Storage Auctions

The Storage Locker => New to Storage Auctions? => Topic started by: Majblade2 on April 27, 2012, 09:52:42 PM

Title: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: Majblade2 on April 27, 2012, 09:52:42 PM
1.   Throw you TV out the window and everything you saw on storage wars, auction hunters  et al.  is fake  and a massive lie to sell advertisement.

2.   Do you really have $50 or $1000  to gamble?
3.  Do you have the time to deal with buying a unit.. im not talking going to the auction   Im talking..you bought one  know you got to clean it out.  Most storage place have very hard and fast rule about cleaning it out...   The big chains   its all about clearing it out and re renting it
be prepared to move  it they dont care if you have no way to move it or no where to go with it... some will let you rerent  unit  and some will not at all.
4.  moving a unit can be a *****   I cant belve all the old people and those n walkiers  and people trying to load units into hatch back toyotas.   If you dont have a truck or larger vechile forget it .  Of if you want your cadillac escalade covered in mouse poop in the back   this is not for you
5.  Are you ready to sell the cheap $1 items out at the fea market every weekend?   If you arent you will fail with in 6 months.
thats why the only reguler buyers ive seen make in last 3 years are mexicans...the whole family workds togther including the kids
If  you think you will jsut buy the great one here and their like berry   you will fail    and you will throw your money away
if your old and only looking for collectiables  and only want to deal with that ,  got to auctions at auction houses  you wont do it at storage places.
6.  Prepare to treat this like a full time job.. I do  and when part timers come around   I make sure you dont buy anything  or I run it up so high   you wont be back
7.  Got to know alot.....ya, I know.  But do you know how to do ebay and amazon and craigslist .  Can you look at stuff and know it needs to be checked by proffessionals  or are you wasting everyones time?   Ok you got some gold jewelry...whos going to give you best price?  whos going to screw you?     first any store you will be lucky to get 70%    I get   95%  casue I know guys   and they get better then me  but they buy wholesale lots  and they have to have like 12-14 ounces to get that   Im lucky to usualy sell 3 grams
have a eyepiece to look for markings on jewelry   have a scale to weigh grams    and shop around   you put any costume jewelry out at flea maket  the gold and silver buyers will be all over it   talk to them  and see who you can trust and who giveing best price...
also go on ebay buy a acid tester kit   its like $10 bucks  and have a magnet handy at all times     works for silver, alluminum, brass and others metals you better get to know for scrap value
8.  Get to know your competition  some auction buyers only want furnitre  some only want boxes.   so if you get furnitre  sometimes you can make a deal they take it right out of unit  you get some money   AND YOU DONT HAVE TO MOVE IT
9.   Manges can be your best friend our your worst nightmare....get to know the managers...if you talk to them before and work with them sometimes you can get more time...They all have a boss and they want this unit cleared and re rented...Then dont want a no sale where they have to clean it out themselves  they dont want people leaving stuff   for same reason   just talk to them  and most will work with you...Some  like PS cant  they are on a 48 hour thing or all hell comes down    so realize that before you buy
10.    Every get rich scheme you have ever saw  is a lie...this is just the latest.....Some people will make it  but  99% of you wont
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: calcoastgal on April 28, 2012, 02:26:13 AM
#3 Time... here I am at 12:20 am California time. First check of the internet today (or is it tomorrow? I'm not quite sure LOL). Been putting in 10 plus hour days all week trying to get ready for my big monthly sale tomorrow/today.

#11 this is not clean work. Be prepared to get very dirty. I have a friend that wanted to start buying lockers until she saw how dirty I get every day going through this stuff. I think she has reconsidered.  I smell like the crap out of this latest locker and everything around me smells like it. Every locker has a different odor that you get used to after being around it for a couple of days and most are not pretty.
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: alab on April 28, 2012, 09:25:16 PM

I agree with everything I just read, my wife has bugged me for years (even before the tv shows) to buy storage units, being above average smarts and already running a sucessful business it looked like alot of work then and it looks like alot of work now. I can now verify that yes it is alot of work and the starting out the profits dont seem to be worth it. I can also verify that the tv shows are total bull****, it just seems odd to me that every week these guys are pulling out something to even be considered for appraisal let alone the 5,000.00 and up collectibles. I also find it strange they know right where to go with the very item that would fit perfectly in the store or shop they go to for the appraisal. LMFAO

If you can pick out the units that have not been tampered with and you go on a day 150 knuckleheads arent there to drive up the prices there is money to be made. I geared up for buying in bulk with a 20' box truck and have a pretty good routine going ....but I will say it again.......its alot of WORK.
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: Dandy_Granny on April 29, 2012, 03:30:26 PM
#12 if PORN offends you in the least way.... RUN from this business!!

