Fixed assets
Property auctions.
A date, and a decision.
A property auction is a sale on a fixed date to buyers who have registered, been vetted and turned up ready to commit. Dynamic Auctioneers sells houses, flats, commercial buildings, land and farms this way anywhere in South Africa, roughly three to four weeks from mandate to auction day.
Key takeaways
- Residential, commercial and agricultural property, including property in deceased, insolvent and divided joint estates, liquidations and business rescue.
- A fixed auction date, roughly three to four weeks from mandate, instead of an open-ended wait for the right offer.
- Below the reserve you agreed with us in advance, the property does not sell.
- The seller pays commission on the sale price, alongside the appraisal and listing fees. The exact figures, and when each is due, are set out in writing before you sign. Where an auction charges one, the successful bidder also pays a buyer’s commission; the conditions of sale for that auction say whether, and how much.
- We run private treaty too, so we have no reason to push you toward one route. The comparison is below.
What we handle
Every kind of fixed asset.
Residential
Freehold houses, sectional title flats, estate property and smallholdings. Guide: buying a sectional title unit
Commercial & industrial
Offices, retail, warehousing and light industrial premises, tenanted or vacant.
Land & agricultural
Vacant land, development stock, farms and agricultural holdings. Guide: selling a farm
Estate property
Property forming part of a deceased, insolvent or divided joint estate. Guide: selling property in a divorce
Distressed & liquidation
Property being realised under a liquidation, insolvency or business rescue.
Portfolios
Multiple units or a whole portfolio brought to market together on one day.
On the record
Recent property auctions.
The latest auctions on our online bidding platform with property among their lots. Each has its own page with what was offered. Outcomes and selling prices are not published.
Auction or private treaty
Auction is not always the right answer.
We run both, so we have no reason to push you toward one. This is the honest comparison we would give you on the phone.
| Timeline | Auction: a fixed date, roughly three to four weeks from mandate. Private treaty: open-ended, until the right offer arrives. |
|---|---|
| Price discovery | Auction: competing bidders set it in public. Private treaty: you negotiate with one buyer at a time. |
| Certainty | Auction: binding at the fall of the hammer on the conditions of sale for that auction, which say whether the sale is subject to confirmation. Private treaty: offers often subject to bond approval or a sale elsewhere. |
| Viewings | Auction: concentrated into scheduled slots. Private treaty: ongoing for as long as it takes. |
| Best suited to | Auction: unique property, distressed and estate sales, anything where a deadline helps. Private treaty: conventional stock in a liquid suburb with plenty of comparables. |
Buying
Looking to buy rather than sell?
Every property we currently have on the market sits on our property portal, where you can search by area and price, view the full listing, and submit an offer or pre-auction bid online.
Common questions
Property auctions, answered.
Do I need to accept the highest bid?
Only if it meets the reserve you agreed with us in advance. Below the reserve the property does not sell, and you are free to consider or decline any post-auction offer.
Who pays the commission on a property auction?
The seller pays commission on the sale price, alongside the appraisal and listing fees. The exact figures, and when each is due, are set out in writing before you sign. Where an auction charges one, the successful bidder also pays a buyer’s commission; the conditions of sale for that auction say whether, and how much.
What if my spouse is a co-owner?
Both owners must consent and sign the mandate. Where a couple is married in community of property, one spouse cannot mandate the sale alone. We verify ownership against the deeds record before marketing anything, precisely to catch this.
How long does transfer take after the auction?
Transfer runs on the normal conveyancing timeline once the deposit is paid and the balance is secured: typically two to three months, depending on the deeds office and any bond cancellation.
Can a tenanted property be auctioned?
Yes. Existing leases are disclosed in the catalogue and the conditions of sale, and the buyer takes transfer subject to them.
Guides for this
Read up before you decide.
Auction or estate agent: which route suits your property?
Auction or estate agent? An honest comparison for South African sellers: speed, certainty, bond conditions, price, costs, privacy and which route suits you.
Read the guide Selling · 15 minSelling your property on auction: how it works, step by step
Selling property on auction in South Africa: the steps, the timeline, what it costs the seller, the reserve, documents and certificates, and what can go wrong.
Read the guide Buying · 13 minCan you buy property on auction with a bond?
Yes, you can use a bond, but an auction sale is normally not subject to it. Pre-approval, the deposit on the day, guarantees by a deadline, if finance fails.
Read the guideThinking about putting a property on auction?
We will give you a price guide and an honest view on whether auction or private treaty gets you more.
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