The UK property auction market is being rapidly transformed by digital platforms, with record numbers of sales now taking place online, according to figures from Essential Information Group (EIG).
Data supplied to specialist lender Together, which offers auction finance, shows that 33,448 property auctions were held online or livestreamed in 2024, compared with just 3,976 conducted in traditional auction rooms.
Activity in 2025 is on track to surpass that record, with 18,707 online sales recorded in the first six months alone. Before the pandemic, fewer than 1,500 online auctions were held in 2019, none of which were livestreamed.
Auction houses such as Pugh, part of Eddisons Auction Group, have reported record levels of engagement, with buyers and sellers embracing the transparency, speed and convenience of digital bidding.
Livestream auctions replicate the atmosphere of the auction room with video and audio feeds, while online-only auctions are conducted entirely over the internet.
Scott Hendry, director of auction finance at Together, said the shift had opened up the market to new entrants. “There has been an astounding growth in online activity since Covid, making buying property at auctions more accessible for bidders who may not be physically in the room,” he said.
“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.”
He added that online platforms were attracting a more diverse mix of buyers. “It was once only seasoned property buyers who would pitch up in an auction room, and this could be quite intimidating for anyone new.
“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.”
Andy Thompson, director of Eddisons Auction Group, said that livestreamed sales were drawing international interest: “Online and livestreamed auctions are transforming how people buy property, attracting everyone from first-time investors to established international buyers.
“Innovations like virtual tours and AI-powered legal-pack summarisation are making the process clearer and more efficient, while the speed and certainty of the auction model continue to appeal across the market.”
David Sandeman, managing director of EIG, said digital sales had become the default for many auctioneers. “They 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.
“On top of that, sales are happening far more frequently; instead of just a handful of big ballroom auctions each year, auctioneers are now running monthly livestreams and flexible online sales to suit the evolving needs of their vendors.”
