Auctioning your house might seem tempting for quick sales, but it often amounts to hidden costs and lower prices, driven by urgency rather than ambition. Instead of rewarding sellers, auction rooms are set up for opportunistic buyers, making it prudent to explore better alternatives if you want to maximise your property’s value.
If you are asking, “should I auction my house?”, you are probably weighing up speed and certainty against the price you might achieve. Selling a house by auction can work well in the right circumstances, but it is worth understanding the fees, reserve price and risks before you commit.
Property auctions give buyers and sellers a fixed auction date, and a traditional auction can become legally binding as soon as the hammer falls. However, you still need to prepare the property for auction, pay the relevant costs and attract enough bidding to reach your reserve.
Below, we explain how to auction a house, what it can cost, why some sellers choose auction instead of an estate agent, and what other options you have if certainty matters more than testing the property at auction.
The process starts by choosing a property auctioneer and agreeing the guide price and reserve price. Your property is then marketed ahead of the auction, either for an in-room sale or through an online auction.
On auction day, registered bidders compete for the property. If the bidding reaches your reserve price, the hammer falls and contracts exchange immediately in a traditional auction. The buyer normally pays a 10% deposit and is expected to complete within 28 days.
There are good reasons why some sellers choose auction. It gives you a fixed date, attracts investors and developers, and can suit properties that are harder to sell through a normal estate agency.
Properties that commonly appear at auction include repossessions, probate properties, homes in poor structural condition, properties with short leases or title issues, development plots and empty homes that have struggled on the open market.
If your property needs significant work, you may also find our guide to selling a house in poor condition useful before deciding which route to take.
The guide price is used to attract interest in the property. It gives potential bidders an indication of the auction price, but it is not the minimum amount you have agreed to accept.
The reserve price is different. It is the confidential minimum price you are prepared to accept. If bidding does not reach the reserve, the property does not sell.
This distinction matters because a low guide price can generate more interest without guaranteeing that you will actually sell the property at that figure.
Auction fees vary between providers, so check the terms before signing an agreement. The costs already identified by Property Saviour include:
| Cost | Typical amount already quoted |
|---|---|
| Auction entry fee | £300 to £1,500 |
| Legal pack preparation | £500 to £1,500 or more |
| Auctioneer commission after a successful sale | Typically 2% to 3% plus VAT |
| Unsold or withdrawal fee | May apply with some auctioneers |
| Further legal costs | May apply if complications arise |
The important point is that some costs are paid before you know whether the property will sell. Use the calculator below to work through the figures for your own situation.
There is no easier way to sell a house today.
If bidding does not reach your reserve price, the lot is passed as unsold. You still own the property and may already have paid entry and legal pack costs.
You can then consider another auction, return to an estate agent, negotiate with interested bidders after the auction or choose another method of sale. The key thing is to think about that possibility before auction day, rather than assuming the property is guaranteed to sell.
Not every auction works in exactly the same way. In a traditional auction, the sale becomes legally binding when the hammer falls and the buyer is expected to complete within the agreed period.
The modern method of auction works differently and does not guarantee exchange at the point the auction ends. If you are comparing online auctions or different auction providers, ask exactly when the buyer becomes legally committed and what happens if they pull out.
Yes. Probate properties are commonly sold at auction, particularly when executors want a clear timetable for dealing with the estate.
The downside is that the estate may already be paying council tax, insurance, utility bills and maintenance while the property is empty. If the reserve is not met, auction fees can add to those costs without completing the sale.
If you are dealing with a property after a bereavement, our guide to selling an inherited house explains the other options available.
Diane inherited her uncle’s two-bedroom terrace in Sheffield. She first used an estate agent, who valued the property at £165,000. A buyer was found after seven weeks, but after a survey the buyer asked for a £10,000 reduction. Diane accepted, then the buyer withdrew two weeks later because of a change in personal circumstances.
She then tried auction. Diane paid £750 in entry and legal pack fees. Bidding reached £128,000, below her £140,000 reserve, so the property did not sell.
Diane later approached Property Saviour. We assessed the property, provided a written offer within 24 hours, and she chose her own completion date and solicitor. Property Saviour also contributed a minimum of £1,500 towards her legal fees. The figure agreed at the start was the figure paid on completion.
| Method of sale | Value achieved | Fees | Timeframe | Is sale guaranteed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estate agents | 90–95% | 1–5% | 3–6 months | No – one in three sales collapse |
| Auctioneers | 70–80% | 2% plus | 2–3 months | No – half of properties don’t sell |
| Property Saviour | 70–80% | £0 | 10–28 days | Yes – 99% success rate |
Auction and a direct cash sale solve different problems. Auction lets the market bid for your property on a set date, while a cash buyer gives you a direct offer without putting the property through a public auction.
Auction may suit you if:
A direct cash sale may suit you if:
If you want to compare the alternative in more detail, read our guide to selling your house for cash.
If you decide not to auction and speak to a cash buyer instead, check the company before accepting an offer. Look at its Companies House record, ask for proof of funds and make sure you understand who is actually buying the property.
Our guide to identifying a genuine cash house buyer gives you a fuller checklist.
Property Saviour buys directly rather than putting your home into an auction. The cash purchase is based on 70% of a realistic open market valuation, with the difference covering legal costs, holding costs, stamp duty, resale costs and gross profit before tax.
You do not pay auction entry or legal pack fees for the direct purchase. You can use your own solicitor, choose a completion date that suits you, and Property Saviour contributes a minimum of £1,500 towards your legal fees.
It is not the right route for every seller. If achieving the highest possible price is your main goal and you have time to wait, selling on the open market or testing the property at auction may be more suitable. If certainty is more important, a direct cash offer gives you another option to compare.
You can also read our seller success stories to see how other homeowners have handled difficult sales.
Auctioning a house can be a sensible option if the property is likely to attract competitive bidding and you are comfortable with the fees and the risk of the reserve not being met.
Before you decide, compare the likely auction costs, choose a realistic reserve price and think about what you would do if the property did not sell. The UK Auction Fees Calculator above can help you work through the numbers.
If you would rather compare auction with a direct cash purchase, request a callback from Property Saviour. There is no obligation to proceed, so you can look at the options before deciding how you want to sell.
Whether you’re facing a tricky sale, navigating probate, or simply looking to sell fast without hassle, you’re in the right place. Our blog is packed with practical advice, expert insights, and real-life tips to help homeowners, landlords, and executors across England, Scotland and Wales make informed decisions — whatever the condition of their property.
