Essential Auction News
February maintained the steady start to the year in the auction arena. A total of 4,534 lots were offered nationally, up 6.7% on February 2025, while sales increased by 6.2% to 3,274 lots sold. The success rate remained broadly stable at 72.2%, slightly below last year’s 72.6%. Total funds raised reached £645.3 million, a decrease of 2.4% year on year, showing a slight softening of the average sale price.
Regionally, the latest three-month period from December to February showed strong growth across several markets. London remained the largest market by value, raising £364.6 million, up 23.6% year on year, alongside a 21.3% increase in sales. The West Midlands also recorded significant growth, with lots sold up 35.0% and total raised rising 30.7% to £132.2 million. East Anglia reported strong gains, with sales increasing 35.7% and total raised up 43.4%. The North-West remained the largest regional market by volume, offering 1,503 lots and raising £145.7 million, up 14.1%.
Overall, the figures show auction supply and sales continuing to run ahead of last year’s levels. Several regions recorded strong increases in activity during the most recent rolling quarter, indicating continued momentum across the market as 2026 progresses.
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. |
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Overall Statistics February 2026 |
| Total Lots Offered |
4,546 |
| Total Lots Sold |
3,311 |
| Percent Sold |
72.8% |
| Total Realised |
£655,520,800 |
|
|
National Auction Analysis
OverallN.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
|
February 2026 |
December 2025 to February 2026 |
March 2025 to February 2026 |
| Lots Offered |
4,546 (4,249) |
▲ 7.0% |
10,682 (9,178) |
▲ 16.4% |
42,619 (39,422) |
▲ 8.1% |
| Lots Sold |
3,311 (3,083) |
▲ 7.4% |
7,586 (6,486) |
▲ 17.0% |
29,702 (28,036) |
▲ 5.9% |
| Percent Sold |
72.8% (72.6%) |
▲ 0.3% |
71.0% (70.7%) |
▲ 0.4% |
69.7% (71.1%) |
▼ 2.0% |
| Total Raised |
£655.5M (£661.4M) |
▼ 0.9% |
£1,521.0M (£1,316.7M) |
▲ 15.5% |
£5,971.6M (£5,581.1M) |
▲ 7.0% |
ResidentialN.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
|
February 2026 |
December 2025 to February 2026 |
March 2025 to February 2026 |
| Lots Offered |
4,025 (3,752) |
▲ 7.3% |
9,543 (8,158) |
▲ 17.0% |
37,791 (34,815) |
▲ 8.5% |
| Lots Sold |
2,937 (2,727) |
▲ 7.7% |
6,818 (5,777) |
▲ 18.0% |
26,374 (24,821) |
▲ 6.3% |
| Percent Sold |
73.0% (72.7%) |
▲ 0.4% |
71.4% (70.8%) |
▲ 0.8% |
69.8% (71.3%) |
▼ 2.1% |
| Total Raised |
£537.8M (£530.0M) |
▲ 1.5% |
£1,276.6M (£1,068.1M) |
▲ 19.5% |
£4,886.7M (£4,469.4M) |
▲ 9.3% |
CommercialN.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
|
February 2026 |
December 2025 to February 2026 |
March 2025 to February 2026 |
| Lots Offered |
521 (497) |
▲ 4.8% |
1,139 (1,020) |
▲ 11.7% |
4,828 (4,607) |
▲ 4.8% |
| Lots Sold |
374 (356) |
▲ 5.1% |
768 (709) |
▲ 8.3% |
3,328 (3,215) |
▲ 3.5% |
| Percent Sold |
71.8% (71.6%) |
▲ 0.3% |
67.4% (69.5%) |
▼ 3.0% |
68.9% (69.8%) |
▼ 1.3% |
| Total Raised |
£117.7M (£131.4M) |
▼ 10.4% |
£244.4M (£248.7M) |
▼ 1.7% |
£1,084.9M (£1,111.8M) |
▼ 2.4% |
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)
