The auction market in England appears to be growing with ever-greater enthusiasm, with the North West showing persistently strong levels of activity.
In this article, we’ll examine how auction sales across the North West are going from strength to strength and what could be driving this upward movement.
According to the latest market analysis from Essential Information Group (EIG)*, auction activity across the UK showed solid year-on-year growth as of April 2025.
While the UK auction market has not struggled in recent months, a resurgence in activity comes as welcome news, with some regions previously experiencing a level of stagnation during Q1 2025.
The overall trend remains broadly positive, however, with both the number of lots available and total sale volumes showing consistent signs of growth.
Despite the percentage of properties sold falling slightly due to the increasing number of properties coming to market, the number of sales and the total amounts raised from these sales continue to rise.
This suggests that the increased stock coming into the auction market is broadly being met by enthusiastic interest from buyers.
Auction property sales across the UK are subject to some significant regional differences. Scotland and Northern Ireland, for example, have much smaller auction markets than England and Wales.
In England, the auction market is more active, but with the caveat that some regions continue to outperform others.
The South-East Home Counties and North West are well ahead in terms of total auction sales between February and April 2025, while regions such as the North East and East Anglia are well behind.
This could be in part due to the popularity of property auctions relatively across the UK, but it should also be noted that regional property trends on the open market appear to follow a similar trend to what is being shown for auction sales.
This suggests that the buyer demand for property is increasingly attracting customers from the traditional housing market to the auction arena.
Despite an annual drop in property transactions across the UK, research from Dataloft again shows a notable variation in regional performance.
Here, the North West and South East continue to outperform the rest of the UK in terms of overall sales.
Interesting, while also representing one of the most active regions in terms of transactions, the North West has also reported the highest increase in sales prices on the open market during the past 12 months.
It is clear that the current population of both the North West and the South East on the open property market is being reflected in the auction space, making now a great time for both buyers and sellers coming to market.
The property market has shifted in recent months owing to a combination of external global economic pressures and domestic challenges, such as new tax regulations and changes to rental rules.
Despite the relative uncertainty created by changes to market conditions, it appears that the property market is evolving rather than retreating.
While some landlords are choosing to exit the property market, others are taking the opportunity to expand their portfolios or make targeted investments.
At the same time, more and more first-time buyers are taking advantage of the increase of housing stock by approaching the auction market as a possible route to securing their first home.
“We’re seeing strong demand from a broad spectrum of buyers — not just seasoned investors.
The auction process has become so streamlined and accessible that it’s attracting first-time buyers, downsizers, and even owner-occupiers looking for a quick and transparent way to secure a property,” says Head of Auction at Edeward Mellor, Louise Buttery.
“We are also seeing a growing number of sellers turning to auction for it’s speed and certainty.
It’s no longer just a tool for distressed sales — homeowners, developers, and even probate vendors are choosing auction as a fast, efficient way to achieve competitive results in a defined timeframe.”
Overall, as the housing market continues to recover from the challenges of the past few years, it appears that the appetite for property is as strong as ever and that auction sales will continue to play an important role in the ‘new normal.’
Whether you are buying or selling, the Edward Mellor Property Auction team is here to support you.
We’ve been active within the auction market for over 30 years, and there’s never been a more exciting time to be involved!
Buyers currently have more choice than they have had in recent years, meaning that vendors will have more competition to find the right buyer and sell their property for the best price.
This is why it’s so important to have a trusted helping hand when selling your home. As one of the North West’s largest and most successful auction houses, our proven auction process has delivered consistent results that have seen vendors turn to us time and again.
We’ll manage every step of the sale process from valuation, listing and marketing to the final sale. We’re also able to sell properties across England and Wales – so don’t be afraid to drop us a line to see how we can help you!
If you’d like to learn more, simply give us a call on 0161 820 4658 or email us at [email protected].
If you’re ready to get started, why not book a free, no-obligation appraisal using the link below?
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