SDL Property Auctions: An Insider's Look [2022]

About Performance Fees Reviews How do they work?Auction Events

FAQs

About Performance Fees Reviews How do they work?Auction Events

FAQs

About SDL Property Auctions

SDL Auctions are a large, national auction house based in Nottingham. They were established on Jul 27, 2011.

They're members of the following organisations:

Tip: I only ever recommend dealing with auction houses who are NAEA-protected, NAVA-protected, and are members of the Property Ombudsman.

free AUCTION valuation

Are SDL Auctions
Right For You?

Find the right auction house for your property sale.

Free referral to my #1 Leading Auction House in your area.
‍(Take the guesswork + time out of choosing who to use)
Free valuation + all your auction questions answered...
(by experienced auction experts I know and trust)
And if you decide to sell... enjoy Preferential Rates
(Exclusive discounts for Home Selling Expert readers)

Where do SDL Property Auctions cover?

SDL Auctions are a national auction house focused on the East Midlands.

Derbyshire is their biggest county. They've auctioned 409 properties here in the last 12 months, accounting for 18% of their business.

SDL Property Auctions are a national auction house. East Midlands is the biggest region for them.

They've auctioned 823 properties here in the last 12 months, accounting for 36% of their business.

Tip: If you’re selling your house at auction it’s a good idea to look for an auction house with a strong focus on your area.

What types of properties do SDL Auctions auction?

SDL Auctions mainly focus on selling residential properties, which account for 81% of their listings.

SDL Property Auctions mainly focus on selling land, which accounts for 81% of their listings.

They also have a strong presence in selling commercial property, which accounts for 14% of their listings.

They also have a strong presence in selling land, which accounts for 14% of their listings.

What price range do SDL Auctions specialise in?

For residential sales, their average selling price is £160218.

This is lower than the national average of £717968, which means they generally cater to the lower end of the market, or focus on regions where property prices are generally cheaper.

This is lower than the national average of £717968, which means they generally cater to the upper end of the market, or focus on regions where property prices are more expensive.

This is lower than the national average of £717968. This either means they don't have a particularly strong focus on the upper or lower end of the market, or means that they focus on regions where property prices are in line with the national average.

£1 – £100k

39%

£100k – £250k

48%

£250k – £500k

£500k – £1m

£1m +

free AUCTION valuation

Are SDL Auctions
Right For You?

Find the right auction house for your property sale.

Free referral to my #1 Leading Auction House in your area.
‍(Take the guesswork + time out of choosing who to use)
Free valuation + all your auction questions answered...
(by experienced auction experts I know and trust)
And if you decide to sell... enjoy Preferential Rates
(Exclusive discounts for Home Selling Expert readers)

Would you like some free expert advice? 👇

I'm selling →I'm buying →

Free expert advice and guidance for buyers and sellers

SDL Auctions Auction Performance

We break performance into 3 key parts: Market Share, Succes Rate, and Customer Satisfaction.

Success Rate

Auction houses don't sell every property they take on. The success rate is the percentage of their properties they successfully manage to sell.

47%

SDL Auctions have the #1 highest success rate among auction houses in England & Wales.

SDL Auctions have the 21 highest success rate among auction houses in England & Wales.

They successfully sell 47% of the properties they list, which is about the same as the national average of 48%.

Tip: A higher success rate usually means an auction house is more realistic with their valuations, are less likely to take on customers with unrealistic expectations, and may be more efficient at generating interest and bids from buyers.

Reviews

250 Reviews

250 Review

SDL Property Auctions have been reviewed 250 times in the last 12 months, with an average score of 4.6/5. Read more about their reviews here.

Tip: Review scores are important to consider, but it’s important know what customers are actually saying as well. We outline the overall themes of their reviews further down this page.

Would you like some free expert advice? 👇

I'm selling →I'm buying →

Free expert advice and guidance for buyers and sellers

SDL Auctions Auction Fees

+ vat

SDL Auctions charge a standard auction commission fee of 4% + vat.

