Frequently Asked Questions

Because every bid happens in the open — you see exactly who's bidding and how much, so there's no guessing whether a phantom buyer is being used to push the price up. In a private treaty negotiation you're buying blind; at auction, nothing happens behind a closed door you're not part of.

Yes — because everyone can see the bidding, the final price reflects what genuine buyers are actually willing to pay on the day, not a number an agent has quietly steered you toward. It's a price the open market has agreed to, in front of witnesses.

Yes. Auctions run under a single, public process with the same rules for every bidder in the room — no side deals, no quiet phone calls giving one buyer an edge. Whatever advantage you bring is visible to everyone, which keeps it a level playing field.

Auction campaigns typically run four to six weeks, and that whole window is yours to inspect the property, arrange building and pest reports, sort finance pre-approval, and get advice — all without pressure, since the property can't sell until the hammer falls on auction day.

By auction day you've already had weeks to prepare, so all that's left is showing up and bidding if the price makes sense to you. If it doesn't, you don't have to bid — you'll still have watched a transparent process determine the property's true value.

Auctions run to a fixed timeline — you set the date, market for four to six weeks, and it's done on the day. There's no open-ended waiting game like private treaty, where a property can sit on the market for weeks or months while you negotiate back and forth.

Instead of negotiating one-on-one with a single buyer, auction puts multiple buyers in the room competing against each other in real time. Once a second bidder raises their hand, the negotiation shifts from you-versus-them to buyer-versus-buyer — competitive pressure that has pushed properties tens of thousands of dollars above reserve.

No — that's exactly what auction avoids. There's no drawn-out negotiation fatigue from weeks of lowball offers and "we'll get back to you." You set your reserve, the auctioneer runs the room, and the market determines the price publicly on the day.

Less likely than in a private sale. In a one-on-one negotiation, buyers always leave room to negotiate further. At auction, the pressure of the room and the finality of the hammer tend to draw out a buyer's true ceiling, so sellers don't leave money on the table.

No — an auction sale is unconditional. There are no finance clauses or building and pest contingencies afterward. The buyer has done their due diligence beforehand, so when the hammer falls, contracts exchange and the deposit is paid immediately.

The reserve is the confidential minimum price the owner will accept, provided to the auctioneer ahead of time and never announced to the crowd. Keeping it private is what drives genuine competition — buyers bid on what the property is worth to them, not on what they think the seller wants to hear. Read more →

A great reserve weighs several things together — genuine buyer feedback from inspections, recent comparable sales, the seller's own goals, competing stock on the market, and the agent's experience. It's usually locked in during the final week of a campaign once real buyer signals are in. Read more →

The auctioneer negotiates on the floor to close the gap, sometimes revealing the reserve to the highest bidder. If no deal is reached, the property is passed in and the highest bidder is given first right of refusal to negotiate directly with the seller at the reserve price. Read more →

Selling at the property itself lets buyers feel the size and street appeal in person, builds a real crowd and sense of competition, and showcases both the property and the agent's campaign publicly. It suits most houses and townhouses, though apartments or busy-road properties often suit an in-room auction better. Read more →

In-room auctions bring buyers from multiple campaigns into one venue, creating extra energy and turnout. They offer a comfortable, weather-proof environment, more privacy for owners who'd rather not have a crowd outside their home, and the same rigorous, transparent bidding process as an onsite sale. Read more →

Less than most people assume. Saturday remains the default because it draws the biggest natural buyer pool, but a well-marketed property with genuine interest performs well on almost any day. What actually drives results is the depth of your buyer pool and the strength of the campaign. Read more →

Morning slots tend to attract fresh, focused buyers and carry a slight psychological edge, while midday can mean a bigger but more distracted crowd, and twilight auctions bring a relaxed, social atmosphere. A strong campaign performs well at almost any sensible time. Read more →

Spring gets the attention, but it also means competing with a flood of other listings. Winter and summer typically see far fewer properties on the market, so the serious buyers who are still looking have fewer options — which can work in your favour. Read more →

No — run the auction through to the end. Only you and your agent know how many bidders are registered, and a skilled auctioneer can still run a strong, professional auction regardless. Withdrawing early signals to the market that something's wrong and can cost you real leverage in negotiations. Read more →

Yes, but it needs to be set honestly. A price guide helps genuine buyers self-select into your campaign, but guiding too low can frustrate buyers later, while guiding too high can scare off serious bidders. The best guides are grounded in the same evidence used to set your reserve. Read more →

Be competitively priced. Buyers self-select based on price before they ever book an inspection, so no amount of styling or marketing can make up for a property positioned outside what the market will pay. Choosing an agent whose pricing advice you trust is the single biggest lever you control. Read more →

Yes, but owners generally only seriously consider offers that are unconditional — no finance clause, no cooling-off period, backed by a genuine deposit and, in NSW, a Section 66w certificate from your solicitor. Many owners still decline strong pre-auction offers because they believe genuine competition is still to come. Read more →

It's rarely just about price — it can come down to terms, or simply the owner wanting to see the full campaign play out. A declined offer isn't a closed door: stay engaged with the agent, and come to auction day ready to compete in a completely open environment. Read more →

A vendor bid is a bid made by the auctioneer on behalf of the property owner, always clearly announced as such. It's a regulated, transparent tool used to help open the auction or move bidding toward a level the owner will consider — not a trick played on buyers. Read more →

It's more reassuring than it sounds — at the end of the day, only one person ever buys the home, and if that person is ready to bid, you've found your buyer. Nobody outside the room needs to know it was a single bidder, and the reserve still protects you exactly as it would with a full room. Read more →

It's far from the end of the road. Your agent will walk you through next options — often an expressions of interest campaign or a straightforward listing — backed by four weeks of genuine market feedback. Many properties also sell in the two weeks immediately following auction day. Read more →