step by step guide to

buying and selling

at auction

helpful
tips and
advice

Its often thought that buying or selling property by auction

is complicated and risky and should only be attempted by
experienced property investors, developers or builders.
However, auctions are now a popular way for many people
to move home, find a DIY project or a buy-to-let
investment.

Here at Sequence we are one of the largest

residential property auctioneers in the UK.
Whether youre a novice or a seasoned
professional we can provide advice and
information on all aspects of buying and
selling at auction.
There are a number of steps to take and
weve included them in this guide. If you

have any questions you can call any of our

auction centres listed at the back of this
booklet and they will be happy to help.
Buying and selling at auction is basically a
step by step process and if you do visit an
auction youll discover, like many thousands
of people, just how easy it really is. Here are
the main areas you will need to think about.

getting ready to sell

3-4

The first stage is to find out what your home is worth.

Youll also need to appoint a solicitor.

preparing to buy

5-6

Finding the property thats right for you

and then preparing for the auction.

the auction day

7-8

What to do during the most exciting part

of buying or selling at auction.

youve done it!

When the hammer falls, the contract is

binding and the property is sold.

jargon buster
A handy list of terms and phrases.

10

getting ready to sell

There are many advantages to selling your home at an
auction. Its quick - the whole process takes around six
weeks, theres no chain and when the hammer falls, your
property is sold.
Selling at auction also widens the potential
market, not only will there be buyers who
want to make it their home, therell also be
investors, developers and property dealers
interested in buying.
In many cases an auction could prove to be
the best method for selling your property
and not just a last resort.

finding out what your property

is worth

entering a property for auction

You will need to register your property at
least six weeks before the auction to ensure
that it is included in the catalogue and also
allowing the auctioneer plenty of time to
market it. A good auctioneer will market
your home online, in the local or national
press and distribute the catalogue to
potential buyers and investors - all the time,
keeping you fully updated on the response.

Once youve decided to sell, you will need a

full auction appraisal to find out what price
you can expect to achieve, the likely
timescales and costs involved.
You should choose your auctioneer carefully
as this can make all the difference as to
whether you achieve the best price. It may
be tempting to go with the auctioneer who
quotes you the highest guide price, but if
your property doesnt sell then you could be
left with the auctioneers and solicitors costs
and a home that you still need to sell. It can
also be tempting to use the auctioneer that
quotes the lowest fee, but are they really
going to market your property to its full
potential and generate as much interest as
possible before the auction? Just one extra
bid on the day could more than cover a
slightly higher fee.

step by step guide to buying and selling at auction

Youll also need to appoint a solicitor who

will help in preparing the contract of sale
and supporting legal paperwork. Again, a
good auctioneer will liaise with your
solicitor fully, ensuring everything is in place
for the auction sale.

marketing your home

Once the marketing of your property
begins, the auctioneer may receive offers
on it before the auction. These will be
forwarded to you straight away. Sometimes
they will be unrealistic and a good
auctioneer will arrange with you to only
advise when the offer is reasonable. If your
property is sold before the auction, then it
will be withdrawn upon exchange of
contracts.

the reserve price

A lot of people are put off from selling at
auction because theyre worried they will
lose money if bids are very low. Dont
worry, you should talk to your auctioneer
about setting a reserve price which is the
minimum price you want your home to be
sold for. This is normally set in principle
when you instruct the auctioneer. It
safeguards you from setting a reserve that
is too low or too high. Its confidential and
will not be disclosed to anyone.

how we can help?

We can provide you with a
free, no obligation auction
appraisal of your property. It will
advise you on a recommended reserve
and give you an idea of the price you
could achieve at auction. We can
also market your property locally
or nationally using our network
of estate agents.

step by step guide to buying and selling at auction

preparing to buy
People buy at auction for lots of reasons, they might want
to move quickly or they could be looking for a repossessed
property, a plot of land to build on or quite simply they
want a quick purchase without the risk of gazumping.
They may also want something a bit
unusual, the type of property not usually
sold traditionally through an estate agent.
Buy-to-let investors also buy properties at
auctions, as they have a full range of
investment opportunities to choose from
and they can purchase quickly. It doesnt
matter what your reason for buying at
auction is, the key to success is preparation.

finding the right property

where to look
There are lots of places you can start
looking, the Internet, property
supplements, regional and local papers and
by contacting auction centres. The auction
centre can add you to their mailing list and
you will be sent a copy of the auction
catalogue which lists all of the properties
for sale. Youll be one of the first to see it
and it will give you plenty of time to
complete your enquiries before the auction.

