Portfolio landlords are driving a renaissance of the auction industry, it’s claimed.
NAVA Propertymark says that despite economic pressures, regulatory change and fluctuating sentiment in the wider market, auctions flourished in 2025.
This was partly down to individual buy to let landlords selling and their properties being snapped up by portfolio owners.
There has been a noticeable increase in flats and converted houses being offered at auction, driven in part by the Renters Rights Act and changes to Section 21.
Stuart Collar-Brown, president of NAVA Propertymark, comments: “The implementation of the Renters Rights Act has made residential investment more challenging, with many landlords choosing to sell up.
“But facing the reality that it’s the larger portfolio landlords who are the main buyers in the market as they are less affected by market changes.
“However, while residential investors are exiting the market, we are seeing commercial investors step in.
“Councils, for example, are releasing garage sites and similar assets, which often provide greater longevity and stability than short-term residential tenancies, making them a safer
“As we head into the new year, we are expecting to see more properties in need of refurbishment and commercial investments coming to auction.”
The trade body says auctions continue to attract buyers with their legally binding nature – typically completing within 28 days- remaining a key driver as market uncertainty persists.
Richard Worrall, a past president of NAVA Propertymark, comments: “I am very optimistic.
“Buyer sentiment appears more positive, the certainty of sale at auction is becoming increasingly appealing to sellers, and we are now selling far more properties to ‘end users’ than at any point in my career.”
Some of the auction highlights of 2025 included a terraced house guided at £50,000 that sold for £106,000, 112% above the guide price, after attracting more than 7,000 online page views.
An end-of-terrace property on Anglesey achieved 38.5% above its guide price, selling for £97,000 against a £70,000 guide.
That property alone generated 41 unique bids and around 4,500 online views.
