The Bid partners with independent estate agents across the UK to give vendors two secure methods of sale alongside private treaty - Secure Sale and Modern Auction. Both dramatically reduce fall-throughs, deliver completion in as little as 56 days and are managed by you, the local agent, with The Bid's specialist support behind you.
The UK property market's reliance on private treaty means vendors face sustained uncertainty from accepted offer to completion - with fall-through risk at every stage. The Bid's Secure Sale and Modern Auction methods change the dynamic: buyer commitment is made early, the timescale is fixed and fall-through risk falls close to zero.
Vendors who have experienced a fall-through are motivated to find a more secure sale route. The Bid's Secure Sale and Modern Auction methods give them the certainty they need while keeping the full marketing strategy and viewings process intact.
The Bid is specifically designed to work through independent estate agents, not around them. You retain the vendor relationship and the marketing; The Bid provides the secure sale mechanism.
The Bid's fixed 56-day timescale from commitment to completion gives vendors who need certainty on timing a reliable route that private treaty cannot guarantee.
Vendors who are aware of modern auction and secure sale methods will choose an agent who can offer them. The Bid gives you the capability to present these options without becoming an auctioneer.
The Bid partners with estate agents so the vendor relationship, marketing strategy and viewings stay with your agency. The Bid provides the legal and commercial structure that makes the sale secure.
A reservation agreement that secures the buyer's commitment at the point of sale agreed. The buyer pays a reservation fee which is non-refundable if they withdraw, dramatically reducing fall-through risk after acceptance.
A modern method of auction run in partnership with your agency. Viewings and marketing proceed exactly as in a private treaty sale - but bidding is online and commitment is legally binding from the point the bid is accepted.
Both methods include a fixed completion timescale of 56 days from commitment. Buyers and sellers know exactly when the transaction will complete, removing the uncertainty that drives fall-throughs in long private treaty chains.
Buyers can view properties and make informed decisions before committing - exactly as in a private treaty sale. The Bid does not require blind bidding on properties buyers cannot inspect.
The marketing strategy - portal listings, social media, viewings management and buyer qualification - remains entirely with your agency. The Bid provides the secure sale structure, not the marketing.
The Bid trains your team on how to present Secure Sale and Modern Auction to vendors, how to answer buyer questions and how to manage the commitment and completion process.
Most agencies are up and running quickly. Here is how it typically goes.
Your agency registers with The Bid as a partner estate agent. Initial training on both methods is provided.
When appropriate, your valuers present Secure Sale and Modern Auction as sale options alongside private treaty. The Bid provides presentation materials and training.
The vendor chooses a method. Marketing proceeds as normal through your agency.
A buyer commits through the reservation agreement or online bidding process. The commitment is legally binding.
Completion takes place within the agreed 56-day timescale. The Bid's team manages the process alongside your conveyancing workflow.
As a supplier on Kerfuffle and Compare The PropTech, The Bid works with your Kerfuffle account manager to ensure members get the best possible commercial terms before anything is signed.
Standard route
Off-the-shelf pricing
Your terms, reviewed before you sign
Commercial terms, scope and onboarding timeline are agreed per agency. Book a call and the team will scope it live - with your Kerfuffle AM in the room.
The Bid has 60 verified agent reviews at a perfect 5.0 on Kerfuffle. Read what estate agency directors say about the partnership model, vendor outcomes and the difference between The Bid and traditional auction houses.
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A walkthrough of the Secure Sale and Modern Auction methods, how to present them to vendors and what the 56-day completion process looks like from your agency's perspective.
A walkthrough of the Secure Sale and Modern Auction methods, how to present them to vendors and what the 56-day completion process looks like from your agency's perspective.
The Bid was built to give independent estate agents access to secure methods of sale that give buyers and sellers confidence without requiring the agency to become an auctioneer. By partnering with local agents rather than bypassing them, The Bid preserves the vendor relationship and local marketing expertise while adding the legal and commercial structures that make sales secure, fast and far less likely to fall through.
A small group of suppliers on Compare The PropTech participate in PropTech That Pays Back - a Kerfuffle programme that rewards estate agents with kredits when they actively use the tools they invest in. See which suppliers are participating, what agents are saying, and how to start earning back on your subscriptions.
Kerfuffle members get member-only commercial terms, prioritised onboarding and a named account manager throughout. Book a Zoom with the Kerfuffle team to talk through the options.
Want to talk through how this would work for your team?
Grab fifteen minutes with the Kerfuffle team. We will walk you through the member offer, answer your questions, and figure out the best fit for your agency.
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