I am beginning to think...

I am beginning to think...
that there is a Florida law that requires there must be a nasty, stained, ripped mattress in one out of every four units.

In GA its 3 of 4. along with the Georgia suitcase (garbage bag full of clothes). There are about 20 of them in every locker.

In GA its 3 of 4. along with the Georgia suitcase (garbage bag full of clothes). There are about 20 of them in every locker.

I like the suitcase reference. In my area we call them "soft-sided Samsonites" .  

Here in Texas, I have only bought 2 lockers with mattresses. Although I have seen alot more than that, just I didnt see anything of value for what the bids were going at.

Well ChiefJ is right about GA.  If there are 5 lockers up for sale, 3 will have a matress and boxspring.  I've seen 3 units so far with nothing but a matress and boxspring...or three.  However, there are exceptions.  The multi-facility auction we had last thursday actually had more couches then matresses.  Was funny - we all started to make jokes about it.

Thats because most storage these days is for moving. Rather than disposable income

In GA its 3 of 4. along with the Georgia suitcase (garbage bag full of clothes). There are about 20 of them in every locker.

Thats funny, I call those Alabama suitcases! 

Thats because most storage these days is for moving. Rather than disposable income

Hey Movieman, Bandit,

You been doin this a long time. Have you noticed a measurable change in the quality or type of things stored in lockers over the years, are is it still pretty much the same kinda stuff since you first started?

Hey Movieman, Bandit,

You been doin this a long time. Have you noticed a measurable change in the quality or type of things stored in lockers over the years, are is it still pretty much the same kinda stuff since you first started?

Personally, I think the NUMBER of better lockers has gone down in the last couple of years.

A lot of people I run into (just ordinary folks, not new buyers) have asked me since the housing crises and downturn (from 2008 on) if I am seeing better stuff as people default on mortgages, suffer unemployment, etc.

My answer is NO. If anything I am seeing more just ordinary stuff and that stuff is from lower income families, not the middle class. With 10% or more unemployment, there are still 90% employed, and they are holding on for the most part.

Sure, there are good units, but as many of us have been saying for the last 10 months, they are 1 in 20 or even 1 in 50 compared to the average or less than average unit.

THE ABOVE IS ALL MY OPINION; your's may (and probably WILL) vary.

I agree with Movieman........I think the quality (and the quantity) of the lockers has actually been declining overall.  Sure, there are still those really awesome units occasionally, but I would say that in the last year or so we are paying more money for lower quality units than we ever have.

The "Shows" have been a big contributing factor for a number of reasons:
 
1.  Way more people showing up at the auctions, causing prices to double and triple!

2.  Renters also watch the "Shows", and have realized that, "If I don't pay my bill, they will sell my crap"!  So, I think some of them are pulling the valuable stuff before it gets overlocked, or not putting the best stuff in the locker to begin with.  How many lockers have you seen that look like they have been rummaged through and just the garbage is left? 

3.  The facilities are loving the overall higher prices, especially on the good lockers.  There is one company I am familiar with that has the managers "estimate" what the locker will go for at current auction prices.  If it's a nice locker that they think will bring, say $800, but the renter only owes say $400, they will actually pull the locker from the sale and let it ride for another month or two, under the guise that it's nice stuff and they are going to give the renter more time to come up with the money to pay.  They win either way.....either the owner comes up with the cash and they get all their money and a little extra rent, or, the locker get's sold at auction and they get to keep a couple extra months rent because now they don't have a big overage they have to send to the renter.  Damn smart from a business standpoint, but leaves the auction buyer looking at a bunch of crappy lockers on a long day of touring storage facilities on auction day!

I agree with Teacher's reason number 3. I believe the quality lockers are getting fewer and farther between because the facilities are giving the owners more time to come up with the money on the good units (knowing that with the TV shows, they can still recoup the money) and a lot of the owners are catching up their back payments.
I have been to several chain facilities and seen the same units for months at a time with a facility lock on the unit but with the owner's lock cutoff. Other than some sort of notice error, there is no other reason I can think of that these units would not sold the month the owner's lock is cut off.

Well I know one facility that doesn't care of the price or such.  He just wants to get the unit sold, cleaned out, and off his books.  Of course it's a chain facility.  As he said it cost him $700 just to post the ad in paper.

As for what teacher said.  I think all 3 are valid.

  I asked the Boss , and She agrees that the quality and quantity of the lockers  have either stayed the same , or more likely , gone down .
  Plus a lot of lockers lately show signs of the boxes being gone " Frantically " gone through   
Also I agree with Movieman  on the larger crowds and insane prices that units loaded with junk are going for . 
 Lately We have just been going if close by and/or we are in the area , and more for the entertainment .
  ( We didn't even attend the auction  held at the facility  where We have our two 30 ft lockers ,              We put away the returns from the Brimfield Flea Market and finished making up the  mining rough bags    that we needed for a Fair with our portable gemstone mining sluice   and left an hour before it started )
Bandit

Don't forget the four foot dusty plastic Christmas tree and cheap ornaments. If those are missing, there is at least a plastic beat up Santa, lol.