Our online auctions team has reported its best year ever for online auctions and said that difficult market conditions coupled with more certainty of sale have contributed to its success.
Partner and Head of Auctions, Tom Dennes, said the industry is seeing a rising number of high-value properties sold via online auction and that he expects this to grow further during 2026.
There has undoubtedly been a shift in the commercial property market, with vendors increasingly reassessing how best to bring assets to market. Higher interest rates, cautious lending and prolonged decision-making means that online auctions are increasingly becoming more favourable than the traditional private treaty method of sale.
Due to challenging market conditions, we have seen year-on-year organic growth of our online auction platform, with 2025 being our most successful year to date. But it is these same market conditions that are contributing to the industry-wide success of online auctions. It is a method which offers speed and certainty of sale, two things that are essential in our current economic climate, and enables vendors to manage risk, release capital or restructure portfolios.
And while historically, auctions have been closely associated with complex or compromised properties which may be difficult to sell, we are seeing more high-quality, income-generating properties go under the virtual hammer.
One of the most notable trends is the rise in properties valued at £1 million and above being sold through online auction. These assets range from prime parcels of land and estates to well-located industrial units and office blocks. The success of these sales demonstrates that auctions are no longer viewed as a secondary option, but as a strategic choice for property disposal.
The last three properties marketed at more than £1 million via online auction achieved over their guide price, with a 79-acre plot of prime Grade 1 arable land in Wales exceeding its £1.3 million guide by more than £200,000.
The range of vendors choosing to use online auctions is also widening and we are not only seeing individuals and traditional businesses favouring this method of sale, but also investment firms, charities and utility companies which have become unintended landlords of non-operational property and land.
Looking ahead, the trend of auctioning commercial properties online – including higher value properties - is expected to continue into 2026 and beyond. This outlook is reinforced by the growing level of repeat business we are seeing. Vendors who have experienced quick completions and reliable outcomes are increasingly returning to online auction for subsequent disposals.
Political uncertainty, ongoing economic pressures and forthcoming changes to Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations for commercial property are all likely to influence when owners choose to sell, and a certainty of sale will be an essential factor when deciding how to sell.
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