Storage Auctions
The Storage Locker => General Storage Auction Talk => Topic started by: BigBizzz on September 03, 2011, 08:40:30 PM
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<pretty much
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Im still in the process of learning all the ropes but im trying to make thus full time. Just starting to do flea markets 3 days a week and get units on the weekends or where there close enough.
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Ya thats my next step is renting a flea market space. Ive been building up my contacts to sell things which i feel is the most important aspect knowing how to get various things off.
But ya i just got on the waiting list for the traders post so once that goes through im set.
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Yeah i do flea markets mostly because I have no clue where to start with building my contacts. Any advice on how to or where to begin building contacts? Would sure help in unloading some of the items I cant sell.
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Im FT regurarly. Currently PT due to some other stuff going on.
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Yeah i do flea markets mostly because I have no clue where to start with building my contacts. Any advice on how to or where to begin building contacts? Would sure help in unloading some of the items I cant sell.
Well theres several things you need to work out. i keep a black book of numbers addresses and info, and start collecting buisness cards everytime you sell something somewhere : antique shops,sports memerobillia, pawn shops, vintage sales, dvd places, game place etc. Start searching your area for places that do Appraisals (preferably free) auction houses, stuff like that. Always keep your eye open wherever you go and if you see a place that buys certain items grab their card. Find out what theyre looking for specificly, who deals in what like certain shops perfer certain things depending on clientelle like 50s style furniture glass or whatever. And i always ask when i go somewhere to refer me to another place with another type of clients
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BigBizz gives good advice. I think building contacts is a face to face operation. Go to all sorts of various businesses, introduce yourself and discuss how what you do can benefit them as well as yourself. I have had very good responses and they will often tell you specifically what they are interested in. If they show no interest, thank them and leave. Look in the classifieds. I found a guy who buys broken laptops and did business with him, and turns out my wife taught his kid in school. Don't be afraid to ask for referrals from those you do business with. If you can drop a name they trust, sometimes that makes all the difference.
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Another thing? Don't forget your local museums and history centers, as a lot of them are very knowledgeable about various items you find that may be unique and have very limited exposure. Every source of value you can find is a good one. And don't forget to send them thank you cards if they buy a big ticket item. Common courtesy can go a long way toward building a network, and you'd be amazed how many times you can get someone sent your way because person X isn't interested, but their friend, person Y, is, and they refer Y to you.
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to many gunners in my area to do this full time. I also own a restaurant and that takes a lot of my time. I do this for extra income in my spare time. Its fun, and I can work it around my schedule. Its not like a real "job" whereas I can take a few weeks off and not have any repercussions outside of maybe missing out on a good locker. It is great as far as the excitement factor goes.
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I would love to do this full time, but am not in a situation to do so. I have to do auctions around my work schedule, when I wish I could work my schedule around the auctions!
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I would love to do this full time, but am not in a situation to do so. I have to do auctions around my work schedule, when I wish I could work my schedule around the auctions!
Its certainly much more exciting than most full time jobs.
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Certainly true
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Its certainly much more exciting than most full time jobs.
I agree. I'm a real estate appraiser normally, and 95% of my current work is foreclosures. It's amazing what people leave behind (99.9% of it is pure trash), including slinging paint on the walls, kicking holes in them and, for some bizarre reason I still can't understand, they always take the doorbell from outside. They leave the doorbell mechanical parts, but take the bell button.
And the appliances. They always take the appliances and ceiling fans.
Did one upper end home where they didn't damage a damn thing, but LEFT a pool table, exercise bike, bowflex and a lot of other large, very nice items.
Whoever got the clean up job on that wound up walking off (and getting PAID) with about 5 grand in merchandise. It was astonishing.
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I agree. I'm a real estate appraiser normally, and 95% of my current work is foreclosures. It's amazing what people leave behind (99.9% of it is pure trash), including slinging paint on the walls, kicking holes in them and, for some bizarre reason I still can't understand, they always take the doorbell from outside. They leave the doorbell mechanical parts, but take the bell button.
And the appliances. They always take the appliances and ceiling fans.
Did one upper end home where they didn't damage a damn thing, but LEFT a pool table, exercise bike, bowflex and a lot of other large, very nice items.
Whoever got the clean up job on that wound up walking off (and getting PAID) with about 5 grand in merchandise. It was astonishing.
