Sharpes Auctions is a property auction house based in Bradford, West Yorkshire. It sells homes, commercial buildings and land through online auctions, and it offers two formats: a traditional auction, where the buyer completes within 28 days, and a modern auction, which allows 56 days. This guide explains who Sharpes are, how each format works, what buyers pay upfront and who each route suits. It is general information, not legal or financial advice.

Sharpes Auctions at a glance

Who are Sharpes Auctions?

Sharpes opened in 1976 as an estate agent and moved into property auctions in 1995. The idea was simple: give sellers a way to sell without waiting months on the open market, with a fair price and a firm timetable.

Today the firm sells residential and commercial property and land, from investment flats and tenanted houses to vacant buildings and building plots. It also works with private individuals, corporate sellers, estate and letting agents, and probate solicitors and executors.

The auctions moved fully online during the 2020 lockdowns. According to the firm, its first year of online auctions achieved a success rate above 90%, and it has kept every auction online since. Sharpes also reports a success rate of over 80% across its 2025 auctions. These are the firm's own figures, so treat them as a guide rather than a guarantee for any individual property.

Traditional auction or modern auction?

Both formats are held online, use a reserve price, and follow the same bidding process. The difference is how long the buyer has to finish the purchase and what they pay upfront.

The longer timetable in the modern format widens the pool of buyers, because people relying on a mortgage can rarely complete in 28 days. For a seller, that can mean more bidders, while contracts still exchange within 28 days.

Fees and terms can change, so check the current buying guides and the firm's terms and conditions before you register.

Selling a property with Sharpes

The firm says the average open market sale takes around 12 weeks and that roughly one in three falls through. Auction aims to replace that uncertainty with a fixed timetable. The process runs in six steps:

1. Free valuation. Sharpes carries out a free appraisal, either by visiting the property or as a desktop assessment, with no obligation to proceed.
2. Set the reserve price. You and Sharpes agree the minimum price you will accept. If bidding does not reach the reserve, the property does not sell.
3. Instruct a solicitor. The legal pack is prepared before auction day and published online so bidders can do their checks in advance. You can use your own solicitor or one from Sharpes' panel. Packs typically contain title documents, planning information, leases and tenancy agreements.
4. Marketing. Properties are advertised on Rightmove, Zoopla, OnTheMarket, PrimeLocation and the Sharpes website, and promoted to the firm's database of investors, developers and cash buyers.
5. Viewings. Accompanied open-day viewings usually take place one to two weeks before the auction, and feedback is passed back to the seller.
6. Auction day. Registered bidders compete online. When the hammer falls at or above the reserve, the sale is agreed and the solicitors handle completion.

Properties do not need to be run-down or unmortgageable. Family homes and tenanted investments are listed too. A realistic reserve matters: pricing too high can reduce interest and undo the speed that makes auction attractive.

Is auction right for you? It suits sellers who value speed and certainty, such as owners of unusual, dated or tenanted property, landlords, and people dealing with an estate. If your priority is to test the market for the highest possible price over several months, an estate agent may be a better fit. A free valuation lets you compare both routes before committing.

Buying at a Sharpes auction

Watching an auction is free. To bid, you work through these stages:

1. Book a viewing. Open days are by appointment, booked through the website or by phone. If the property needs work, bring a builder to estimate costs before you set a maximum bid.
2. Do your due diligence. Research recent sold prices in the area, arrange finance, and ask a solicitor to review the legal pack. Each lot's pack can be downloaded from its page under "Legal Documents". An independent survey is also worth considering.
3. Register. Creating an account is free and does not commit you to bid. You provide one document as proof of identity and one as proof of address. The firm's guide lists accepted documents such as a signed passport or full UK driving licence for identity, and a recent utility bill, council tax bill or bank statement for address.
4. Submit the bidding form and secure your place. For each lot you want to bid on, you pay the deposit or reservation fee shown above. It is taken as a pre-authorisation hold on your card, and the hold is cancelled straight after the auction if you are not the highest bidder.
5. Bid on auction day. Auctions start at 12pm. You bid using on-screen buttons at set increments. Other bidders appear only as numbers, such as Bidder 2, and a banner shows whether you are leading.
6. Complete on time. The winning bidder must complete within 28 days in a traditional auction or within 56 days in a modern auction. Failing to complete can mean losing your deposit or reservation fee, and you may be liable for extra costs. Have your finance in place before you bid.

Anti-sniping bid extensions. Each lot has a scheduled end time. Whenever a bid arrives in the final minute, the clock extends by one minute. The lot closes only after a full minute with no new bids, so a last-second bid cannot win the lot unchallenged.

Probate and estate sales

Selling a home after a bereavement can mean managing grief and paperwork at once. Sharpes works with solicitors, executors, trustees and administrators on probate sales. The reserve is agreed before marketing begins, so the property cannot sell below the figure the estate has accepted. A traditional auction can complete within 28 days, and the modern format gives up to 56 days if more time is needed. Neither route involves upfront fees.

Probate sales have their own legal requirements, so executors should take advice from their solicitor before choosing a sales route.

Partner agents

Sharpes also works with estate and letting agents across the region. An agent can refer a vendor whose property suits auction, such as a tenanted investment or a property in need of refurbishment. Sharpes handles the valuation, marketing and sale, and pays the agent a referral commission once contracts exchange. The firm also provides training on its auction process.

What has Sharpes listed recently?

As a snapshot of the lots shown on the website on 4 November 2026, guide prices ranged from £1,000 for a plot of land in Halifax to £250,000 for a commercial property on Thornton Road in Bradford. Lots were mainly in Bradford and surrounding towns, including Halifax, Leeds, Keighley, Shipley, Bingley and Elland, along with other regions such as Middlesbrough. Flats, terraced houses, mixed-use buildings, land and garages all appeared.

The schedule at that date listed a traditional auction on 5 November, a modern auction on 19 November and a traditional auction on 3 December, each at 12pm. Lots and dates change often, so check the live auction pages for the latest.

FAQs

Where is Sharpes Auctions based?

Sharpes Auctions' Yorkshire office is at 4 Upper Piccadilly, Bradford BD1 3PQ. You can call 01274 731217 or email sales@sharpesauctions.co.uk.

Are Sharpes' auctions held in a room or online?

All auctions are held online and start at 12pm, so bidders can take part from anywhere after registering and completing identity checks.

How much does it cost to sell with Sharpes?

There are no upfront fees to list. In a traditional auction the firm works on a no sale, no fee basis. In a modern auction, the firm's fee is taken from the buyer's reservation fee, so the seller pays nothing to list. Ask for a free valuation to confirm the exact terms for your property.

What is a reserve price?

It is the lowest price the seller will accept, agreed before marketing starts. If the bidding stops below it, the property is not sold.

What deposit do I need to bid?

For a traditional auction, a 10% deposit with a minimum of £5,000. For a modern auction, a reservation fee of 4%, with a minimum of £6,000, plus VAT. You need one for each lot you bid on, and the hold is released if you do not win.

How long do I have to complete a purchase?

Within 28 days at a traditional auction unless the lot states otherwise, or within 56 days at a modern auction, with contracts exchanged within the first 28 days.

Can I get a mortgage to buy at auction?

A 28-day completion is tight for most mortgage lenders, which is why the 56-day modern auction exists. Speak to your lender or broker before bidding, since a winning bid is binding.

Does the property need to be in poor condition to sell at auction?

No. Sharpes lists homes in good condition, tenanted investments, commercial units and land as well as properties needing renovation