+ vat

The auction fee SDL Auctions charge depends on the selling price. They charge:

4% + vat on properties up to £250000.
3% + vat on properties up to £.
% + vat on properties above £.

4% + vat on properties up to £250000.
3% + vat on properties above that.

Commission Fee

This is the main fee for the service. It's either paid by the buyer, or directly from the sale proceeds, so sellers never have to pay this fee out-of-pocket.

Who pays the commission fee?

The commission fee is paid by the Buyer.

Is there a minimum fee?

The commission fee is subject to a minimum of £5000 + vat.

Tip: Although the buyer pays the fee with SDL Auctions, sellers shouldn't think of it as a "free service" for them. Whatever additional fees the buyer has to account for will ultimately reduce what they'll be willing to bid for a property, reducing the amount the seller ends up with.

Tip: Although the buyer pays the fee with some other auction houses, you shouldn't necessarily think of those as "cheaper than" SDL Auctions, who charge the sellers the fee. This is because whatever additional fees the buyer has to account for will ultimately reduce what they'll be willing to bid for a property.

Buyer's Premium

Auction houses often charge the successful bidder an additional fee, called a "Buyer's Premium".

Are buyers also charged a fee?

Buyers pay an admin fee of 0% + vat, subject to a minimum of £0 + vat.

Buyers pay an admin fee of £0 + vat.

Are buyers charged an additional fee on top of the commission?

Buyers pay an additional "buyer's premium" of 0% + vat, subject to a minimum of £0 + vat.

Buyers pay an additional "buyer's premium" of £0 + vat.

Tip: Buying at auction? More than 25% of buyers get caught out by unexpected fees. Don't be one of them. Download our free checklist and learn where to spot hidden auction fees.

Other Fees For Sellers

We've done our best to uncover additional fees charged by SDL Auctions. These can change over time though, so always be careful to check the paperwork closely.

Are there auction entry fees?

Sellers pay an up-front auction entry fee of £300 + vat. This is non-refundable, even if the property fails to sell at auction.

SDL Property Auctions do not charge auction entry fees. Most auction houses charge around £300.

Do they charge withdrawal fees if you change your mind?

Are there any hidden costs or other fees?

What about legal costs?

Remember that you’ll always have legal fees to pay too. These are separate to the auction fees, and SDL Property Auctions don’t have any control over these.

Auction legal fees come in two parts: An up-front element for the legal pack, and the final legal fee, which is paid on completion of your sale.

Tip: No auction entry fees with the auction houses we recommend. Many auction houses willing to negotiate on this.

free AUCTION valuation

Are SDL Auctions
Right For You?

Find the right auction house for your property sale.

Free referral to my #1 Leading Auction House in your area.
‍(Take the guesswork + time out of choosing who to use)
Free valuation + all your auction questions answered...
(by experienced auction experts I know and trust)
And if you decide to sell... enjoy Preferential Rates
(Exclusive discounts for Home Selling Expert readers)

Would you like some free expert advice? 👇

I'm selling →I'm buying →

Free expert advice and guidance for buyers and sellers

SDL Auctions Reviews

0/5 out of 0 reviews

4/5 out of 16 reviews

4.7/5 out of 234 reviews

0/5 out of 0 reviews

Good things people say (Pros)

What can be improved (Cons)

How SDL Auctions work

SDL Auctions auction process

What types of auction do they run?

SDL Property Auctions run two main types of auction.

The first is their Auction Events, which are live-streamed on their website every month.

The second is their Timed Auctions on their website, which feature a single lot and generally run for three weeks with a set start and finish time.

For both types of auction, you can choose between a conditional and an unconditional auction sale.

With unconditional auctions, a non-refundable deposit is paid, and contracts are exchanged immediately. The buyer must then complete within the agreed completion period, which tends to be 15 working days.

For conditional auctions, the buyer pays a reservation fee which grants them exclusive rights to purchase the property from you for a period of 40 days. Unlike unconditional auctions, the buyer is not legally bound to complete the purchase.

