Essential Auction News
National auction activity remained solid in April, with 3,433 lots offered across the UK, up 9.5% year-on-year. However, supply continued to rise faster than sales activity, with the national success rate falling to 64.7% from 68.2% a year earlier. Residential auctions continued to support the market, with residential lots sold up 8.1% and total raised increasing to £333.8 million. In contrast, commercial performance weakened, with commercial lots sold down 25.5% and total funds raised falling 23.3%.
Regionally, the strongest growth during the February to April period came from Yorkshire and The Humber and the West Midlands, where activity, sales and funds raised all increased strongly year-on-year. The North-West also remained highly active, while Scotland continued to record the weakest success rates despite rising supply levels.
Overall, auction activity continues to run ahead of last year across most parts of the UK, particularly within the residential sector. However, the continued increase in stock entering the market is placing pressure on success rates, as higher levels of available stock give buyers greater choice.
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 April 2026 |
| Total Lots Offered |
3,433 |
| Total Lots Sold |
2,222 |
| Percent Sold |
64.7% |
| Total Realised |
£382,168,100 |
|
|
National Auction Analysis
OverallN.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
|
April 2026 |
February 2026 to April 2026 |
May 2025 to April 2026 |
| Lots Offered |
3,433 (3,136) |
▲ 9.5% |
12,234 (10,935) |
▲ 11.9% |
43,627 (40,066) |
▲ 8.9% |
| Lots Sold |
2,222 (2,139) |
▲ 3.9% |
8,517 (7,682) |
▲ 10.9% |
30,337 (28,335) |
▲ 7.1% |
| Percent Sold |
64.7% (68.2%) |
▼ 5.1% |
69.6% (70.3%) |
▼ 1.0% |
69.5% (70.7%) |
▼ 1.7% |
| Total Raised |
£382.2M (£381.7M) |
▲ 0.1% |
£1,617.0M (£1,553.1M) |
▲ 4.1% |
£6,057.1M (£5,645.1M) |
▲ 7.3% |
ResidentialN.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
|
April 2026 |
February 2026 to April 2026 |
May 2025 to April 2026 |
| Lots Offered |
3,091 (2,761) |
▲ 12.0% |
10,918 (9,684) |
▲ 12.7% |
38,752 (35,425) |
▲ 9.4% |
| Lots Sold |
2,020 (1,868) |
▲ 8.1% |
7,610 (6,778) |
▲ 12.3% |
27,012 (25,064) |
▲ 7.8% |
| Percent Sold |
65.4% (67.7%) |
▼ 3.4% |
69.7% (70.0%) |
▼ 0.4% |
69.7% (70.8%) |
▼ 1.6% |
| Total Raised |
£333.8M (£318.7M) |
▲ 4.7% |
£1,314.1M (£1,235.7M) |
▲ 6.3% |
£4,961.5M (£4,511.3M) |
▲ 10.0% |
CommercialN.B. Figures in brackets denote the comparative period last year
|
April 2026 |
February 2026 to April 2026 |
May 2025 to April 2026 |
| Lots Offered |
342 (375) |
▼ 8.8% |
1,316 (1,251) |
▲ 5.2% |
4,875 (4,641) |
▲ 5.0% |
| Lots Sold |
202 (271) |
▼ 25.5% |
907 (904) |
▲ 0.3% |
3,325 (3,271) |
▲ 1.7% |
| Percent Sold |
59.1% (72.3%) |
▼ 18.3% |
68.9% (72.3%) |
▼ 4.7% |
68.2% (70.5%) |
▼ 3.3% |
| Total Raised |
£48.3M (£63.0M) |
▼ 23.3% |
£302.9M (£317.4M) |
▼ 4.6% |
£1,095.6M (£1,133.8M) |
▼ 3.4% |
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)
| February 2026 to April 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
564 (533) |
▲ 5.8% |
512 (480) |
▲ 6.7% |
52 (53) |
▼ 1.9% |
