Austin Gray

What Austin Gray does

Austin Gray is a Brighton & Hove-based property services firm operating as a multi-disciplined estate agency, chartered surveying practice, and property auction house. Founded in 1985, the firm is structured as a private limited liability partnership (Austin Gray LLP, registered in England No. OC325496) and employs 11-50 staff, including five RICS qualified professionals led by Senior Partner Stewart Gray FRICS, who has been with the firm for 50 years. Service lines span residential sales, residential and commercial lettings, property auctions (trading as Auction House Sussex & Hampshire under the national Auction House network since 2016), specialist ground rent investment sales, lease extensions and enfranchisement, and RICS Red Book professional valuations for lending, taxation, probate, expert witness, and LPA receivership purposes.

The firm's technology stack centres on a proprietary online auction platform supporting 24/7 virtual bidding (with traditional ballroom auctions alongside), FaceTime-based international property viewings, and 3D virtual tours. Distribution combines the firm's own website, the Auction House network's national marketing reach, and listings on Rightmove and OnTheMarket. Revenue is generated exclusively on a transaction-fee and professional services basis: auction commissions on properties sold (typically completing within 28 days under in-house auctioneer authority), estate agency commissions on residential sales and lettings, and fixed fees for RICS valuation reports and leasehold reform work. Customer segments include individual property owners, property investors and landlords, institutional clients (universities, local authorities, the Ministry of Defence, insurance companies, registered charities), and professional/legal buyers (solicitors, housing associations, banks). Geographic coverage spans Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire and London.

Name

Austin Gray

Legal name

Austin Gray LLP

Website

https://austingray.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Austin Gray is a Brighton & Hove-based estate agency, chartered surveying practice, and property auction house (trading as Auction House Sussex & Hampshire) serving residential clients, property investors, and institutional sellers across Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire and London since 1985.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Real Estate Services

NAICS

Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312), Offices of Real Estate Appraisers (53132), Other Activities Related to Real Estate (531390)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Real Estate (6500), Operators Of Nonresidential Buildings (6512)

akta.pro primary industry

Real Estate Auction Services (FSAEAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Investment Property Brokerage (SFR/Small Multifamily) (BPAJAAAE), Real Estate Valuation & Appraisal (commercial/residential) (FSAEAHAJ), Real Estate Valuation & Appraisal (BPAHANAC)

Keywords

• Residential estate agency
• Property auction services
• Valuation services
• Ground rent sales
• Lease extension advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Hove

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Auction Commissions: Commission fees charged on property sales conducted through auction. The company acts as auctioneer with authority to draw up, sign and exchange contracts, enabling rapid transaction completion within 28 days.
2. Residential Property Sales: Estate agency fees and commissions from residential property sales and purchases in the Brighton & Hove market.
3. Professional Valuation Services: RICS Red Book valuations for lending, taxation, pension purposes, residential lease extensions, and commercial property matters. Includes expert witness reports and portfolio valuations.
4. Ground Rent Investment Sales: Specialist sales of freehold ground rent investment properties, handling disposal in accordance with Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 and Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993.
5. Lease Extension and Enfranchisement Services: Valuation and advisory services for residential lease extensions and freehold enfranchisement under relevant legislation.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Austin Gray is a Brighton & Hove-based estate agency and chartered surveying firm that sells and values residential and commercial property, conducts property auctions (online and traditional), and provides specialist RICS valuation, ground rent investment disposal, and lease extension/enfranchisement advisory services across South East England. The firm operates both a residential/agency division and a professional services department, with auction activities run as Auction House Sussex & Hampshire under a national network.

Product overview

Austin Gray is a multi-disciplined estate agency and property auction firm based in Brighton & Hove, operating for over 40 years. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of property services organized into two main divisions: a Residential and Commercial Agency covering property sales, lettings, and investments, and a Professional Department providing chartered surveyor and RICS valuation services. Their auction operations trade as Auction House Sussex & Hampshire under the Auction House national network. Key products include Residential Sales, Property Auctions (both traditional ballroom and online platforms), Investment/Land/Developments, Ground Rent Sales, Professional Valuation Services, Lease Extensions and Enfranchisement, and Commercial Lettings. The company specializes in complex property transactions including leasehold reform work, LPA receivership, and commercial landlord-tenant advisory services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Sales
• Property Auctions
• Investment, Land, Developments
• Professional Valuation Services
• Ground Rent Sales
• Lease Extensions and Enfranchisement
• Commercial Lettings

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% auction success rate in July auction
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Auction House NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2016In 2016, Austin Gray joined the Auction House network, operating under the name 'Auction House Sussex & Hampshire'. This partnership combines Austin Gray's strong local knowledge with the reach and capability of a national network with true nationwide coverage. The partnership provides industry-leading marketing, technology, and collaborative approach across the UK, enabling the company to achieve outstanding auction results while maintaining local expertise.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Countrywide / Connells Group: Largest UK estate agency group operating national residential, lettings and auction brands. A listed customer of Austin Gray for auction services, but also a competitor for institutional and large portfolio mandates.
• LSL Property Services: Listed UK property services group (Your Move, Reeds Rains, Marsh & Parsons) offering residential sales, lettings, surveys and valuations. A named Austin Gray auction customer and a broader competitor for residential and valuation work.
• Savills (UK): Global real estate services firm with a strong UK residential, commercial, valuation and professional services offering. Competes with Austin Gray for higher-value mandates, professional valuation work, and commercial agency across the South East.
• Barnard Marcus (Part of Connells Group): Major UK estate agency and auctioneer owned by the Connells Group. Competes with Austin Gray on residential sales and auctions nationally and in London/South East, with substantially greater scale and brand reach.
• Knight Frank (UK): International real estate consultancy active across UK residential sales, commercial property, and professional valuations. Overlaps with Austin Gray in prime South East residential, commercial, and professional services mandates.

Direct peers

• Drivers & Norris: Independent Central London and Home Counties auctioneer and estate agency running traditional and online property auctions. Direct comparable in scale, service mix, and auction-led model, with a similar focus on complex and tenanted stock.
• Lambert & Foster: Multi-discipline Kent/South East estate agency, auctioneer and chartered surveying practice offering residential sales, auctions, valuations and professional services — a direct regional comparable in size and service mix.
• Auction House (National Network): UK national property auction network of which Austin Gray is the Sussex & Hampshire partner. Operates the same auction model (traditional ballroom and online) with shared marketing and technology infrastructure, making it the closest direct peer for the auction business.
• Clive Emson Auctioneers: One of the largest independent regional property auctioneers in the South of England, covering Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. Directly competes for the same regional auction mandate pool and seller audience as Austin Gray.
• Andrews & Robertson: Independent South East England property auctioneer and estate agency with a comparable mix of traditional auction, online auction, residential sales, and professional services. Overlaps directly with Austin Gray's Brighton & Hove / Sussex / Kent / Surrey auction territory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Aust1nGray
• Facebookfacebook.com/AustinGrayProperty
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/austin-gray-llp

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Austin Gray