Over two days this month. Allsop & Co's auction team raised nearly £120 million, selling 177 properties, a success rate of 84%. This beats the 2002 May result of £104 million ($171 million) and is also a clear reflection of the increasing lot sizes being seen in the auction room - an average lot size of £673,000 ($1.1 million) as opposed to £472,000 ($775,000) in May 2002.

Among highlights of the sale are the UK's largest lot sold under the hammer, an £8.55 million ($14 million) reversionary ground rent in Avonmouth; 32 other lots at more than £1 million of which 10 were more than £2 million; and 44 investment lots sold at net initial yields below 6%.

The biggest demand was for a building in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, let on a long lease to NatWest Bank. It generated 78 requests for the full documents package, an unprecedented level of demand – and the property eventually sold for £470,000 ($771,000), a yield of 4.3%. Allsop's next commercial sale is scheduled for 8 and 9 July.