Thats the next thing I want to jump into, doing clean up on foreclosures and rentals. How do you get into that?
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Haha sounds like u can almost make more goin an cleanin em out. **** that tho i bet they leave all types of surprises. See thats why i love this, u gotta care about something to pay rent for it. Ya.
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Haha sounds like u can almost make more goin an cleanin em out. **** that tho i bet they leave all types of surprises. See thats why i love this, u gotta care about something to pay rent for it. Ya.
Not always true, about 2 years ago, a couple got evicted from a house on my street. Well he got locked up, she got evicted. They left all kinds of stuff. Furniture was no good. But had left several boxes of brand new nikes, name brand clothing, tools. Landlord offered for anyone to clean the house that they could keep all the stuff. Well me and my wife jumped on that. Just wish I knew where I can get more opportunities like that.
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Interesting.
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Not always true, about 2 years ago, a couple got evicted from a house on my street. Well he got locked up, she got evicted. They left all kinds of stuff. Furniture was no good. But had left several boxes of brand new nikes, name brand clothing, tools. Landlord offered for anyone to clean the house that they could keep all the stuff. Well me and my wife jumped on that. Just wish I knew where I can get more opportunities like that.
Evictions are different. Foreclosure clean ups require that you have E&O insurance and are bonded and licensed. As an appraiser, I have to carry a mill in insurance. As well as the fact that I do not take anything from any properties.
Most clean up crews get paid three to five hundred dollars per property, and believe me, they are rarely filled with a bunch of little rewards. Normally they are merely trashed, including having people **** on the floor and plug the drains.
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Evictions are different. Foreclosure clean ups require that you have E&O insurance and are bonded and licensed. As an appraiser, I have to carry a mill in insurance. As well as the fact that I do not take anything from any properties.
Most clean up crews get paid three to five hundred dollars per property, and believe me, they are rarely filled with a bunch of little rewards. Normally they are merely trashed, including having people **** on the floor and plug the drains.
Ok so I need the insurance, which I will look into, how do I look it up in my local area for jobs to do? Or who do I try to approach, the bank?
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Ok so I need the insurance, which I will look into, how do I look it up in my local area for jobs to do? Or who do I try to approach, the bank?
Truthfully, it can be a teetotal sonofa***** to get into.
http://www.google.com/search?q=getting+into+foreclosure+cleanups&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
Not being flippant, either. I'm planning on expanding into it pretty soon so my son's can get at it and make some extra cash.
I'm actually going to take a chance on spending the $250.00 and see if that course at the top of the page actually will help me get into this and turn a profit quicker.
If I can cut a week or two off, or more, and get to work sooner, then I can make even more money at it. Just be aware that it is definitely an expensive, and royal pain in the ass at times.
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Thanks for the google link :)
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I was all gunho to do this full time a few months back although I have to admit the high priced units and the grind of unloading old clothes and household crap has really taken it's toll on me and I've kind of taken a step back from this business.
I'm still buying a unit or two a week but not heading out to auctions every free minute I have.
Though I'm still buying units and still selling on ebay I've been opting for smaller profits and pretty much unloading everything on other resalers and taking a small cut for myself.
I've been kind of focusing on some other ventures and things I have going on. I did recenty learn of an opportunity for a very cheap retail space in a perfect area for a resale business and the best part no commitment as far as lease and being tied down for a year or anything like that.
FThis kind of has my interest peaked in once again looking into a store.
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I was all gunho to do this full time a few months back although I have to admit the high priced units and the grind of unloading old clothes and household crap has really taken it's toll on me and I've kind of taken a step back from this business.
Honesty is a wonderful thing.
Though I'm still buying units and still selling on ebay ...I've been kind of focusing on some other ventures and things I have going on. FThis kind of has my interest peaked in once again looking into a store.
Looked at your completed eBays and at the present, it seems Copper is not the new silver, but could be one day. How much profit do you make on a $75 sale of 1 million Vietnamese Dongs?
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Every time I hear 'Vietnamese Dong' I think of an asian porno, and it usually seems to be a short feature.
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Thats the next thing I want to jump into, doing clean up on foreclosures and rentals. How do you get into that?
I would definitely like to know this as well. Interested in starting a cleaning business for this. Thanks!