I would definately encourage you to use a professional Auctioneer that has an emphasis on fundraiser events. The key is finding a professional that can get behind your cause and encourage your bidders to participate without being too aggressive.
Many people believe the role of the Auctioneer is to "talk fast" on the stage. They should help you do so much more! The truth is a Professional Charity Auctioneer can have a huge impact on the success of you entire evening. He/She should help you plan your time line, work in additional elements such as raffles and games, guide you through the order of your live auction items, to mention a few.
Stage presence is a huge part of the Auctioneer flair and having an enjoyable "chant" to listen too is also a big part of any successful event. The Live auction should be very ALIVE! A successful Auctioneer must be quick on their feet and skilled with reading their audience, utilize countless strategies and tactics to stimulate stagnant bidding and master the art of audience control.

When looking for an Auctioneer for your event get reccomendations from other successful events. Ask questions of your prospective hire and definately call their references!
You work tirelessly to plan your fundraiser, shouldn't you have all the best tools for success on the big night?

We use a teacher who is very outgoing and full of personality. She is worth the price of admission. I have been to other local auctions that have used a professional from our local auction house. Sometimes the auctioneer will donate their services and sometimes they will give a reduced rate. We are lucky though, because our free auctioneer is much better than some of the professionals I have seen. One advantage to using someone connected to the school is that they will know many of the people in attendance and it makes the event more personal.

We're having our first ever auction later this spring. We're planning to have both a silent auction and a live auction. My question is, who do you use as an auctioneer? Do you have a "professional" do it? A local celebrity? A parent/someone connected to the school with an outgoing personality? If you do use a professional, how did you find him/her? Do they donate their services? How much do they charge? As you can see, we've got lots of questions, but this site has been a wonderful resource so far.