Home sales through modern-style auctions have risen by almost 15% over the past year and listings up by 25% in some regions, according to data from Lomond.

These are different to traditional auctions, where bidding takes place at a set time and buyers typically have a short period to complete.

Modern method auctions (MMoA) are generally conducted online over a longer bidding period.

Once a price is agreed, buyers have 56 days to complete the purchase, allowing more time to arrange mortgage finance.

Lomond says this compares with an average of 98 days for sales through other methods across its network, making MMoA transactions around 43% quicker.

The agency says modern auction agreed sales increased by 14.5% compared with the previous year, while completed sales rose by 9.4%.

Figures point to growing interest in auctions as transaction times in the wider housing market remain lengthy.

There have been particularly large increases in activity in Yorkshire and Manchester.

The number of properties offered for sale by auction in Yorkshire rose by 25% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, while auction completions in Manchester have increased by 13.6% compared with the previous year.

Lomond chief revenue officer for the North West and Midlands Paul Clarke says: “Auction sales are becoming an increasingly attractive option for vendors seeking greater speed and certainty.

“There’s been a misconception previously that auction sales are for properties that need serious renovations, but this is most certainly not always the case.

“As transaction timelines continue to lengthen across the wider housing market, auctions offer a route to a quicker, more secure sale, helping to explain the growing appetite we’re seeing across a number of our regional brands.”

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