Storage Auctions
The Storage Locker => General Storage Auction Talk => Topic started by: Cobia on July 29, 2011, 03:05:00 PM
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I'm not a control freak, but....
I think it's time for the auctioneers and the facility owners to get a handle on bringing kids to the auctions. Storage auctions are NOT the county fair! When there are 60 ADULTS lined up to look at a unit, and then an additional 10-12 KIDS who all have to stand in front of the door (and won't move!) and get a look, it makes for a really aggravating day. This is a REAL business for a lot of people, we have only minutes to evaluate what is inside the unit, what we think we can resell it for, and decide if we take a risk on a unit and get burned? or do we go home empty handed and have nothing to sell? Then you have the kids that obviously run the household." Mommy, we should buy this one! ""Ooohhh, daddy thats a good one, you gonna buy it?" I just LOVE the kids who already KNOW about the business, "Mommy we can sell that for $XX! " I am not complaining about people in the business who are teaching there teenage children about the business, I am talking about newbies and kids in age range of 4-11 years of age.
That's my rant for the day, thanks for listening. ;D
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I went to one on Wednesday where I counted 90 adults. There were at least 10-12 kids and 2 infants! It was almost 100 degrees out there, and I was dying for a drink of water. What are these people doing to their kids!
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At the auction in Nh. a couple of weeks ago , One Couple besides bringing the kids also brought Gram. and Gramps. to push the baby buggy and they had to get a look inside too .
I really shouldn't talk , When We started doing auctions back in 89/90 We brought our 6 yr. old daughter , but then You were on mailing list and had to call at the last min. to see how many, or if still on .
Sometimes there would be only 3 to 5 bidders , at one auction of 4 units , We were the only bidders Me , wife , and 6 yr old daughter .
Auctioneer asked her if she had her allowance with her ? We bought two of them for $ 25. ea. and cleaned out the others for $ 5.00 ( got $ 8.00 in bottle returns plus a wedding dress in the trash bag of one of them .
Bandit
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Well, I cant complain to much, cause I do bring my kids out there, my daughter who is 9 and my son who is 8. But since they are not buying I make sure they stay out of the way and keep their mouths shut about anything they do see in a locker.
Key advice to everyone else that do bring your kids for what ever reason, bring them something to drink, snack on, and if your kids aint bidding, keep them away from the door and out of every one else's way. This also goes for those lookie loos who are not even thinking of bidding.
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Not really that age bracket that bothers me, but if the kid is young enough to be pushed in a stroller, /facepalm.
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Hey you all get off lucky! I live in UTAH home of 6 kids per family, and yes parents take them to all the auctions and they seem to just let them run wild. Makes me sick.
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My daughters (14 n 12) like the auctions and I like taking them. They carry all my stuff (locks,towels,etc.) in a backpack and hold the umbrella to block the sun. It's like having an auction caddy, just hand me the flashlight when we get to the door.
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My daughters (14 n 12) like the auctions and I like taking them. They carry all my stuff (locks,towels,etc.) in a backpack and hold the umbrella to block the sun. It's like having an auction caddy, just hand me the flashlight when we get to the door.
I am looking forward to taking my son to auctions in a few years to do such things, but if they are too young to help, or are running wild and getting in the way, leave them at home! And for goodness sake, keep those poor newborns out of the hot sun!
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You know, the only kids that I see at auctions are pretty well behaved. I think it is because the auctioneers are so strict in our area that the parents keep the kids in check in order to avoid drawing attention to themselves.
Keep in mind, a lot of people are just barely making it and they can't afford child care.
My daughter has been yelling out (unintentional) bids since she was on the tit. :P
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I agree if they are well behaved then yes! Try bidding while they are yelling and running around. Thas annoying
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Adults or children its a pain when they aren't behaved.At least the adults should know better.
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You know, the only kids that I see at auctions are pretty well behaved. I think it is because the auctioneers are so strict in our area that the parents keep the kids in check in order to avoid drawing attention to themselves.
Keep in mind, a lot of people are just barely making it and they can't afford child care.
My daughter has been yelling out (unintentional) bids since she was on the tit. :P
I guess it will be better in the next couple of weeks when the kids go back to school, except for Saturday auctions.
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I bring my 13 and 11 yr old boys to auctions! They stay out of the way for the most part. I let them get a look and we guess how much the locker will sell for. their guesses have been better than mine a few times. Nobody seems to mind here. But if you have toddlers running amuck around and into lockers....that's just bad parenting ;)
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Children in no way whatsoever belong at an auction, under the age of 13 at least. They are interfering with the auction process and cannot enter into a binding legal agreement anyways unless they are over the age of 18. Their presence is a waste. I can see as to maybe wanting to bring along a teenage son or daughter to help aid you in the locker cleanup, and perhaps a training session for when they are ready to bid. They can also be well behaved at that age. BUT before you allow anyone inside of the unit, you should first secure and make sure that their are not things that a minor cannot possess legally, such as pornography, firearms, tobacco, or alcohol. Shame on those adults that do not think about these things, and I am very sure that there are.
