2019 National Auction Review

I am delighted to present to you our annual review for 2019.

As I write this introduction, we can all look back upon a year filled with political and economic uncertainty, which offered an excuse for many to sit on the fence, but to others offered many opportunities.

Against the overall backdrop of a decline in sales volumes in the UK, it is a testament to the dedication of my team and the strength of our brand, that we have once again grown the volume of lots being offered from our rostrum, increased sales and increased capital value raised for our clients in 2019.

I hope you will find the detailed market data which follows in this review of interest, but with headline figures of a business which continues to grow and dominate the London Auction Market, offering more lots than any other residential auctioneer, it is little surprise to me that our market share growth of lots offered has continued and now stands at an enviable 29.6%.

This year saw the launch of our new website, which is now fully embedded into our business and provides our customers with a direct online interface, including many new features such as pre-registering to bid, confirming attendance at open house viewings, making offers online and access to a wealth of information for auction buyers and sellers at all levels. Further enhancements are planned
for 2020, with further improvements to the user experience resulting from customer feedback.

Nationally, as part of the Connells Group – one the largest and most profitable Property Services Groups in the UK, we are backed by a resilient business with unrivaled strength, breadth of knowledge and expertise. In addition to Barnard Marcus we have regional auction houses based in Southampton, Norwich, Derby and Leeds, and a group Estate Agency network of some 585 branches.

I was delighted to celebrate 30 years on the rostrum with Barnard Marcus this year and I am proud that no member of my key team has less than 20 years industry experience, with some even topping 40 years. It is only by capitalising on this extensive experience that we are able to navigate through
the ups and downs of the market and continue to provide a first class service to all our customers.

With the election now behind us, and the hope of more stable times to come, I look forward with confidence to 2020 and welcoming customers both old and new to one of our 10 auctions scheduled for the year ahead.

Read the full review here.

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