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A results-driven approach to selling — faster, smarter, competitive
When you sell real estate with Harcourts Auctions, you get a proven strategy designed to maximize value, speed, and certainty. Unlike traditional sales or other auction companies, our process is designed to create more excitement, more competition, and better results—without the pressure of a forced sale. Let us help you turn interest into action and achieve the best possible outcome for your property.
Why sell your property
with Harcourts Auctions
More exposure
An auction campaign maximizes your property’s visibility. Instead of waiting for buyers to come to you, an auction creates a sense of urgency, drawing in serious buyers from multiple channels. With a clear timeline leading up to auction day, buyers are motivated to engage with the property early, increasing interest and inquiries.
More competition
More exposure means more competition. By attracting a larger pool of interested buyers, the auction process naturally drives competitive bidding, creating the opportunity for a strong result. The transparency of the process also gives buyers confidence, as they can see real-time interest in the property rather than wondering how much others are willing to pay.
Pay only if you sell
With Harcourts Auctions, you only pay if you decide to sell your property. With a very minimal upfront administration fee, the auction company is only paid upon a successful sale. This ensures you have full control throughout the process, with the ability to assess interest, offers, and market response before committing to the final sale.
Negotiate up
The auction process is designed to help sellers achieve the highest possible price by allowing buyers to compete in real time. Instead of negotiating downward from an asking price—like in a traditional sale—auctions create an environment where buyers must bid against each other, ensuring the final price reflects the true market value. If the highest bid doesn’t meet your expectations, you still have the flexibility to negotiate with interested parties, often leading to a better result than a standard listing proces
Harcourts Auctions versus other auction companies
We do not charge large upfront marketing fees. Our only upfront cost is a non-refundable minimal Administration Fee, which allows us to launch and manage your auction campaign. Marketing costs are at the discretion of the listing agent and/or seller, meaning agents maintain full control over the investment in each campaign.
We do not charge any buyer premiums or additional fees to buyers. Buyers only pay the final purchase price agreed upon, nothing more. This ensures total transparency, avoids confusion at the auction, and makes our process more appealing to buyers.
We do not charge a “No Sale Fee.” If the property doesn’t sell, the seller is not penalized. The only upfront cost is the non-refundable minimal Administration Fee. If the property sells before, on, or within 60 days after auction day, a 1% Auction Fee (min. Fee applies) is paid at closing, but only if the property goes under contract.
Our auction platform is designed for every price point, not just luxury. From entry-level condos to multimillion-dollar estates, any property can benefit from the transparency, urgency, and structure of our auction process. We believe every seller deserves access to a powerful selling platform—regardless of their home’s value.
We do not exclude buyer’s agents, in fact, we encourage their involvement. Buyer agent commissions are always negotiable, whether through a pre-auction offer or as part of the auction terms. This flexibility ensures buyer agents remain engaged and incentivized, creating a more competitive environment for the seller’s benefit.
Sellers are never forced to sell. There is no obligation to accept any offer—whether before, on, or after auction day. Harcourts Auctions only conducts non-distressed auctions, where the seller remains fully in control of the process and final decision.The auction simply provides a structured timeline and competitive environment to generate the best result.
Sellers have the full flexibility to accept offers at any point, before, on, or after auction day. If a strong offer is received prior to auction, it can be negotiated and accepted just like a traditional sale. Our auction process is designed to create urgency, drive competitive offers, and ultimately give the seller the control to choose the best outcome, even if that’s before the auction takes place.
Every property is represented by a licensed listing agent who is trained and supported through our auction accreditation program. Our auction team works closely with the agent through the entire process, including strategy meetings, listing support, seller meetings, and ongoing coaching. This ensures agents are confident, knowledgeable, and fully equipped to guide their clients from start to finish.
Harcourts has a global legacy of real estate and auction excellence dating back to 1888, with auction experience spanning across Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S. Our U.S. auction division alone has handled thousands of non-distressed auctions across all price points. This long-standing track record provides agents and sellers with confidence in a proven, professional, and successful system.
