In a plea no auctioneer would ever usually dream of saying, Guy Charrison, in an unprecedented move, was compelled to make the request as bidders pushed and shouted to try and get into the saleroom at The Westbury Mayfair Hotel to bid.

Network Auctions’ first ballroom sale of the year on 20th February opened with the company’s biggest ever catalogue – and biggest ever turnout – proving there’s more substance to the ‘Boris Bounce’ than just newspaper headlines.

But it wasn’t just room bids auctioneer Charrison had to contend with, as multiple bids came flying in from online, on the phone and via proxy.

“What a room!” exclaimed Charrison, eyes shining, clearly buzzing from the frenzied and frenetic activity.

Packed in tight, and with standing room only, keen bidders competed fiercely on the 68-lot catalogue pushing the total raised to £8.9 million and the sales success rate to 78%.

Highlights of the sale included:-

    a three-bedroom house in Gosport selling for £210,500 off a guide of £115,000     a four-bedroom house in High Wycombe sold for £402,000 against a guide of £251,000     a detached building in Harrow, being sold by order of a Housing Association, achieved £1 million under the hammer on a guide of £750,000.

The most hotly contested battle of the day was for a plot of freehold land including highway, paths and verges in Harpenden, Hertfordshire selling for £157,000, a staggering 3000% increase on the guide of £5,000.

But the action wasn’t just confined to the auction room – post auction saw three different buyers vying for the same plot of unsold land, leading to a heated exchange in the contracts office.

Toby Limbrick, director, said, “We’ve had a strong start to the 2020 auction calendar and we’re delighted with our results. Today shows how keen bidders are to get back in the room and buy property.”

Network Auctions next ballroom sale is 2nd April at The Westbury Mayfair Hotel.