There are four main differences between property auctions vs estate agents: Property Type The properties which are suitable for auction are quick sale properties, repossessed properties, ex-council properties, and un-mortgageable properties looking for a cash investor. Price & Speed If you need a quick sale on a less-than-perfect house, auction conveyancing may be the best choice to drive up a good price through competitive bidding. If you're selling a well-kept house with no legal issues and you can wait for the standard sale process, then you'll likely get a higher price through a traditional estate agent. Service On top of the auction fees you'll pay a commission of around 2.5% - 4% to the action house. This is more expensive than the commission that estate agents usually charge, around 1% - 3.5%. The main difference is that an estate agent is your own agent. Yes, they mostly want to get the highest commission before payday, but they are your agent, and they tend to provide more hands-on support than an auctioneer. They'll handle photos and viewings, answer enquiries from prospective buyers, and help smooth the process right through to completion. An auctioneer, on the other hand, takes the information you provide and presents it as-is. Once the auction has taken place and a buyer is committed, they must pay their deposit immediately. The rest of the process will be down to you and your solicitors. Exchange In a traditional sale, after you've accepted an offer, the buyer's solicitor submits enquiries. Only when these are satisfied, and any subsequent negotiations have been made do you sign and exchange contracts. When selling a house at auction, the buyer will base their decision on the auction pack alone, unless they are able to arrange a survey, often without ever having seen the property. Once the gavel comes down, they are committed to the purchase and pay their deposit, effectively skipping straight to exchange.