just now switched channels and find SW gang in Vegas discussing their ventures etc..
Brandi says 8 of 10 units have porn and would have to agree.
5 of 6 I have bought had porn. and I dont mean the mild stuff. these were bad.
Not viewable from the open door but once inside WOW.
1 had a TV/VCR combo set up with car battery/adaptor to view his tapes inside unit.
118 porn magazines and various tapes/CDs. plus 4 plastic "male parts" obviously used inside the unit also. All his power tools, ladders, tires/wheels, a tent, viewable from door sold me on this. upon inspection ALL were broken, parts missing, etc.
All the Mikita power tool blue plastic boxes (visible from door) were... you guessed it ... EMPTY.
This unit was his Dumpster, his "front" for keeping his bad side from his family.
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: Millertime on April 29, 2012, 04:29:52 PM
#6 is funny, just because someone is a part timer doesn't mean they don't know how to work this business, I don't get "run up" because I stay disciplined in my bids, if I overpay for a unit it's because I didn't value it correctly not for being outsmarted by someone like you, if I go home empty thats ok cause I go to work the next day and then off to the next auction, seems like all the part timers at the auctions really bother you, maybe you could give us some more stellar advice and we'll all quit our jobs and do it full time.
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: Majblade2 on April 29, 2012, 08:05:07 PM
To millertime    their is part timers  and their are " part timers"
Their are those now that think they can work a full time job have their wife go buy units and they  make extra money.  Their also those retired  people that show up to one auction a month (alwasy the same one and will buy a unit or all of them no matter what the cost)
Their are those that work or dont,  go to maybe 10 a month and buy one or two smartley  (which Ill give you the benifit of the doubt that you are one of them)  so you can take your attitude and shove it
Ive bought over most of the south east and west coast  their are very few part timers that last long.  Either they get bored and move on to something else or just decide to much work for the once in awhile find
You may have been a part timer for  20 years   (heres a crappy bowling trophy from 1981 Ill give you for being such a part timer)
What I was saying to the noobs, is its not a common thing in this business.


Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: alab on April 29, 2012, 10:31:58 PM

Two thumbs up to you majblade...Your ten steps hit the nail on the head!!!

These are guys going to auctions running up a 50.00 locker to 800.00 + dollars and then coming here and telling everyone how deductive reasoning and chance is making them a profit...LMFAO..

Ill buy my 10 50.00 units for the day ...no deductive reasoning, no chance, no luck and make money everytime..
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: Travis on April 29, 2012, 10:36:13 PM
Maybe it's just a Southern thing, but most of the regulars who attended storage auctions in Houston, before the storage auction reality shows premiered, never really ran others up. We were a pretty tight knit group, everyone was hospitable and nobody was openly vindictive.

It's too bad things had to change, everyone was making money.
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: Millertime on April 29, 2012, 11:40:25 PM
First of all Maj, you are writing a newbie guide. Correct me if I'm wrong but a guide is something helpful in accomplishing a task. I don't see how threatening part-timers with "when part-timers come around I make sure you don't buy anything or I run you up so high you don't come back" is a helpful item in a guide. Now as for me, I work nights and do auctions during the day, wife just went to her first auction last month (bought a great unit to). I enjoy every part of doing this including the hard work which you are correct that most people won't do long term. As for attitude, you seem to have a very bad one toward those of us part-timers which is why you wrote more of a "How to scare away part-timers guide" not a noobie guide, and I'll pass on shoving it. You sound as though you can't achieve your past success with the changes the shows brought to the business. I'm respectful of those who make their living doing this because I know it's a tough environment. However, there is one thing that will never change - adapt or die. Businesses do both all the time. I do love capitalism.
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: Cobia on April 30, 2012, 07:31:37 AM
#3 Time... here I am at 12:20 am California time. First check of the internet today (or is it tomorrow? I'm not quite sure LOL). Been putting in 10 plus hour days all week trying to get ready for my big monthly sale tomorrow/today.

#11 this is not clean work. Be prepared to get very dirty. I have a friend that wanted to start buying lockers until she saw how dirty I get every day going through this stuff. I think she has reconsidered.  I smell like the crap out of this latest locker and everything around me smells like it. Every locker has a different odor that you get used to after being around it for a couple of days and most are not pretty.

