Bidding at an auction can be a stressful experience.



Following these simple steps can make all the difference.

1. It is always good to be prepared, go and watch a few other auctions to get a good feel of how they work to take away any nerves that may occur.

2. Do your homework, find out what other similar properties have sold for.

3. Be prepared to leave a deposit on the day, this will usually be 10% of the purchase price.

4. Have a budget set first and foremost and stick to it.

5. Scope out the area, see who is holding a bidding paddle.

6. Control your body language, don’t give anything away. Keep a watch on the opponent’s body language, this will tell you how far they are willing to go.

7. Wait, don't call out the first bid.

8. Start your bidding with confidence.

9. Remember to go slow. This will put pressure on the vendor to set the reserve price lower. Another technique is to call out a bid that is not a rounded figure, this will force the auctioneer to slow and calculate the bid.

10. Remember there is no cooling off period when you buy at an auction, so be certain that it is truly the house you want.