Pavlou Brothers Ray White
Auctioneer calling a Ray White auction in front of a crowd of bidders

Selling Services

Auction Strategy That Is Won Before Auction Day

With Paul Tzamalis, REIV Senior Auctioneer of the Year, calling the property, every auction is built long before the crowd arrives.

Auction Strategy

The battle is won before it is fought


An auction is not a performance on a Saturday morning. It is the last four minutes of a four week campaign, and the result is decided by how many qualified buyers are standing there ready to bid. Our auction strategy starts the day the campaign is signed: buyers are engaged early, positions are understood, and the reserve conversation happens with evidence rather than hope.

On the day, Paul drives the auction from the box while our team works every buyer and every negotiation live. Nothing is improvised, because nothing has been left to chance.

Crowd gathered on the nature strip at a Melbourne auction run by Pavlou Brothers
Auction day in Melbourne's inner east

Our approach

How it works


01

Buyer engagement from week one

Every enquiry is profiled from the first phone call so we know who is a bidder, who is a watcher and who needs another week to be ready.

02

Evidence-based reserve setting

Comparable sales, live buyer feedback and price expectations are workshopped with you before the day, not on the bonnet of a car.

03

A specialist on the box

Paul Tzamalis, REIV Senior Auctioneer of the Year, calls the auction while the team works the crowd and manages every negotiation.

04

A plan for a pass-in

If bidding stalls, the post-auction negotiation is already mapped. We know each buyer's ceiling and the order we will speak to them in.

What your auction campaign includes

  • Weekly reporting on enquiry, inspection numbers and buyer intent
  • Bidder identification and pre-auction qualification calls
  • Rehearsed reserve strategy and vendor briefing 48 hours prior
  • Live team negotiation on the day, not a single agent working alone
  • A hybrid bidding option so interstate and overseas buyers can compete

Other selling services

An auction is the last four minutes of a four week campaign. We spend those four weeks making sure the right people are standing there.

$67.7MTotal sales, last 12 months
35Homes sold, last 12 months
87%Auction success rate
130Combined five star reviews

Questions

Frequently asked questions


How far out should I decide to sell by auction?

Ideally four to six weeks before the campaign launches. That gives us time for preparation advice, photography, and a marketing build that reaches buyers before the first open. Book a market appraisal and we will tell you honestly whether auction is the right method for your property.

Is auction always the best method in Stonnington and Boroondara?

No. Auction suits properties where competition is likely — family homes with broad appeal, development sites, and anything where the price range is genuinely uncertain. Where a property has a narrow buyer pool, an off market approach or private sale often produces a better result.

What happens if the property passes in?

We already know each buyer's position, so negotiation begins immediately with the highest bidder while the momentum of the auction is still in the room. A pass-in is a negotiating position, not a failure, and it is planned for from the start.

How is the reserve set?

Together, with evidence. We present comparable sales, campaign feedback and each buyer's indicated range, then agree a reserve that protects you without discouraging bidding. You are never asked to make that call cold on auction morning.

Can buyers bid remotely?

Yes. Our hybrid auction platform brings verified interstate, international and absent buyers into the room in real time, with a team member supporting each one through the process.

Who pays for the auctioneer?

The auctioneer is included in our service — there is no separate fee for having a REIV award-winning auctioneer call your property. Marketing costs are agreed with you in writing before the campaign begins.

How many bidders should I expect?

It varies with price point and property type, but our campaigns are designed to produce competition rather than a single bidder. On a recent Malvern auction we had four active bidders and a result $360,000 above reserve.

Do you offer pre-auction offers?

Where an early offer is strong enough to be worth considering, we bring it to you with a clear view of what the auction is likely to achieve, so the decision is informed rather than reactive.

Contact

Start the conversation


Every campaign starts with a conversation about what matters to you. Call Adam directly on 0455 096 229, email enquiries@isellhomes.com.au, or send the form and we will respond the same day.

  • Confidential, no-obligation market appraisal
  • Direct advice on preparation and where to spend
  • A campaign strategy built for your property, not a template

Full contact details

Request a confidential appraisal

Tell us about your property and we will come back to you with a considered view of the market, not a number designed to win a listing.

By sending this enquiry you agree to our privacy policy. Prefer to talk? Call 0455 096 229.

Ready to talk about your property?

A confidential conversation costs nothing and usually changes what you thought your options were.