I think that is one of my advantages over other people cause I have a poor sense of smell! ;D
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: craiglstauction on April 30, 2012, 02:17:26 PM
Good work on the guide Maj.  All it needs is some polish to make it easier to read.  I do have an issue also to #6.  I agree that you have to treat this like a job, even if you do it as a hobby like myself.  Doing it part-time or fulltime doesn't matter IMO.  Number 4 is true also but I'd take out the old people comment.  Most of our old time regulars are retired guys that do this to stay busy.  It's true they can't life or move the heavy items.  But, that is why they have contacts and/or people to do it for them for free/pay/trade.

Dandy is right on #12.  I've been lucky and only found a few porn items.  I find mostly normal sex related items like rubbers, birth control pills/boxes, and then baby pictures :).  Of course I'm like well if you had used this (condoms + pills) - you wouldn't of ended up with that (pointing to pics).

Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: terry on May 01, 2012, 10:43:57 AM
Good work on the guide Maj.  All it needs is some polish to make it easier to read.  I do have an issue also to #6.  I agree that you have to treat this like a job, even if you do it as a hobby like myself.  Doing it part-time or fulltime doesn't matter IMO.  Number 4 is true also but I'd take out the old people comment.  Most of our old time regulars are retired guys that do this to stay busy.  It's true they can't life or move the heavy items.  But, that is why they have contacts and/or people to do it for them for free/pay/trade.

Dandy is right on #12.  I've been lucky and only found a few porn items.  I find mostly normal sex related items like rubbers, birth control pills/boxes, and then baby pictures :).  Of course I'm like well if you had used this (condoms + pills) - you wouldn't of ended up with that (pointing to pics).



Old timers also have sons and grandsons to do the heavy lifting. My 17 yr old grandson and his friend will move out a full 20 x 20 for a $25 gas card each.
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: PureVendue on May 01, 2012, 01:08:05 PM
I think you would be much more likely to fail if you started up full time right away. That is a perfect way to get in over your head with no experience and not solid ways to sell your items. You don't know what to expect and are surprised by a lot of the situations that arise. If you do this as a side hobby or part time business then you learn all of these things without the high risk and can ease yourself into it both financially with the amount of work. It is impossible for a part timer to fail within 6 months or whatever you said because they don't overly invest in it financially, so they will not be hurt much. The way people fail is if they try to jump in full time immediately without knowing anything other than what they watched on TV.

Soooo...doing this part time is a great way to gain experience and knowledge. Kinda like riding a bike with training wheels on first.
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: Cobia on May 01, 2012, 08:51:50 PM
Two thumbs up to you majblade...Your ten steps hit the nail on the head!!!

These are guys going to auctions running up a 50.00 locker to 800.00 + dollars and then coming here and telling everyone how deductive reasoning and chance is making them a profit...LMFAO..

Ill buy my 10 50.00 units for the day ...no deductive reasoning, no chance, no luck and make money everytime..

It is quite fortunate you live in a part of the country where you can attend large enough auctions that you can win 10 - $50 units a day. Where I live, we can go two weeks without seeing 10 units total, and around here, except for one auction 2 weeks ago, I haven't seen a $50 unit in about 5 months! Someone spent $90 on a unit that only had a small plastic kid's storage box just to see what was inside. Retail price for the storage box is $25. In fact anyone who even thinks about winning more then 2 units at an auction gets run the f**k up! Around here, try showing up in a 20' box truck and see if the regulars are gonna let you win anything! Don't tell anybody what part of Cali you roll in, sounds like you got it made!
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: alab on May 02, 2012, 06:38:47 AM
dont hate.....I plan and do all my scheduling the day before I dont have to use any pay sites as I find that following American Auctioneers is more than adequate to find and buy lockers.

Your right....I made it all up...I really spend 10 hours out of the day going to american auctions cuz that is where the money is at. I like to look at the locker when they roll up the door and stand there....I make sure I bring a really big flashlight(goes with the truck) cuz I saw it on tv ...ya with a handle and I wear sunglasses. You see I stand there with the big flashlight and the sunglasses and I stare at the contents pretending I know what Im doing, I like to take a really long time so I can study the contents.....helps me maximize my profits when I win one of the ten for the day.

I also make sure to have one of those small containers of gatorade..(throat gets sore from yelling YUPPP all day) dam this locker buying is hard work.

Ok.. I dont really buy 50.00 lockers I buy those high dollar units... come on you know the ones.......1,000.00 1,8000.00 2,5000.00... YA BABY ....fillin the truck with the WOW factor and mystery...thats how I pay my bills.

So now that we bought our unit I dont do any of the work, hell noooo....I hire two guys out of the Home Depot parking lot, I find they are very trustworthy loyal and hardworking. As long as we dont have to drive through any check points we should be OK. I dont do any of the lifting except for my wallet...dont want to get my shiny silk shirt dirty or dusty.

