At an auction, you could be bidding against a wide range of individuals and entities. These can include private buyers looking for their next home or investment property, professional property investors and developers seeking new opportunities, and sometimes institutional buyers like real estate investment firms. In online auctions, given the broader accessibility, the range of potential competitors can be even wider, including international buyers. It's important to remember that you won't know the identity or number of other bidders, which adds to the competitive nature of auctions. Focus on your own bidding strategy and budget rather than trying to outguess the competition.