What happens on auction day?

This will depend on whether your lot has been entered into one of SDL Property Auction’s “Auction Events” or “Timed Auctions”.

Auction Events are live-streamed online and you will be able to watch the auctioneer in real time from the comfort of your home. Bids can be placed online, by phone or by proxy.

Timed Auctions are held online with a set end time, where you will be able to see the number of people viewing your property and watch the bidding unfold in real time.

If the property reached the agreed reserve price in an unconditional sale, then the lot will be sold with an immediate exchange of contracts. The buyer will have to pay a non-refundable 10% deposit immediately (fixed fee lots) or a 5% deposit, subject to a minimum of £5,000 (variable fee lots). The normal completion period for an unconditional sale is 15 business days after exchange.

If the property reaches the agreed reserve price in a conditional sale, the buyer will pay a non-refundable reservation fee which grants them exclusive rights to purchase the property for a period of 40 days. The normal completion period for a conditional sale is 40 business days.

What happens if your property doesn't sell at auction?

If the property fails to sell at auction your contract will automatically extend for an additional 4 weeks. During this time, SDL Property Auctions will try and tie up a post-auction sale for you.

You can also enter the lot into the next available auction at no additional cost.

If the property is still unsold after those 4 weeks, you’re released from the contract and can move on.

More info coming soon!

We're adding more information all the time. Check back soon, or contact us right now for advice. Hit one of those big buttons to get started.

How SDL Auctions market your property

How will SDL Auctions advertise your property?

SDL Property Auctions will advertise your property in their auction catalogue, as well as on major property portals such as Rightmove and on their website. Your property may also be advertised in the local press and on social media.

SDL Property Auctions will also send your property details to their huge database of national and international buyers.

How do they get property photos?

SDL Property Auctions will organise photographs to be taken of your property, or you can provide your own if you prefer.

Will your listings include a floor plan and video walkthrough?

Your listing will include a virtual viewing of the property.

How do SDL Auctions conduct viewings?

A member of the viewing team or a viewing agent will carry out viewings on your behalf. Potential buyers will also be able to view the property online using the virtual viewings tool.

More info coming soon!

We're adding more information all the time. Check back soon, or contact us right now for advice. Hit one of those big buttons to get started.

SDL Auctions Auction Events & Results

Showing last 12 months of auction results. Use the tabs above to see Upcoming Auctions.

No items found.

* = Estimated based on sold prices available

Showing upcoming auction events.

No items found.

SDL Auctions FAQs

Put general auction seller FAQs in here that drive our concversions! Don't focus them on the auction house themselves.

Butters John Bee are located in Nottingham.

Where are SDL Auctions based?

Butters John Bee are located in Nottingham.

How many properties do SDL Auctions sell?

Butters John Bee have sold 1073 properties in the last 12 months.

Are SDL Auctions any good?

Butters John Bee have sold 1073 properties in the last 12 months.

How much do SDL Auctions charge?

Butters John Bee have sold 1073 properties in the last 12 months.

SDL Property Auctions

SDL Property Auctions

About SDL Property Auctions

Where do SDL Property Auctions cover?

What types of properties do SDL Auctions auction?

What price range do SDL Auctions specialise in?

SDL Auctions Auction Performance

Success Rate

Reviews

SDL Auctions Auction Fees

Commission Fee

Buyer's Premium

Other Fees For Sellers

SDL Auctions Reviews

Good things people say (Pros)

What can be improved (Cons)

How SDL Auctions work

SDL Auctions auction process

What types of auction do they run?

What happens on auction day?

What happens if your property doesn't sell at auction?

How SDL Auctions market your property

How will SDL Auctions advertise your property?

How do they get property photos?

Will your listings include a floor plan and video walkthrough?

How do SDL Auctions conduct viewings?

Other questions

How do SDL Auctions value your property?

How long is the contract with SDL Auctions?

SDL Auctions Auction Events & Results

SDL Auctions FAQs