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They are interfering with the auction process and cannot enter into a binding legal agreement anyways unless they are over the age of 18. Their presence is a waste.
Well, although a lot of auctioneers don't allow children to attend, there is nothing stopping them legally from bidding on a unit. The only agreement you are making when you buy a unit is that you will have it cleaned out within a certain amount of time.
I know one young man who attends auctions with his mother, I think he is 12. He is allowed to select his own units, bid on them himself (with his own hard earned money) and he is responsible for loading and selling the merchandise. His mother allows him to do this in order to teach him how to be responsible with money. I don't call that a waste.
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Well, although a lot of auctioneers don't allow children to attend, there is nothing stopping them legally from bidding on a unit. The only agreement you are making when you buy a unit is that you will have it cleaned out within a certain amount of time.
I know one young man who attends auctions with his mother, I think he is 12. He is allowed to select his own units, bid on them himself (with his own hard earned money) and he is responsible for loading and selling the merchandise. His mother allows him to do this in order to teach him how to be responsible with money. I don't call that a waste.
I'm afraid I will have to disagree with you on this one. The auctions are a legal proceeding, officially known as property lien auctions. I do not believe a minor is LEGALLY allowed to purchase the contents of a storage unit at auction. Just like a minor cannot purchase a home at a foreclosure sale. The mother, is acting as her minor childs agent. She my allow him to clean out the units and sell the merchandise but she is fully responsible for what ever happens.
That is how I understand it, if I am wrong I would be surprised.
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In the case of a foreclosure or an automobile lien sale that may be the case because those purchases have to be titled or deeded. Buying a storage unit is no different than sending your child to the store to buy a bicycle. When was the last time someone checked your ID at a storage auction?
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In the case of a foreclosure or an automobile lien sale that may be the case because those purchases have to be titled or deeded. Buying a storage unit is no different than sending your child to the store to buy a bicycle. When was the last time someone checked your ID at a storage auction?
I was once checked not to long ago, hell they even made a copy of my ID. And this was before they started the bidding process, this was at check in time.
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I understand, but how often does that really happen? 1 in a 100 auctions maybe?
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a child purchasing a unit with unkowns inside, i.e. any weapon (possibly loaded) could be quite a liability for a storage facility...
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It is not illegal for a minor to bid at an auction. However, it is not the same as sending a child to the store to buy something. An auction is a contract where the bidder agrees to buy the auctioned item and the seller agrees to sell the auctioned item to the highest bidder (subject to any previously disclosed terms of the auction). A minor cannot enter into a contract that is legally enforceable against that minor. Therefore, even though it is legal for the seller to allow a minor to bid, it is not advisable for them to do so as the minor could go through the unit, decide that it wasn’t worth what he/she bid and then legally be able to demand his/her money back. Storage companies that handle their own auctions may not know that fact but you can be sure those that use auction companies do and would never allow a minor to bid.
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I understand, but how often does that really happen? 1 in a 100 auctions maybe?
lol, probable worse odds than that, 1 in a 1000 or so
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@tclane,
By the way, if I see a 12 year old kid bidding on a decent unit at auction; he or she ain't gonna win it as long as I am there! Just sayin' ;D
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@tclane,
By the way, if I see a 12 year old kid bidding on a decent unit at auction; he or she ain't gonna win it as long as I am there! Just sayin' ;D
lol, Your going to go into a pissing contest with a 12 yr old just so you can get the unit he/she is going for even if it aint worth that value?
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lol, Your going to go into a pissing contest with a 12 yr old just so you can get the unit he/she is going for even if it aint worth that value?
jrossjr79, It was a little bit tongue & cheek, but to expand on this statement, in my area it has become soo competative as of late that hypothetically if a 12 year old was bidding on a nice unit that I thought was worth the risk, then yes, I would take a gamble on over paying to win the unit. Last thing we need is Granny & Grampy Warbucks feeding thier grandkids slush money to play storage auctions!
That being said there are a few teenagers in my area who are the kids of seasoned auction veterans and they are already pretty savvy. They are going to be very formidable competition in a few years if they stick with the auction business.
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lol, Your going to go into a pissing contest with a 12 yr old just so you can get the unit he/she is going for even if it aint worth that value?
LOL :D
This whole thread is pissing match.
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An auction is a contract where the bidder agrees to buy the auctioned item and the seller agrees to sell the auctioned item to the highest bidder (subject to any previously disclosed terms of the auction). A minor cannot enter into a contract that is legally enforceable against that minor.
An auction is not a contract it is a public sale. The auctioneer doesn't make you sign a waiver that you understand his verbal instructions before the auction begins; therefore, it wouldn't be an enforceable verbal contract.
There is nothing stopping an adult from winning the unit, going through it and then never going into the office to pay for the unit, so that is not a valid argument.