| Lots Sold |
400 (367) |
▲ 9.0% |
364 (336) |
▲ 8.3% |
36 (31) |
▲ 16.1% |
| Percent Sold |
70.9% (68.9%) |
▲ 2.9% |
71.1% (70.0%) |
▲ 1.6% |
69.2% (58.5%) |
▲ 18.3% |
| Total Raised |
£69.9M (£64.6M) |
▲ 8.2% |
£60.8M (£58.0M) |
▲ 4.7% |
£9.2M (£6.6M) |
▲ 39.1% |
 East Midlands
(Includes Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland)
| February 2026 to April 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
995 (923) |
▲ 7.8% |
894 (807) |
▲ 10.8% |
101 (116) |
▼ 12.9% |
| Lots Sold |
707 (657) |
▲ 7.6% |
633 (559) |
▲ 13.2% |
74 (98) |
▼ 24.5% |
| Percent Sold |
71.1% (71.2%) |
▼ 0.1% |
70.8% (69.3%) |
▲ 2.2% |
73.3% (84.5%) |
▼ 13.3% |
| Total Raised |
£115.5M (£120.4M) |
▼ 4.1% |
£87.7M (£77.0M) |
▲ 14.0% |
£27.7M (£43.4M) |
▼ 36.1% |
 London
| February 2026 to April 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
935 (905) |
▲ 3.3% |
869 (829) |
▲ 4.8% |
66 (76) |
▼ 13.2% |
| Lots Sold |
683 (660) |
▲ 3.5% |
629 (598) |
▲ 5.2% |
54 (62) |
▼ 12.9% |
| Percent Sold |
73.0% (72.9%) |
▲ 0.1% |
72.4% (72.1%) |
▲ 0.4% |
81.8% (81.6%) |
▲ 0.2% |
| Total Raised |
£304.2M (£312.1M) |
▼ 2.5% |
£264.5M (£265.3M) |
▼ 0.3% |
£39.7M (£46.8M) |
▼ 15.2% |
 North-East
(Includes Cleveland, County Durham, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear)
| February 2026 to April 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
749 (669) |
▲ 12.0% |
704 (605) |
▲ 16.4% |
45 (64) |
▼ 29.7% |
| Lots Sold |
515 (492) |
▲ 4.7% |
484 (442) |
▲ 9.5% |
31 (50) |
▼ 38.0% |
| Percent Sold |
68.8% (73.5%) |
▼ 6.4% |
68.8% (73.1%) |
▼ 5.9% |
68.9% (78.1%) |
▼ 11.8% |
| Total Raised |
£45.1M (£43.4M) |
▲ 3.9% |
£34.0M (£29.2M) |
▲ 16.2% |
£11.1M (£14.1M) |
▼ 21.6% |
 North-West
(Includes Cheshire, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside)
| February 2026 to April 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,767 (1,523) |
▲ 16.0% |
1,626 (1,383) |
▲ 17.6% |
141 (140) |
▲ 0.7% |
| Lots Sold |
1,236 (1,099) |
▲ 12.5% |
1,136 (1,004) |
▲ 13.1% |
100 (95) |
▲ 5.3% |
| Percent Sold |
69.9% (72.2%) |
▼ 3.2% |
69.9% (72.6%) |
▼ 3.7% |
70.9% (67.9%) |
▲ 4.4% |
| Total Raised |
£161.4M (£145.3M) |
▲ 11.0% |
£133.7M (£125.0M) |
▲ 7.0% |
£27.7M (£20.4M) |
▲ 36.0% |
 North-West Home Counties
(Includes Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Oxfordshire)
| February 2026 to April 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
826 (823) |
▲ 0.4% |
728 (723) |
▲ 0.7% |
98 (100) |
▼ 2.0% |
| Lots Sold |
593 (575) |
▲ 3.1% |
522 (495) |
▲ 5.5% |
71 (80) |
▼ 11.3% |
| Percent Sold |
71.8% (69.9%) |
▲ 2.7% |
71.7% (68.5%) |
▲ 4.7% |
72.4% (80.0%) |
▼ 9.5% |
| Total Raised |
£152.0M (£153.3M) |
▼ 0.8% |
£123.1M (£112.0M) |
▲ 9.9% |
£29.0M (£41.3M) |
▼ 29.9% |
 Northern Ireland
| February 2026 to April 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
92 (79) |
▲ 16.5% |
60 (58) |
▲ 3.4% |
32 (21) |
▲ 52.4% |
| Lots Sold |
48 (38) |
▲ 26.3% |
32 (22) |
▲ 45.5% |
16 (16) |
▼ 0.0% |
| Percent Sold |
52.2% (48.1%) |
▲ 8.5% |
53.3% (37.9%) |
▲ 40.6% |
50.0% (76.2%) |
▼ 34.4% |
| Total Raised |
£5.1M (£4.7M) |
▲ 7.6% |
£3.4M (£2.1M) |
▲ 58.1% |
£1.7M (£2.6M) |
▼ 34.2% |
 Scotland