Before you go along to an auction to buy a

property theres a lot of groundwork that
needs to be done first. A good place to
start is by making a list of your musthaves. It could be a particular location,
detached or semi-detached, number of
bedrooms, price range, space for parking,
etc. Once you have an idea of what type of
property you want to buy, then you're
ready to start your search.

step by step guide to buying and selling at auction

before the auction

> as with any property you want to buy,
arrange a viewing of the property
> make sure that youve arranged a survey
- youll definitely need this if you are
financing the purchase with a mortgage.
If you are paying in cash youll want to
make sure the property is structurally
sound
> if you are financing the purchase with a
mortgage, then you should have a
formal offer in place before attending
the auction
> youll need a deposit which is typically
10% of the purchase price - this is
payable at the auction once youve
bought the property
> have a look at a copy of the legal
documents from your auctioneer - these
are usually available online
> consult a solicitor about the purchase to
avoid any legal pitfalls
> make sure you have a copy of the
auction catalogue, as this forms part of
the legal contract between you and the
seller

Some of these preparations will incur costs,

but its much better to make sure
everything has been checked in advance for
your own peace of mind. The auction
centre will be able to advise you about
what these costs are likely to be.

offers prior to auction

You can submit an offer on a property
before the auction which, if suitable, would
be sent on to the seller. If this is accepted
then your purchase will go ahead and
when contracts are exchanged the property
will be withdrawn from the auction.

how we can help?

You can contact any of our
regional auction centres for a
catalogue showing the latest properties
for sale in that region, or alternatively
contact our national auction centre,
Barnard Marcus with properties for
sale throughout the UK. Contact
details for your nearest auction
centre can be found at the
back of this guide.

step by step guide to buying and selling at auction

the auction day

This is by far the most exciting part of buying or selling a
property at auction - but make sure youre prepared on the
day. If youre buying, contact the auction centre beforehand
to make sure that the property you want is still available.
what do I need to bring?

your deposit

Buyers will need two forms of

identification, a copy of the auction
catalogue, solicitors details and a deposit if you are successful then you will need to
pay this when contracts are exchanged,
which happens on the fall of the hammer.

This can be a bankers draft, a building

society cheque, debit card or a personal
cheque. At some auctions there may also
be a contract documentation fee payable.

Its also a good idea to arrange for your

buildings insurance policy to commence as
soon as the hammer falls. For some leasehold
properties this might not be necessary but
your solicitor will advise you on this.

bidding
Before bidding begins, the auctioneer will
check that everybody has a copy of the
Addendum or Announcement sheet and
will read out any last minute alterations to
the catalogue details.
When the property you are interested in
comes up, make sure you know the
maximum price you can afford to pay - its
easy to get carried away!
Once bidding begins, potential buyers will
be asked to make their bids clearly either
by raising their hand or a copy of the
bidders card. And dont worry you cant
accidentally buy a property just by
scratching your head!

step by step guide to buying and selling at auction

Once a final bid has been put forward, the

auctioneer will signal that it is about to be
accepted by using the phrase going,
going, gone and bang the hammer to
close the sale. If a property fails to reach
the reserve price it will be withdrawn from
the auction and the auctioneer will invite
anyone still interested to talk afterwards.
Sales can still be made afterwards if a price
is agreed with the seller.

what if I cant attend?

If you cant attend on the day, then you
can arrange for someone to submit bids on
your behalf. Theyll need your written
consent and you should agree strict limits
before any bids are submitted. If you would
like somebody from the auctions centre to
do this, then contact them at least two
days before the auction.