| December 2025 to February 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
542 (439) |
▲ 23.5% |
495 (402) |
▲ 23.1% |
47 (37) |
▲ 27.0% |
| Lots Sold |
404 (297) |
▲ 36.0% |
374 (272) |
▲ 37.5% |
30 (25) |
▲ 20.0% |
| Percent Sold |
74.5% (67.7%) |
▲ 10.0% |
75.6% (67.7%) |
▲ 11.7% |
63.8% (67.6%) |
▼ 5.6% |
| Total Raised |
£70.7M (£49.2M) |
▲ 43.6% |
£61.8M (£45.3M) |
▲ 36.3% |
£8.9M (£3.9M) |
▲ 128.1% |
 East Midlands
(Includes Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland)
| December 2025 to February 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
783 (763) |
▲ 2.6% |
696 (648) |
▲ 7.4% |
87 (115) |
▼ 24.3% |
| Lots Sold |
588 (539) |
▲ 9.1% |
527 (448) |
▲ 17.6% |
61 (91) |
▼ 33.0% |
| Percent Sold |
75.1% (70.6%) |
▲ 6.4% |
75.7% (69.1%) |
▲ 9.6% |
70.1% (79.1%) |
▼ 11.4% |
| Total Raised |
£86.9M (£111.0M) |
▼ 21.7% |
£72.7M (£68.5M) |
▲ 6.1% |
£14.2M (£42.5M) |
▼ 66.5% |
 London
| December 2025 to February 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
954 (790) |
▲ 20.8% |
900 (734) |
▲ 22.6% |
54 (56) |
▼ 3.6% |
| Lots Sold |
724 (587) |
▲ 23.3% |
679 (543) |
▲ 25.0% |
45 (44) |
▲ 2.3% |
| Percent Sold |
75.9% (74.3%) |
▲ 2.2% |
75.4% (74.0%) |
▲ 1.9% |
83.3% (78.6%) |
▲ 6.0% |
| Total Raised |
£369.6M (£294.9M) |
▲ 25.3% |
£336.4M (£247.4M) |
▲ 36.0% |
£33.2M (£47.5M) |
▼ 30.2% |
 North-East
(Includes Cleveland, County Durham, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear)
| December 2025 to February 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
662 (583) |
▲ 13.6% |
616 (555) |
▲ 11.0% |
46 (28) |
▲ 64.3% |
| Lots Sold |
471 (439) |
▲ 7.3% |
441 (420) |
▲ 5.0% |
30 (19) |
▲ 57.9% |
| Percent Sold |
71.1% (75.3%) |
▼ 5.6% |
71.6% (75.7%) |
▼ 5.4% |
65.2% (67.9%) |
▼ 4.0% |
| Total Raised |
£40.0M (£31.4M) |
▲ 27.6% |
£31.3M (£27.4M) |
▲ 14.3% |
£8.8M (£4.0M) |
▲ 118.5% |
 North-West
(Includes Cheshire, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside)
| December 2025 to February 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,503 (1,314) |
▲ 14.4% |
1,371 (1,188) |
▲ 15.4% |
132 (126) |
▲ 4.8% |
| Lots Sold |
1,060 (954) |
▲ 11.1% |
974 (872) |
▲ 11.7% |
86 (82) |
▲ 4.9% |
| Percent Sold |
70.5% (72.6%) |
▼ 2.9% |
71.0% (73.4%) |
▼ 3.3% |
65.2% (65.1%) |
▲ 0.2% |
| Total Raised |
£147.1M (£127.6M) |
▲ 15.2% |
£126.4M (£107.2M) |
▲ 17.9% |
£20.7M (£20.4M) |
▲ 1.2% |
 North-West Home Counties
(Includes Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Oxfordshire)
| December 2025 to February 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
753 (645) |
▲ 16.7% |
677 (566) |
▲ 19.6% |
76 (79) |
▼ 3.8% |
| Lots Sold |
539 (464) |
▲ 16.2% |
492 (399) |
▲ 23.3% |
47 (65) |
▼ 27.7% |
| Percent Sold |
71.6% (71.9%) |
▼ 0.4% |
72.7% (70.5%) |
▲ 3.1% |
61.8% (82.3%) |
▼ 24.9% |
| Total Raised |
£134.7M (£121.2M) |
▲ 11.1% |
£113.7M (£96.5M) |
▲ 17.8% |
£20.9M (£24.7M) |
▼ 15.1% |
 Northern Ireland
| December 2025 to February 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
58 (52) |
▲ 11.5% |
51 (50) |
▲ 2.0% |
7 (2) |
▲ 250.0% |
| Lots Sold |
21 (25) |
▼ 16.0% |
18 (23) |
▼ 21.7% |
3 (2) |
▲ 50.0% |
| Percent Sold |
36.2% (48.1%) |
▼ 24.7% |
35.3% (46.0%) |
▼ 23.3% |
42.9% (100.0%) |
▼ 57.1% |
| Total Raised |
