A property auction can be a thrilling way to buy property, and snap up a bargain. 

As well as being a quick and relatively hassle free way to buy a home, the auction process is easy. You simply look through the auction catalogue, find a property you like, arrange a viewing and do some research, and show up prepared on auction day.

They aren’t just good for buying repossessed homes, it’s now possible to buy all kinds of properties at auction. However it is essential that you do your homework before trying to buy a property at auction, and you need to put a number of important things in place

People buy at auction for lots of reasons. They may want to move quickly or they could be looking for a plot of land to build on, a repossession, or quite simply they want a quick purchase without the risk of gazumping. Also, many buyers looking for investments buy at auction as a catalogue full of properties gives them lots of opportunities to choose from.

Buying a property at auction is both exciting and potentially profitable. It avoids all of the lengthy purchasing procedures that you usually have to endure and the risk of everything falling through at the 11th hour. At an auction, as soon

The value of property owned by landlords in Britain will smash through the £1 trillion pound mark in mid-2015, says a new report.

Figures's from Kent Reliance, part of the OneSavings Bank Group, show that currently the total value of property in the private rented sector is £930.7bn, up £109.5bn compared to last year.

London accounts for 41% of this value followed by the South East (15%) which itself is larger than the North East, Wales, Yorkshire & the Humber, and the West Midlands combined.

New figures from Savills out last week suggest that 1.2 million more households in England and Wales

Property investors looking for the next hot spot should pay attention. Knight Frank has identified the next up-and-coming part of London, and it's really central. W2 – specifically Bayswater, Paddington and Queensway - has “arguably the strongest development and regeneration potential of any prime central London residential market,” according to Knight Frank's head of London residential research Tom Bill. He argues that W2 has been relatively unloved by investors and residents alike, leaving the area north east of Hyde Park with a much lower premium than its southern neighbours such as

Derby-based property auctioneer Bagshaws Residential will be selling the historic control tower and ancillary buildings of a former RAF site in Wainfleet at its upcoming auction on 26 November to be held at Derbyshire County Cricket Club. This unique lot, which is expected to attract attention from property developers and collectors alike, is steeped in history being the training site used by 617 Squadron, the ‘Dambusters’, ahead of the famous raids in 1943.

Located in Friskney, Lincolnshire and with a guide price of between £300,000 and £350,000, the former Wainfleet control tower site

London house prices are set to rise 54% over the next six years, leaving the rest of the UK’s property market even further behind, new research claims.

A typical home in the capital will be worth more than £700,000 in 2020, according to the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR).

This rapid rise compares to a forecasted 28% increase to £307,000 in the country as a whole over the rest of the decade.

The figures come a week after the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors predicted a 35% in British property prices by 2020.

While prices will pause for breath when the Bank of England

Demand from new buyers slowed for the fourth consecutive month in October, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said. Sales also declined during the month in all but a few regions of England and Wales.

However, surveyors said they were confident the market would pick up in the medium term.

The survey suggested that buyer inquiries had fallen in all regions of England and Wales. As a result, sales also fell in every region except south-west England, Yorkshire and Humberside.

Simon Rubinsohn, chief economist at Rics, said that potential buyers across the UK were being a "little

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA),have announced that three-bed Stormy Castle is the winner of one of the UK’s most prestigious housing design awards after its 'bold design' wowed the judges.

RIBA Manser Medal Chair Michael Manser CBE said: “The aim of the Manser Medal has always been to influence the public to demand, and the mass house builders to supply, better designed homes.

“I believe by highlighting brave architecture like this year’s winner Stormy Castle we can showcase what can be achieved.

He added: “This is a bold design in an area of Wales where arguably more

Following on from yesterday, below are 10 top tips for getting your house into tip top condition for all those potential buyers!

1. Make the place as tidy as possible and open the windows to let in fresh air. 2. Have a place where you can quickly hide clutter and rubbish if the viewing is at short notice. 3. Vacuum clean and dust the main rooms. 4. Clean the bathroom sinks, toilets and baths. 5. Put some flowers in the main room. 6. Draw the curtains fully back to get maximum daylight in the rooms. 7. On dull days, turn all the lights on and light any fire in the main room. 8. Turn the

A few quick top tips to help your property look at its best:

1. If it needs it, give the front door a coat of paint. 2. Fill in and redecorate any cracks to walls and ceilings. 3. Put a lock on any rear gate. 4. Spring-clean the property throughout. 5. Weed and tidy the garden. 6. Consider the layout of your rooms to maximise a feeling of space - some rooms can look much smaller when there is a lot of furniture or clutter. 7. If you are marketing a small room as a 'bedroom' it may be useful to dress it as such to demonstrate that it can indeed fit a bed. 8. Before you do any significant