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14/7/25 8:13 pm
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The vast majority of property investors now buy properties at auction from the comfort of their armchair rather than visiting an auction room in person, new figures show.
Manchester-based lender Together says 33,448 auctions were held digitally – either livestreamed or online compared to 3,976 in-room auctions last year.
And this year’s figures look set to break this record with 18,707 auctions held online during the first six months of this year. This compares to less than 1,500 – with no livestreams – before the Covid outbreak in 2019.
A livestream property auction features real-time, broadcast video and audio feed of a live event, while online auctions are conducted purely over the internet, eBay-style.
“There has been an astounding growth in online activity since Covid, making buying property at auctions more accessible for bidders who may not to be physically in the room,” says Scott Hendry, director of auction finance at Together.
“We’ve seen a 181% rise in our auction finance lending in 2024 compared to 2019, which really highlights what a success story auctions have been in a property market which has proved volatile in the past few years.
“There’s been a shift in the culture because of the increasing use of online auctions, with a more diverse make-up of people buying property through this channel nowadays.
“Once only seasoned property buyers who would pitch up in an auction room, and this could be quite intimidating for anyone new to the room.
“Now the convenience of bidding online or at a livestreamed auction means that people such as younger first-time buyers or property investors and developers can take advantage of the digital transformation and bid on a par with experienced property professionals, which “has undoubtedly re-shaped the market”, says Hendry.
David Sandeman, MD of EIG Auctions, which crunched the data for Together, says: “Digital auctions are much easier for people to access because you don’t have to travel to a venue, and the bidding feels familiar – it is similar to bidding on eBay, which potential buyers have experience of and are comfortable with,” he says.
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