Paul Fosh Auctions is top of the charts in Wales again, for the ninth year in a row, after topping the national auction league for the number of properties sold in a year in 2013.

The Newport auction house maintained its dominance at number one in the intensely competitive industry in Wales and notched up a strong position in the UK too.

Paul Fosh Auctions sold 354 properties out of 454 lots offered in the 12 months to December 2013 with a total sales value of £19, 404,050 at its eight auctions held throughout last year.

Paul Fosh Auctions sales were almost twice the combined number achieved by the next two auction houses in the chart.

Paul Fosh Auctions, which was listed 29th in the UK wide chart, sold 308 properties from 400 offered totalling £ 16,527,311 in 2012.

The reputable annual auction sales chart, a highly regarded guide within the industry, is compiled by UK industry experts the Essential Information Group (EIG) and published in association with industry ‘Bible’ Estates Gazette.

John Francis, of Carmarthen, came second in the EIG Wales list with 185 sales from 203 offered, totalling £15,284,650 at its 10 auctions. Seel & Co, of Cardiff, was third with 187 sold from 213 offered for a total of £14,822,350 at its seven auctions.

The EIG chart shows that the total number of sales at auction in Wales in 2013 was 1,281 from 1,597 properties offered returning a combined value of £103,445,400 at 145 auctions.

Managing director Paul Fosh said: “The past 12 months were again tough however I am thrilled with the excellent results the Paul Fosh Auctions team have achieved for our clients over that period.

“The entire team at Paul Fosh Auctions has continued to work their socks off to get the stock in the catalogue and then do their very best to get them sold at auction. The figures show that Paul Fosh Auctions excel as selling more properties than any other auction house and achieving the highest sales figure, sold a whopping quarter of all properties that were sold at auction last year in Wales which really is some going.

“Auctions are becoming increasingly popular among a range of buyers from speculators to investors and also, increasingly, first time buyers. Increased knowledge about buying at auction has been kindled by increased exposure on TV which has acted as a catalyst to growth. “Interest for auction property among investors and those new to the market appears to be building which must, in large part, be due to the returns from banks and building society investments being less than appealing.”

However, the continued economic uncertainty means that it is more crucial than ever that property is priced correctly for it to sell at auction.

The next Paul Fosh auction which will be held at the Park Inn Hotel, Circle Way East, Llanedyrn, Cardiff, on Thursday, February 13, starting at 5pm.