You can also submit telephone bids to a

member of the auction team wholl be in
the auction room. Theyll make bids on
your behalf. Or you could try internet
bidding, details of how to arrange this are
usually included in the auction catalogue,
or supplied by the auction centre.
Remember that if you can attend the sale
yourself, then this is by far the best way to
bid and you wont miss out on the exciting
atmosphere in the room.

how we can help?

We can give you help and advice
on what you should do on the
auction day. A member of our staff
is always at hand to help you
when you arrive.

tip
On arrival, check to see if there have
been any late changes to the lots,
just ask for a copy of the Addendum
and Announcement sheet.

step by step guide to buying and selling at auction

youve done it!

Once the hammer falls, then contracts are legally exchanged.
The contract will need to be signed and the deposit handed
over immediately. The auctioneer is legally entitled to sign
the contracts on behalf of the buyer and seller if necessary.
The completion of the sale usually takes
about 28 days, however for some
properties this can happen sooner - this will
be stated in the general conditions of sale
in the auction catalogue or as a special
condition of sale in the legal documents.
The balance of the sale price will be
payable upon completion and a solicitor
will normally deal with this part of
the sale.

step by step guide to buying and selling at auction

jargon buster
When youre attending an auction for the first time, it can
feel like you need to learn a whole new language. But, by
brushing up on a few key terms, youll fully understand
what is happening both before and on the day.
> bid - the amount that someone (the
bidder) offers to pay for a property at
auction. The auctioneer often controls
the amount by which bids increase
although bidders can suggest a different
amount if they wish.
> completion - when the full amount
has been paid and the transfer signed.
> entering a property - the term used
for putting a property up for sale at
auction.
> exchange of contracts - the fall of the
auctioneers hammer or gavel means
that contracts have been exchanged.
> gavel - the hammer the auctioneer
uses to close the bidding on a lot.
> general/special condition of sale these are legal papers that are attached
to and form part of the condition of sale.
There are different special conditions of
sale for each and every lot.
> guide price - provides an indication of
the level at which the reserve may be set,
but the guide price should not be relied
upon as a valuation or assessment of
value. The eventual sale price can be
above or below the guide price.
> joint auctioneer - generally a local
estate agent who will show people
around the property and provide local
knowledge.

10

> lot - when a property is entered for

auction it is referred to as a lot and given
a lot number.
> reserve price - this is a confidential
figure set by the seller. The seller will not
sell below this price however bidding will
often start below the reserve price.
> withdrawn - this is when a property is
sold before the auction, it has been
taken off the market or it fails to reach
its reserve price.

step by step guide to buying and selling at auction

contact us
Barnard Marcus

Bagshaws Residential

covering the whole of the UK

covering Derbyshire, Staffordshire and

the whole of the East and West Midlands

The Glassmills
322B King Street
Hammersmith
London W6 0AX

38 Cornmarket
Derby
Derbyshire DE1 2DG

T 020 8741 8088 or 020 8741 9990

E [email protected]

T 01332 542296 or 01332 542298

E [email protected]

Fox & Sons

William H Brown

covering Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire,

Oxfordshire, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall,
East & West Sussex and the Isle of Wight

covering Yorkshire, Humberside,

Lancashire, Tyne and Wear, Cheshire and
Merseyside

32/34 London Road

Southampton
Hampshire SO15 2AG

38 High Street
Bawtry, Doncaster
South Yorkshire DN10 6JE

T 02380 338066
E [email protected]

T 01302 710490
E [email protected]

William H Brown
covering East Anglia and the Midlands
5 Bank Plain
Norwich
Norfolk NR2 4SF
T 01603 598 975 or 01603 598 977
E [email protected]

Trading name of Sequence (UK) Limited.

Registered in England No: 4268443.
Registered office: Cumbria House, 16-20 Hockliffe Street,
Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire LU7 1GN. VAT registration
number 500 2481 05. Copyright 2013 Sequence (UK)
Limited. All rights reserved.

www.sequencehome.co.uk
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