Our Local Auction

I have not posted anything in a while......finally moved into a space at the antique mall, hitting quite a few estate sales and estate auctions and working my dogs a bit in agility.

Saturday I attended our local storage facility auction - we live in the sticks and I have to travel at least 45 min to get to most of the auctions (more often than not an hour or more!). The auction was only 10 min from home and we are a small community of about 9,000, the manager only holds an auction every few years or so and the last one we attended was 3 years ago - dozen or so units and about 8 bidders. Well Saturday was a whole different world! They had 32 units for auction and most had not been entered for a year or more. Daughter and I arrived at 8:30 to sign in and already there were about 100 people there....crap! Since I knew many of the people that had units up for auction and had somewhat of an idea what I would find in them we decided to stay and hope that most were looky-loos! By the time the first unit was opened the crowd had swelled to well over 150 and from listeneing in on conversations all but a hand full were new and had traveled from outside the area.

I bid on a few but most were going for $500-$1200. There were 10 units that belonged to an older lady that was an avid hoarder and her units were all 10 X20's and were packed to the rafters....I had to chuckle as most of those went to new folks. I ended up with the one I wanted but I had to overpay by about $200....after the bidding reached $400 it was between me and an idiot that reminded me of the younger fellow from SW-Texas (don't remember his name). I ended up having to pay $700 but I knew the family and felt comfortable with what I paid.

Since we are local and the manager was also my children's chemistry teacher in high school I have a week to empty the unit.

So far:

Electric guitar with amp - sold already for $375
Old Bible podium from one of our local churches - sold $150
Mahagony tea cart - going to the antique mall with a price tag of $100
Complete set of cobalt blue Dragonware - going to antique mall - $100
Many pieces of Depression glass - going to antique mall, should bring in another $200
Silverware chest with silverplate setting for 8 - I can get $45 at the antique mall
2 boxes of Dolls (I hate dolls) - sold to our local "doll lady" for $90
Maytag washer and dryer - going on CL for $150
Upright freezer (sears) - going on CL for $100
Air compressor - CL for $90
Framing nailgun - CL $125
2 bikes - may keep one, the other will go to the swap.

Plus another 10 boxes of crap I have to go thru today!

Hubby and I were looking thu boxes yesterday and it was quite a show watching the first-time buyers empty units. One lady left her son and husband in tears....just got in her car and drove away. I heard her tell them that they could deal with it! Maybe this will be their first and last unit....

Anyhoo, just an update and a rant! All in all we should do okay.

Bev


 

It's always good when you have some inside knowledge of the tenants or units in general.  When it's local to you it's even better.  I'd say I'm surprised the out-of-towners spent that much money on large units but I'm not.  I suspect many of them didn't think about the gas cost of multiple trips to clean out the units.  Assuming new buyers with maybe a truck and no trailer, etc.

Does the washer and dryer work?  If so $150 sounds low but that is my general area.  Old style working washer/dryer set is $199.  Name brand and newer in the 300-350 range.  An air compressor in my area can be had new for $90-$100 if your talking about one of the pancake 1lb or 5lb type used for framing and roofing.

Glad you got a good lockers.  Sounds like you should do well with it.  Maybe you should of stuck around and hit up some of the noobies.  May of been able to score some other great deals due to them being desperate to move items or clean out a unit.

Good luck

LOL! It did look like a U-Haul lot yesterday...I don't think too many folks had any idea of what doing this entails!

The compressor is an older Craftsman 20 gallon and hubby just called -  he sold it to a fellow he works with....yippee!

The W/D is older but clean. I would rather unload it quick right out of the unit and not have to load it more than once!

I forgot to mention - I am now the proud owner of thousands of baseball, football, basketball and NASCAR trading cards. Seems as if grandpa bought whole collector boxes each year from three different companies!

Also, 2 Sessions mantle clocks. I love clocks and hubby is worried that those will stay to add to the noise! I have an appointment with the clock guy tomorrow....maybe I will just have him clean them.

Bev

Awesome,congrats.