No matter what your opinion is, it doesn't stop it from happening. If I knew about storage auctions when I was a teenager, I would have been driving a Vette to high school instead of a Yugo. It beats a part time job sacking groceries.
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LOL :D
This whole thread is pissing match.
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A completed auction forms a binding contract. There is an offer, acceptance and consideration. A minor can rescind a contract until they are an adult (with certain limitations not relevant here).
Whether someone could duck out of paying has no bearing on whether a contract exists; if the storage company had a way to locate the party who ducked out, they could sue for breach of contract. (Obviously that would probably never happen as it wouldn't be cost effective but that doesn't make it any less true).
"Under the Uniform Commercial Code's provision on sale by auction, a bid is an offer and a contract is formed when accepted by the auctioneer upon the "fall of the hammer"."DAVID DALL, Plaintiff, v. CERTIFIED SALES, INC., Defendant, v. NORTHERN INS. CO., Third-Party Defendant. CASE NO. 3:08CV19(DFM). UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT
Anyway, I am not trying to start an argument my first day on the boards. I was just trying to help.
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Thank you for you clarification. I didn't expect you to quote case law, but I probably would have done the same thing if I was trying to make a point. Good job.
No hard feelings, I enjoy a good debate even if I'm proven wrong. 8)
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Since You quoted case law "DAVID DALL, Plaintiff, v. CERTIFIED SALES, INC., Defendant, v. NORTHERN INS. CO., Third-Party Defendant. CASE NO. 3:08CV19(DFM). UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT ,
Let Me through in my $ .02 .
I drive bye Certified Sales " on the way to our storage lockers , and often have breakfast at the Diner across the street , and have stopped and spoken with Ron several times over boats or campers that are in the yard , there are some good deals if You know what You are doing .
A few years ago a friend of mine looked at a nice offshore boat with " Two Blown 454 Motors " told him He wouldn't pay over $ 4,000. for it .
A few weeks latter , He got a call that the Insurence company would accept that amount if He submitted a bid ? ::) One motor had a blown head gasket , and the other a broken rocker arm .
He sold it after a couple of years of FUN for $ 12,000.
certifiedsales.com/index.htm
Ever wonder what happens when a person starts to fix a boat at a marina and don't finish/pay there storage fees ?
certifiedsales.com/listings/YS102009.html
As to if You can really buy them that cheap , check out there Fee-Bay Auctions Ended .
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320728216811&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AITeBay
Just don't offer Me a ride if I will fill the tanks LOL
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@tclane,
By the way, if I see a 12 year old kid bidding on a decent unit at auction; he or she ain't gonna win it as long as I am there! Just sayin' ;D
Lol - then you could be bidding against my oldest. She loves auctions. At the school auctions it's my girls that bid on pretty much every one of the baskets. My oldest bids at the hockey jersey auctions (she is still mad at my company president for outbidding her). For them I tell them the highest price willing to pay and they bid up to that point. Figure it's good to teach them young if they have an interest. It can even be a good strategy. Daughter won a auction at one of the estate auctions due to the other bidder just couldn't bring themselves to bid against her. She was 10 and had that childish energy about her. Of course the item was something she had picked out for her so that prob helped.
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I think of kids bidding at auctions as being proxies for thier parents/grandparents so I am not gonna fall for that gimmick. If a kid is bidding on a small unit with toys and stuffed animals I'm not gonna be a scrooge and run them up, but if they are bidding on 10x20s, 10x30s full of furniture and boxes, then it's game on! I don't care how cute they are!
Of course there is always strategy #2, send in my own cute kids to bid against the other guys and gals cute kids. Could you imagine seeing that at auctions, hilarious!
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I'm actually working to teach my daughter. She even just opened up her first stock funds...and already crying how the market is tanking like an adult ::)
But ya - a kid auction war would be funny to watch. My daughter bids at the school and charity auctions. Not let her bid at any estate auctions yet.
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I think of kids bidding at auctions as being proxies for thier parents/grandparents so I am not gonna fall for that gimmick. If a kid is bidding on a small unit with toys and stuffed animals I'm not gonna be a scrooge and run them up, but if they are bidding on 10x20s, 10x30s full of furniture and boxes, then it's game on! I don't care how cute they are!
Of course there is always strategy #2, send in my own cute kids to bid against the other guys and gals cute kids. Could you imagine seeing that at auctions, hilarious!
That would be mine settiments, I also do not pay attention to who is bidding as much as I should, I just go for it till I hit my peak.
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In my area there are quite a few people that bring young kids, including us. There usually seem to be 6-10 kids around. There's even a couple families that seem too make their living at this. The kids all hang out together and no one lets them delay the line to look in the lockers. They seldom seem to be in the way.
As for kids bidding, it's not done around here, I don't think it's allowed. When one teenager bid yesterday the auctioneer wouldn't accept the bid until she knew he was 18. I have seen a parent proxy for a younger teenager who wanted to use his money to get a unit he chose though.