The Acuitus commercial property auction on July 10th saw the sale £28.37m of assets – the firm’s highest total raised by a single auction in 2025. It brought the total volume raised by Acuitus auctions this year to £97m.
Following the sale, Acuitus Chairman, Richard Auterac commented: “In terms of investor sentiment ‘glass half empty’ seems at last to be turning to half-full.
“As a consequence of global uncertainty, there is more interest in the UK commercial property. The sector has always been seen by investors as a safe haven for capital, and with higher corporate profitability now aligned with today’s rebased rents, assets are providing some substantial high income returns.”
The largest lot sold under the hammer was an unbroken freehold retail and residential parade in Woodley, Reading, which sold for £4.06m at a yield of 8.75%. Another retail parade in Oadby, Leicester with tenants including Costa and Marks & Spencer sold for £1.85m at a yield of 7.89%.
David Margolis of Acuitus comments: “We have seen a number of parades being offered at our auctions over the past 12-months and they are popular with investors for the combination of income stability, asset management potential and opportunities for development”.
The average sale price at the auction was £859,742 with 20% of lots selling for more than £1m.
London properties continued to prove popular, especially those with imminent asset management opportunities. An unbroken freehold parade in Enfield sold for £2.51m at a yield of 6.29%, while a freehold mixed-use property in Edgware was sold for £1.22m at a yield of 5.5%. Another highlight from the auction was the sale of a freehold retail and residential parade on Chiswick High Road which sold for £2.5m at a yield of 5.9%.
Two pubs in the capital also found buyers with the Lord Southampton in Kentish Town selling for £1.65m at a yield of 6.05%, and The Wooden Cross in Crouch End selling prior to auction at above the guide price.
Charlie Powter of Acuitus comments: “We continue to see London as a prime destination for both UK-based and international investors as the number and variety of properties we sold in our action testify”.
A number of development opportunities also sold. A vacant former bank investment in Staines-upon-Thames attracted multiple registered bidders and sold for £1.45m off a guide price of £900,000, while in Clacton a vacant retail and development opportunity sold for £585,000 off a guide price of £300,000.
Acuitus Chairman, Richard Auterac commented: “Is this sale an early indication of the long-awaited upward trend in the private investor market? Will there be increased supply to satisfy increased demand?
“We await our next auction in the Autumn with great interest.”
The next Acuitus auction will take place on September 18th at 1pm and will be broadcast via livestream on the Acuitus website with bidding online, by telephone and by proxy.
