How long does a property auction take?

The auction itself is usually short, commonly between five and fifteen minutes from the opening bid to the fall of the hammer. The half hour before it and the hour after it are where most of the decisions actually get made.

Where should the vendor stand during the auction?

Somewhere you can see the bidders without being the centre of attention, and where your agent can reach you quickly. Many vendors watch from inside the house or from a neighbour's front yard. There is no requirement to be visible, and being visible can work against you.

What is the huddle at an auction?

It is the moment the auctioneer pauses the bidding and comes to speak with you, usually when bidding has stalled below the reserve. To the crowd it looks like a strategy discussion. Most of the time it is a request for you to lower your reserve so the property can be announced on the market.

What does on the market mean at an auction?

It means the bidding has reached your reserve, so the property will now sell to the highest bidder. It is the single most important announcement of the day, because everything after it is a binding sale.

Can I stop the auction if I change my mind?

You can decline to lower your reserve, and if the bidding does not reach it the property is passed in rather than sold. Once the property has been announced on the market, the highest bid at the fall of the hammer forms a binding contract.

What happens immediately after the hammer falls?

The buyer signs the contract and pays the deposit, usually on the spot. As vendor you sign too. There is no cooling-off period on an auction sale, so the contract is binding from that point.

What if nobody bids at all?

The auctioneer will usually attempt to open the bidding, and if no genuine bid comes the property is passed in. That is a buyer depth problem rather than a reserve problem, and it is usually visible in the campaign well before auction morning.

Should I attend my own auction?

Most vendors do, and there is no requirement to. If you know that watching will push you into a decision you would not otherwise make, being contactable by phone rather than present is a legitimate choice.

What Actually Happens on Auction Day | Vendor's Guide

Skip to content

Contact | Sign In |

Sell My Home ▾

Sell My Home

Unreserved Flat-fee selling, every Australian portal Unreserved Plus Dedicated campaign manager & full service Draft Listing Start your draft in 15 minutes

Ways to Sell

Sell Privately List on every portal, negotiate on your terms Online Auctions Real-time bidding from every device Reverse Auction Agents compete on price, you pick

Free Valuation

AI-powered estimate in under 60 seconds. No sign-up required.

Get Started

The Platform ▾

Platform

AI Inspection Agents A 24/7 assistant trained on your property Enquiry & Communication Every channel, one inbox Property Valuation Defensible price band, real comps

See it in action

A walkthrough of every Unreserved tool, in five steps.

How it works

How It Works ▾

How It Works

The Process Every step from listing to sold, in five stages Pricing Strategy Choose the sale method that gets buyers competing Pre-Sale Checklist The 30-day plan, used by Unreserved sellers

Free Valuation

Get a defensible price band in under 60 seconds. No sign-up required.

Get Started

About Us

Resources ▾

Read & Learn

Articles Field reports, market data, anti-commission essays Guides Step-by-step playbooks for private sellers Selling at Auction Reserve prices, auction day, vendor bids, passing in FAQs Plain answers about pricing, AI tools, legal

Tools

Free Valuation AI estimate in 60 seconds Savings Calculator See exactly what commission costs you Cost of Selling a House Every cost, state by state Pre-Sale Checklist The 30-day plan, used by Unreserved sellers

1300 285 391 Get Started

1300 285 391
help@unreservedrealestate.com.au

Sell My Home

Private Sales
Online Live Auctions
Reverse Auction
Property Valuation
AI Inspection Agents
Enquiry & Communication
For Sale By Owner
All Features

Resources

Savings Calculator
Cost of Selling
Pre-Sale Checklist
Articles
Guides
Selling at Auction

Company

About Us
How It Works
Pricing
PR & Press
Contact

Support

FAQs
Help Center
Terms of Service
Privacy Policy

Unreserved Real Estate Pty Ltd T/A Unreserved · ABN 216 900 52209

Melbourne: Level 3, 286/489 Toorak Rd, Toorak VIC 3142
Sydney: 20-40 Meagher St, Chippendale NSW 2008
Brisbane: 29/97 Creek St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
Perth: 202/37 Barrack St, Perth WA 6000