£2.6M (£2.5M) |
▲ 3.8% |
£2.2M (£2.3M) |
▼ 5.7% |
£0.4M (£0.2M) |
▲ 115.5% |
 Scotland
| December 2025 to February 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
279 (300) |
▼ 7.0% |
194 (210) |
▼ 7.6% |
85 (90) |
▼ 5.6% |
| Lots Sold |
120 (113) |
▲ 6.2% |
95 (77) |
▲ 23.4% |
25 (36) |
▼ 30.6% |
| Percent Sold |
43.0% (37.7%) |
▲ 14.1% |
49.0% (36.7%) |
▲ 33.5% |
29.4% (40.0%) |
▼ 26.5% |
| Total Raised |
£11.4M (£12.9M) |
▼ 11.4% |
£8.3M (£6.7M) |
▲ 24.2% |
£3.1M (£6.2M) |
▼ 50.1% |
 South-East Home Counties
(Includes Channel Islands, East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Surrey, West Sussex)
| December 2025 to February 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,629 (1,425) |
▲ 14.3% |
1,475 (1,289) |
▲ 14.4% |
154 (136) |
▲ 13.2% |
| Lots Sold |
1,088 (1,002) |
▲ 8.6% |
979 (908) |
▲ 7.8% |
109 (94) |
▲ 16.0% |
| Percent Sold |
66.8% (70.3%) |
▼ 5.0% |
66.4% (70.4%) |
▼ 5.7% |
70.8% (69.1%) |
▲ 2.5% |
| Total Raised |
£271.3M (£234.6M) |
▲ 15.6% |
£216.2M (£199.0M) |
▲ 8.6% |
£55.1M (£35.6M) |
▲ 55.0% |
 South-West
(Includes Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Isles of Scilly, Somerset, Wiltshire)
| December 2025 to February 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
958 (754) |
▲ 27.1% |
824 (665) |
▲ 23.9% |
134 (89) |
▲ 50.6% |
| Lots Sold |
712 (565) |
▲ 26.0% |
613 (501) |
▲ 22.4% |
99 (64) |
▲ 54.7% |
| Percent Sold |
74.3% (74.9%) |
▼ 0.8% |
74.4% (75.3%) |
▼ 1.2% |
73.9% (71.9%) |
▲ 2.8% |
| Total Raised |
£128.3M (£115.4M) |
▲ 11.2% |
£106.1M (£100.9M) |
▲ 5.2% |
£22.1M (£14.5M) |
▲ 52.7% |
 Wales
| December 2025 to February 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
538 (503) |
▲ 7.0% |
434 (441) |
▼ 1.6% |
104 (62) |
▲ 67.7% |
| Lots Sold |
365 (317) |
▲ 15.1% |
294 (273) |
▲ 7.7% |
71 (44) |
▲ 61.4% |
| Percent Sold |
67.8% (63.0%) |
▲ 7.6% |
67.7% (61.9%) |
▲ 9.4% |
68.3% (71.0%) |
▼ 3.8% |
| Total Raised |
£43.6M (£41.3M) |
▲ 5.7% |
£32.7M (£30.8M) |
▲ 6.2% |
£10.9M (£10.4M) |
▲ 4.2% |
 West Midlands
(Includes Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire)
| December 2025 to February 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,150 (891) |
▲ 29.1% |
1,056 (810) |
▲ 30.4% |
94 (81) |
▲ 16.0% |
| Lots Sold |
882 (652) |
▲ 35.3% |
811 (592) |
▲ 37.0% |
71 (60) |
▲ 18.3% |
| Percent Sold |
76.7% (73.2%) |
▲ 4.8% |
76.8% (73.1%) |
▲ 5.1% |
75.5% (74.1%) |
▲ 1.9% |
| Total Raised |
£132.5M (£101.2M) |
▲ 31.0% |
£111.5M (£85.4M) |
▲ 30.6% |
£21.0M (£15.8M) |
▲ 32.8% |
 Yorkshire and The Humber
(Includes North Humberside, North Yorkshire, South Humberside, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire)
| December 2025 to February 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
873 (719) |
▲ 21.4% |
754 (600) |
▲ 25.7% |
119 (119) |
▼ 0.0% |
| Lots Sold |
612 (532) |
▲ 15.0% |
521 (449) |
▲ 16.0% |
91 (83) |
▲ 9.6% |
| Percent Sold |
70.1% (74.0%) |
▼ 5.3% |
69.1% (74.8%) |
▼ 7.6% |
76.5% (69.7%) |
▲ 9.8% |
| Total Raised |
£82.1M (£73.5M) |
▲ 11.7% |
£57.1M (£50.6M) |
▲ 13.0% |
£25.0M (£23.0M) |
▲ 8.9% |
Disclaimer: The figures in this newsletter are based on sales data provided to us by the auctioneers.
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