June 2025 Auction Trends: What’s Hot and What’s Not in Used Compact Equipment

By Keith Gribbins July 15, 2025 View Profile

Sandhills Global’s latest market reports offer a revealing look at auction and asking value trends for used compact construction equipment. While heavy-duty machines saw continued softening, many medium-duty categories — including those most relevant to Compact Equipment readers — showed resilience or growth. Let’s break down the data for mini excavators, backhoes, telehandlers, scissor lifts, skid steers, compact track loaders and compact tractors.

Mini Excavators: Low Inventory, Rising Auction Values

The market for used mini excavators (under 12,000 lbs) saw the most dramatic year-over-year inventory drop among all tracked medium-duty categories — down 16.88 percent. This tightening supply helped push auction values up 3.09 percent YOY, with values trending upward overall. Asking prices for used medium-duty equipment overall dipped slightly YOY by 0.96 percent, but rose 1.06 percent month-over-month (M/M) in June.

Takeaway: Mini excavators remain in demand. Shrinking inventory and rising auction values suggest now is a good time to sell — or act quickly if you’re buying.

Skid Steers and Compact Track Loaders: Mixed Signals

U.S. Used Medium-Duty Construction Equipment
Inventory levels in the U.S. medium-duty construction equipment market have been trending sideways, showing a 1.78% increase M/M in June, but a 5.74% decrease YOY. The used track skid steer category posted the largest M/M inventory increase at 2.63%, while used mini excavators (up to 12,000 lbs) showed the most significant YOY inventory decline at 16.88%.
Asking values increased 1.06% M/M in June, decreased 0.96% YOY, and are trending upward.

Used track skid steers had the largest M/M inventory increase among medium-duty categories at 2.63 percent. However, asking values dropped 3.12 percent YOY, and auction values inched upward only slightly. Skid steers and compact track loaders are still moving, but not at the peak pricing we saw in 2022–2023.

Takeaway: If you’re buying, there may be deals emerging. For sellers, value-added features and maintenance history will help justify price expectations.

construction worker entering a backhoe loader

Loader backhoes performed well in the latest report. Asking values were up 2.7 percent M/M, while auction values rose 2.26 percent M/M.

Takeaway: Backhoes — a reliable multi-use machine — are holding strong in the used market, especially with clean records and good condition.

Telehandlers: Rising Inventory, Declining Value

Telehandler inventory jumped 8.31 percent M/M in June — the largest gain across lift categories. But both asking and auction values declined 9.24 percent YOY. Auction values also fell 2.95 percent M/M.

Takeaway: Oversupply is putting pressure on prices. Buyers may find good value here, especially for mid- or high-capacity units.

Scissor Lifts: Supply and Demand Shifting

U.S. Used Lifts
Inventory levels in the U.S. lift market have been climbing for five months. In June, inventory increased by 4.48% M/M but was down 13.92% YOY. Inventory levels of used telehandlers increased more than other categories M/M at 8.31%, while used rough terrain scissor lifts led other categories in YOY increases with a 32.28% rise.

Used rough terrain scissor lifts saw a 32.28 percent YOY rise in inventory — the largest among lift categories. M/M auction values rose 4.59 percent. Asking values are trending down.

Takeaway: High inventory is impacting values. Good-condition units can still move, but sellers need to price competitively.

Compact and Utility Tractors: Steep Inventory Drop

Inventory for used compact and utility tractors has been shrinking for eight straight months. June figures showed a 22.54 percent YOY inventory drop. Despite that, asking values have remained relatively flat. Auction values rose just 0.67 percent YOY.

Takeaway: Low inventory is keeping values stable, but demand may be softening. Know your machine’s condition and specs to maximize resale value.

Navigating the Used Equipment Market

The Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI) continues to show spreads widening between asking and auction values — up to 39 percent in some categories. This suggests sellers may need to adjust pricing expectations, while buyers could find leverage at auction. For contractors looking to buy or sell used compact equipment, now’s the time to research market conditions and act with strategy.