Best Books on
Property Auctions

Property entrepreneur Samantha Collett’s 2014 publication is accessible and endlessly useful for anyone planning to buy at auction, from the novice to the veteran investor.

Clear case studies are used to illustrate the points presented, and Collett offers watch points and tips throughout to help readers understand the best course of action to take and the potential pitfalls to avoid.

Key takeaways include:

• A guide on how to find the best auction lots
• Understanding viewings and how to make the most of them
• How to prepare for an auction
• Ways to decide on your bid amount
• What happens on the day
• Methods for understanding the market
• How to fund your auction purchase
• A guide to legal matters

Property and estate agency specialist Sharon King offers a no-nonsense take on how to use property auctions to build your portfolio in this 2014 publication.

Using her own experiences as a case study, King provides a practical guide to the entire process and shows would-be investors how to start making money from their investments swiftly and effectively.

Readers will learn:

• How to finance auction property, and when this isn’t possible
• Methods of purchasing without attending auctions in person
• Ways to risk-proof your portfolio
• Techniques for researching property
• A clear guide to the entire auction process

Written by Jay Howard and Piotr Rusinek, “Before the Hammer Falls” is a comprehensive and detailed guide into the process of purchasing property at auction.

Suitable for anyone forging a career in the property industry – or simply seeking a great lot in which to invest – property auction experts and founders of Hammered Auctions, Howard and Rusinek offer their expertise in an accessible manner throughout.

Key takeaways from this 2019 publication include:

• How to find the right lot
• Research methods to help you properly assess each property
• Bidding methods
• How to place the winning bid

TV’s Martin Roberts of Homes Under the Hammer guides readers easily through the property auction process, offering expert advice to would-be auction buyers and sellers to help them to make the best decisions and to approach their next auction with confidence.

Including a handy tool for estimating renovation costs and an auctioneer directory, this 2017 book equips the reader for any eventuality within the world of property auctions.

Learning outcomes include:

• Everything you’ll need to research to prepare to bid on a lot
• How to avoid common mistakes and potential pitfalls
• Clear answers to some of the “myths and mysteries” of the industry
• How to recognise and deal with unmortgageable properties
• An insight into potential structural defects in homes
• How to manage lots with legal issues
• How to buying and selling commercial auction property / portfolios

Another superb title from Julie Condliffe, this 2021 publication focuses on auctions from the point of view of the property seller.

Condliffe expertly guides readers through the property auction system in a transparent and straightforward manner, making this book a must-have for anyone selling at auction for the first time as well as more seasoned vendors.

The publication offers the following learning outcomes:

• How to decide whether to sell at auction or via another route
• A guide to the auction process from beginning to end
• Information on the best types of property to sell at auction
• A balanced view of the pros and cons of selling at auction
• A step by step breakdown of the process
• Tips on setting a reserve price
• A guide to the costs of auction selling

Expert property investor Julie Condliffe offers a clear, lucid and accessible guide to everything you need to know about buying at auction.

Including great illustrative case studies and drawing on her extensive experience in the field of property litigation, this 2021 book includes Condliffe’o detailed breakdown of the auction legal pack that accompanies any lot. 

The publication is designed to help any buyer or investor hoping to gain a good return from property auctions and avoid losing money. Readers will learn:

• How to read a legal pack
• Ways to assess risk and avoid potential pitfalls
• Approaches to budgeting for auctions
• How to secure the perfect deal

A companion piece to Julie Condliffe’s excellent book “Auctions: The Beginner’s Guide to Selling Property at Auction”, this 2021 publication looks at the process from the buyer’s perspective.

It offers tried and tested methods to help buyers avoid losing money or being confused by opaque “legal jargon”, and teaches readers how to recognise and avoid pitfalls, hidden fees and other potential problems.

This book offers excellent guidance on:

• Deciding whether buying at auction is the right approach
• The benefits and drawbacks of buying at auction
• Finding and researching the right property
• Viewing properties
• Financing purchases
• Understanding legal matters and small print
• Spotting warning signs
• How to understand legal terminology

Leading UK property investor and developer John Howard offers an exceptionally practical insight into the world of purchasing auction property in this superb 2020 book brimming with insider tips.

Howard has both bought and sold property at auctions on innumerable occasions across the country, and offers his expert perspective on every step of the process.

Learning outcomes for readers of this publication include:

• The types of property auction in the UK
• The role of the auctioneer
• Buying and selling process insights
• How to prepare a lot for auction
• Insights into guide and reserve prices
• A guide to bids and offers
• The process of dealing with an unsold lot
• How to deal with buyers that fail to complete
• The process on the day
• Where to find the best deals

A clear, concise and engaging guide to buying at auction, arranged across just 185 pages, this 2020 publication from Australian property mogul and television host Veronica Morgan is presented as a “property-buying manifesto”.

Designed to help any potential buyer to overcome their fear of auctions and find the best possible deals, the book covers a range of vital subject matter – including the following:

• A history of purchasing and owning Australian property
• The definition of the different types of buyer
• How to decide on the type of property to buy
• The financial aspects of buying at auction
• Methods of valuing property
• Risk assessment and mitigation
• Ways to prepare
• How an auction works on the day
• How to buy prior to auction
• Ways to bid
• What happens after the auction

In this book, “industry insider” Joe Marcus offers an excellent set of insights into the property auction process for anyone hoping to invest in property by buying at auction.

A comprehensive guide to a system that is often seen as complex and tough to crack, Marcus’s 2020 publication lays out the processes and practices in a manner that is straightforward and easy to understand. The book covers the following topics:

• How auctions work
• Whether to buy via auctions or estate agents
• The process of property repossession and their sale at auction
• Property viewings
• Property surveys
• Legal packs
• Avoiding and mitigating risk
• How to pay for or finance auction purchases
• Buying prior to – or after – an auction event
• Bidding
• Auction paperwork

Created by veteran auctioneer Howard Gooddie and leading property journalist Mark Da Silva, “Buying Bargains at Property Auctions” is a 2013 sixth edition of the former’s earlier publication.

Concise, clear and accessible, the book provides valuable tips that can be put into practice by anyone planning to make a purchase at a property auction, from absolute beginners to more experienced buyers.

Key takeaways include:

• Finding the best deals
• How contracts work
• Ways to finance your purchase
• Bidding techniques
• How things progress after an auction
• Auction houses and how they work
• Approaches to selling at auction
• A comprehensive directory of auctioneers