France
Properties usually have a reserve price, which is often as little as half the market price.[1]
With a judicial auction, on the other hand, the reserve price is the amount owing (e.g. to the mortgage lender), which may be far below the value of the property, which means that you may get a bargain. [2]
Paris has the busiest auction scene, with a property auction almost weekly (properties can be anywhere in France).
Most properties are sold for a figure well in excess of their reserve price.[3]
The sale of properties through auction is not a widespread practice in France, accounting for less than 2% of all sales.[4]
The number of existing homes sold in France as a whole only rose by 1.4% to 740,000 units during the year to August 2015, according to the Conseil général de I´environnement et du développement durable(CGEDD).[5]
Wait 2% would be 15,000 , so maybe it is actual foreclosures.
[1] https://www.justlanded.com/english/France/Articles/Property/Buying-at-Auction
[2] https://www.justlanded.com/english/France/Articles/Property/Buying-at-Auction
[3] http://www.connexionfrance.com/find-a-bargain-home-in-france-at-property-auction-news-article.html
[4] http://www.french-property.com/guides/france/purchase-real-estate/auction/introduction/
[5] http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Europe/france/Price-History