We are part of Harcourts International, the #8 largest real estate company in the world. Harcourts Auctions is the largest luxury real estate auction platform globally, built on a foundation of non-distressed, agent-focused auctions. With deep roots in Australia and New Zealand, where auctions dominate the market, we’ve brought that same expertise and structure to the U.S., empowering agents at every price point.
Harcourts Auctions Explained
This short YouTube video visually describes the process in an easy-to-understand, illustrative format.
Behind the scenes
View the Auction Action happening behind the scenes on auction day.
Hear from some of the agents we’ve worked with
27232 J C Lane
Bonita Springs, FL
Sold prior to auction even after being listed traditionally for months!
241 El Camino Real
Menlo Park, CA
Really enjoy working with Ben and the team
Increased showings allowed us to stimulate the market and allow my seller to get the most out of the market.
201 Broadway Street
Austin, TX 78702
8 months traditional v 18 days auction
Previously on the market traditionally for 6 months with zero offers and limited showings
from traditional to auction
Sold prior to auction for $975,000.00!
Previously on the market for over a year with zero offers.
5 bidders.
Sold for $6,500,000
Previously on the market traditionally for 8 months with 11 price reductions!
received 3 offers
Sold for $1,385,000!
Explore our recent success
Frequently asked questions
If your property doesn’t sell at auction, it doesn’t mean the campaign was unsuccessful. The auction process creates significant exposure, attracts qualified buyers, and provides valuable insight into how the market is responding to your home.
The feedback collected throughout the campaign, from buyer inquiries, open home traffic, and price discussions, gives you a clear understanding of market sentiment. With this information, you can confidently determine your next steps, whether that’s negotiating with interested buyers, relaunching with a competitive list price, or adjusting your strategy.
Ultimately, the process ensures you’re making an informed decision based on real market data, not guesswork, and positions you for the best possible result moving forward.
Absolutely. You’re always in control of the decision to sell your property, and you can withdraw it from auction at any time, just like traditional real estate. Your agent will guide you through the process to make it as smooth as possible. While marketing and interest have already been generated by this stage, the decision always remains yours, whether you choose to pause, adjust your strategy, or proceed at a later date.
Your listing team will coordinate the marketing for your property to ensure it’s presented to the market with maximum impact. While Harcourts Auctions doesn’t directly fund advertising, the platform instead plays a pivotal role in amplifying your property’s exposure. Listing through Harcourts Auctions elevates your property’s visibility and creates buyer urgency through a defined timeline and transparent process. This structure turns traditional marketing into a competitive, time-sensitive environment where serious buyers take action. Together, your marketing campaign and the Harcourts Auctions platform deliver unmatched visibility, momentum, and credibility in the marketplace.
In short, nothing, you remain in control. If bidding doesn’t reach your reserve price, you don’t have to accept the highest bid or accept a lower offer. You remain completely in control throughout the process. Once the auction concludes, your agent and auction representative will immediately speak with the highest bidder and other interested parties to explore a potential sale. In many cases, properties sell shortly after auction through post-auction negotiation. The auction process provides you with valuable insight into genuine buyer interest and pricing sentiment. With this information, you can confidently decide your next steps — whether that’s negotiating, adjusting your reserve, or continuing to market the property with a clearer understanding of where the market sits.
Absolutely. Every situation is different. Work with your listing agent and the auction team to plan what the ideal terms of your sale would be and these can be presented to buyers.
There is a nominal administration fee and a sale fee. The Administration fee is to list your property with Harcourts Auctions. This covers setup, compliance, and management of the auction campaign. A sale fee applies only if your property sells through the auction process. Fees can either be paid by the seller or the listing agent, depending on the agreement in place and are paid at closing. No closed sale, no sale fee. All costs are outlined upfront, with no hidden fees, a simple, transparent structure designed to support a smooth and successful auction experience.