| February 2026 to April 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
378 (308) |
▲ 22.7% |
262 (205) |
▲ 27.8% |
116 (103) |
▲ 12.6% |
| Lots Sold |
155 (134) |
▲ 15.7% |
127 (104) |
▲ 22.1% |
28 (30) |
▼ 6.7% |
| Percent Sold |
41.0% (43.5%) |
▼ 5.7% |
48.5% (50.7%) |
▼ 4.3% |
24.1% (29.1%) |
▼ 17.2% |
| Total Raised |
£15.6M (£15.9M) |
▼ 1.7% |
£11.4M (£10.0M) |
▲ 14.0% |
£4.2M (£5.9M) |
▼ 28.4% |
 South-East Home Counties
(Includes Channel Islands, East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Surrey, West Sussex)
| February 2026 to April 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,763 (1,667) |
▲ 5.8% |
1,590 (1,529) |
▲ 4.0% |
173 (138) |
▲ 25.4% |
| Lots Sold |
1,188 (1,154) |
▲ 2.9% |
1,060 (1,053) |
▲ 0.7% |
128 (101) |
▲ 26.7% |
| Percent Sold |
67.4% (69.2%) |
▼ 2.6% |
66.7% (68.9%) |
▼ 3.2% |
74.0% (73.2%) |
▲ 1.1% |
| Total Raised |
£278.9M (£281.0M) |
▼ 0.7% |
£226.7M (£232.8M) |
▼ 2.6% |
£52.3M (£48.2M) |
▲ 8.4% |
 South-West
(Includes Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Isles of Scilly, Somerset, Wiltshire)
| February 2026 to April 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,186 (968) |
▲ 22.5% |
1,019 (833) |
▲ 22.3% |
167 (135) |
▲ 23.7% |
| Lots Sold |
851 (725) |
▲ 17.4% |
724 (615) |
▲ 17.7% |
127 (110) |
▲ 15.5% |
| Percent Sold |
71.8% (74.9%) |
▼ 4.1% |
71.1% (73.8%) |
▼ 3.7% |
76.0% (81.5%) |
▼ 6.7% |
| Total Raised |
£163.2M (£149.6M) |
▲ 9.1% |
£130.8M (£123.5M) |
▲ 5.9% |
£32.5M (£26.1M) |
▲ 24.4% |
 Wales
| February 2026 to April 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
683 (688) |
▼ 0.7% |
570 (584) |
▼ 2.4% |
113 (104) |
▲ 8.7% |
| Lots Sold |
469 (447) |
▲ 4.9% |
392 (375) |
▲ 4.5% |
77 (72) |
▲ 6.9% |
| Percent Sold |
68.7% (65.0%) |
▲ 5.7% |
68.8% (64.2%) |
▲ 7.2% |
68.1% (69.2%) |
▼ 1.6% |
| Total Raised |
£60.8M (£57.9M) |
▲ 5.0% |
£44.4M (£42.9M) |
▲ 3.6% |
£16.4M (£15.0M) |
▲ 9.0% |
 West Midlands
(Includes Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire)
| February 2026 to April 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,255 (1,056) |
▲ 18.8% |
1,145 (970) |
▲ 18.0% |
110 (86) |
▲ 27.9% |
| Lots Sold |
962 (753) |
▲ 27.8% |
879 (689) |
▲ 27.6% |
83 (64) |
▲ 29.7% |
| Percent Sold |
76.7% (71.3%) |
▲ 7.6% |
76.8% (71.0%) |
▲ 8.2% |
75.5% (74.4%) |
▲ 1.5% |
| Total Raised |
£155.4M (£125.5M) |
▲ 23.8% |
£127.6M (£107.3M) |
▲ 18.9% |
£27.8M (£18.2M) |
▲ 52.3% |
 Yorkshire and The Humber
(Includes North Humberside, North Yorkshire, South Humberside, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire)
| February 2026 to April 2026 |
Total |
Residential |
Commercial |
| Lots Offered |
1,041 (793) |
▲ 31.3% |
939 (678) |
▲ 38.5% |
102 (115) |
▼ 11.3% |
| Lots Sold |
710 (581) |
▲ 22.2% |
628 (486) |
▲ 29.2% |
82 (95) |
▼ 13.7% |
| Percent Sold |
68.2% (73.3%) |
▼ 7.0% |
66.9% (71.7%) |
▼ 6.7% |
80.4% (82.6%) |
▼ 2.7% |
| Total Raised |
£90.0M (£79.4M) |
▲ 13.3% |
£66.2M (£50.7M) |
▲ 30.6% |
£23.8M (£28.7M) |
▼ 17.3% |
Disclaimer: The figures in this newsletter are based on sales data provided to us by the auctioneers.
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