Lodge's guide to selling a house at auction

Selling your home at auction can seem like a daunting process, but it doesn’t have to be. Here at Lodge we believe that knowledge is power and that a better understanding of selling methods can take the stress out of selling your home.

A real estate auction is a method of selling a property through the process of public negotiation to determine the true market value of the property at that time.

We have a team of two auctioneers who have collectively called over 5,000 properties. This gives you the benefit of their considerable experience in generating the very best price for your property.

• Sense of urgency: The auction day deadline sets a finite selling period, and creates a sense of urgency amongst customers.
• Buyer Competition: An auction creates the conditions for customer competition - which can lead to a premium price.
• Options: You remain free to consider any offers before auction day, if you choose to, in accordance with our Procedure for Pre-Auction Offers. 
• Certainty: Customers must bid on an unconditional basis - no complicated conditions.
• Control: You are in control - you set the reserve, and select the possession date that suits you.
• Tracking Interest: All salespeople can register potential customers for your property via a centralised online database, so we can track interest and contact all interested parties in the event of a pre-auction offer.
• No Price Limitations: By marketing without a price, you are never limited by an asking price that is too high or too low, so you can attract a wider range of buyers.
• Market Feedback: Your salesperson will provide regular market feedback to assist you in setting the reserve price of your property.
• Preferential Online Ranking: Properties for sale by tender or auction, along with those meeting our "promotion" criteria, appear ahead of others in our website search results.

That the auction process is supported by an appropriate marketing programme to create a high profile and attract as many customers as possible before the auction day.

To find out more about auctions, including how to set the reserve, how the bidding process works, pre-auction offers and how to best market your home for an auction please contact your salesperson. Alternatively, please refer to The Waikato Home Seller’s Guide, for answers to frequently asked questions, including: 

• What is my house worth?
• What documentation do I need to have?
• How much will it cost to sell my home?
• What should I expect from a real estate agent?