 (101) |
▼ 3.0% |
| Lots Sold |
714 (541) |
▲ 32.0% |
638 (463) |
▲ 37.8% |
76 (78) |
▼ 2.6% |
| Percent Sold |
68.5% (69.5%) |
▼ 1.4% |
67.5% (68.4%) |
▼ 1.3% |
77.6% (77.2%) |
▲ 0.5% |
| Total Raised |
£83.8M (£73.9M) |
▲ 13.3% |
£66.4M (£52.7M) |
▲ 26.1% |
£17.4M (£21.3M) |
▼ 18.4% |
Disclaimer: The figures in this newsletter are based on sales data provided to us by the auctioneers.
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