Buyers sat or stood together, fidgeting, whispering and contemplating the life-changing decisions ahead - tough competition standing between new home ownership and disappointment.
The lights dim and auctioneer Grant Child's voice fills the room.
First under the hammer was a 1950s three-bedroom, one-bathroom home in Paterson St - one road back from the beach.
The vendors had already had an acceptable pre-auction offer but the auction had been brought forward to allow others the opportunity to pay more.
Bidding began slowly before an agent took a phone bid of $410,000.
"He's just snatched the keys away," said Mr Child, before welcoming bids of $1000.
A woman standing quietly sipping coffee against the back wall then bid $411,000.
Again from the back wall a male voice called $412,000.
The woman quietly muttered $415,000 - her bid only brought to Mr Child's attention by the agent standing next to her.
The phone bidder responded with a $420,000 bid but the woman comes back immediately with $421,000.
The auction's really the opportunity for the owner to scoop the cream off the top because they're only dealing with the cash and unconditional buyers.
Mr Child then makes the first call, second, third and slams the wooden hammer down as a "sold" sign flicks over the onscreen photo of the property.
Next up is a three-bedroom, one-bathroom modern home in one of Mt Maunganui's most sought after streets - Muricata Ave.
"Cool, calm and collected," is how Mr Child describes this home - a clever design that makes the most of space.
It "arrests the all day sunshine", has a "secluded patio at the rear" and your neighbour is a beach access.
The pre-auction offer flicks on to the screen - $775,000.
A disappointed hush ripples through the room.
Mr Child then calls for more bids but this time the room is quiet. One man ponders the decision to "steal the keys" but his wife shakes her head.
The new owners - a young couple sitting quietly near the front - are obviously elated.
Mr Child has been an auctioneer for 14 years and an agent specialising in marketing properties for auction for six years before that.
More buyers in the market place are making Tauranga auctions more competitive, he said.
Increasingly, acceptable pre-auction offers and interest from multiple buyers are resulting in auctions being brought forward.
"Buyers are seeing something that they like and they're wanting to act," he said.
"It's in the vendors' best interests to just bring the auction forward."
However, Mr Child says the number of auctions being held has not increased dramatically.
"There are comments out in the market place that everything's going to auction."
In 2014, Eves conducted 566 property auctions and was tracking for a similar figure this year.
"The auctions are becoming more popular because people are realising the transparency of the process," he said.
Last week, he auctioned 13 properties of which six sold. Two had sold prior to auction and two of the remaining three still attracted bids but failed to meet reserve.
"As the market is developing a better understanding of how auctions work, they are more comfortable with the process," he said.
Mr Child says auctions are the most transparent way to buy and sell property.
"It confirms to the vendor that they've attracted the best the market is going to pay for their property.
They then go 'Oh, I get it' and 'that makes sense' and they get in there and have a crack
The buyers can see what their competition is doing and make an instant decision on whether they are prepared to give more or walk away."
Harcourts Advantage Realty managing director Simon Martin says many bidders are attending auctions with the intention of owning the property and he expects the Bay's property shortage will continue to push up prices.
About 60 per cent of the company's residential properties are being marketed for auction.
"The auction's really the opportunity for the owner to scoop the cream off the top because they're only dealing with the cash and unconditional buyers."
While some Tauranga buyers lack confidence in an auction, Auckland buyers are well-versed, he said.
"Tauranga buyers know about them but they don't fully understand them. They're getting left behind a bit."
To remedy this, agents are spending time with buyers, particularly first-home buyers, explaining how an auction works.
"They then go 'Oh, I get it' and 'that makes sense' and they get in there and have a crack."
Mr Martin said auctions give buyers the opportunity to buy with confidence that they are paying the right price.
"The only reason they miss out is if they don't have the horse power."
Ray White Papamoa and Mt Maunganui owner Greg Purcell agrees, saying the Auckland market has been bubbling for a while.
"It does give them a psychological advantage to some degree."
Currently in Tauranga, there may be people who were in buying mode but had lost out on two or three properties previously.
"There are some properties that just really appeal to several groups of people all at once so they achieve really good outcomes because you're getting competition - sometimes frustrated competition."
He recommends his sales people avoid the term, "I think" when talking about property values.
"'I think' has just about been rendered irrelevant," he said.
"It's difficult for the salespeople to pre-empt this type of market."
