Auctioneers say they regularly see houses withdrawn at auction which then sell a week or two later for a price far higher than the seller would have accepted under the hammer.

One of the most extreme examples happened recently when Lisney withdrew 6 Bushy Park Road in Terenure after the house received no bids at auction. It had an AMV of 3.5m and was put up for sale afterwards with an asking price of 3.95m.

Incredibly, the house sold a couple of weeks later for well in excess of 5m.

The vendors felt that a price between 3.5m and 4m was achievable and would have accepted something in that region, " says Ciaran Cassidy, divisional director with Lisney. ?It's one of the more extreme example of why it is important to go to an auction and be prepared to make a bid if you are interested in a house."

The same thing happened with another Lisney-marketed house in Dun Laoghaire. A small cottage on Marine Terrace in Crofton Road with an AMV of 800,000 . . . and hopes for 880,000 . . . failed to get any bid at auction.

But within 10 days, says agent Robert Lawson, the house was sold after two interested parties vied to pay 930,000.

We say it time and again, " says Ciaran Cassidy.

While private teaty may suit some buyers because they feel they can negotiate on their own terms and sign contracts subject to a survey, if you're not in an auction. . . it's like the lottery, you can't win."