Thank God for Dan Dotson ,American Auctioneers and tv ...If it were not for this auction company I dont know how I would learn to make a profit.









Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: Cobia on May 02, 2012, 07:25:24 AM
dont hate.....I plan and do all my scheduling the day before I dont have to use any pay sites as I find that following American Auctioneers is more than adequate to find and buy lockers.

Your right....I made it all up...I really spend 10 hours out of the day going to american auctions cuz that is where the money is at. I like to look at the locker when they roll up the door and stand there....I make sure I bring a really big flashlight(goes with the truck) cuz I saw it on tv ...ya with a handle and I wear sunglasses. You see I stand there with the big flashlight and the sunglasses and I stare at the contents pretending I know what Im doing, I like to take a really long time so I can study the contents.....helps me maximize my profits when I win one of the ten for the day.

I also make sure to have one of those small containers of gatorade..(throat gets sore from yelling YUPPP all day) dam this locker buying is hard work.

Ok.. I dont really buy 50.00 lockers I buy those high dollar units... come on you know the ones.......1,000.00 1,8000.00 2,5000.00... YA BABY ....fillin the truck with the WOW factor and mystery...thats how I pay my bills.

So now that we bought our unit I dont do any of the work, hell noooo....I hire two guys out of the Home Depot parking lot, I find they are very trustworthy loyal and hardworking. As long as we dont have to drive through any check points we should be OK. I dont do any of the lifting except for my wallet...dont want to get my shiny silk shirt dirty or dusty.

Thank God for Dan Dotson ,American Auctioneers and tv ...If it were not for this auction company I dont know how I would learn to make a profit.


So anyone who spends $1,000 - $2,500 on a unit is sure to lose money? I don't think you learned everything about this business in those first 20 units you won if you think that way. Hell, who would'nt want to win a 10 x 30 full of furniture for $50! Even a monkey on crack could make a profit under those conditions, but here in the REAL world sometimes you have to put real skin in the game to win the great units.

I think I do believe one sentence in your post.  "I stare at the contents pretending I know what Im doing"
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: craiglstauction on May 02, 2012, 12:50:01 PM
Laugh - that is one of those 1 million candle lights.  I found one in a unit and joked to my buddies I was going to use it come winter when it started to get dark.  Sucker didn't work but I'd of found it a hoot.  My little spot light works very well but I could see just standing back behind the crowd with this HUGE search light  ;D

Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: craiglstauction on May 04, 2012, 05:58:31 AM
Ya I know - it is dangerous to the health of my computer.  Just can't help myself.  Is either coke or tea...no coffee for me.
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: Booty Hunter on May 04, 2012, 01:12:58 PM
#12 if PORN offends you in the least way.... RUN from this business!!

just now switched channels and find SW gang in Vegas discussing their ventures etc..
Brandi says 8 of 10 units have porn and would have to agree.
5 of 6 I have bought had porn. and I dont mean the mild stuff. these were bad.
Not viewable from the open door but once inside WOW.
1 had a TV/VCR combo set up with car battery/adaptor to view his tapes inside unit.
118 porn magazines and various tapes/CDs. plus 4 plastic "male parts" obviously used inside the unit also. All his power tools, ladders, tires/wheels, a tent, viewable from door sold me on this. upon inspection ALL were broken, parts missing, etc.
All the Mikita power tool blue plastic boxes (visible from door) were... you guessed it ... EMPTY.
This unit was his Dumpster, his "front" for keeping his bad side from his family.

something ding in my head

it was a setup from the manager perhaps, they opened the unit, saw a super nasty whore den, and put some tool boxes, to intice bidders to clean that jizz den up,

I feel sorry for yea, how did you make off it? :P
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: Dandy_Granny on May 04, 2012, 05:14:07 PM
something ding in my head

it was a setup from the manager perhaps, they opened the unit, saw a super nasty whore den, and put some tool boxes, to intice bidders to clean that jizz den up,

I feel sorry for yea, how did you make off it? :P
I did fair on that unit after all the trash i found a few salvageable items. profit is still debatable since 1 of 2 window units the DH needs to test and recharge. DH also kept the new engine hoist ($50 or so at Harbor Freight)

but to answer the ? of staged.... a big NO. I know the owner. He doesnt do that. He is an honest guy kinda on the naive side actually. it was all dusty and no hand prints at all. Same  with all his units. He does his own auctions, upkeep, etc. too much of a cheapskate to hire anyone to help with his 4 diff sets of units around town.
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: ItsMine on May 07, 2012, 02:25:02 PM
Not sure why the old-timers (most of which were newbies a few months, years ago) get so bent out of shape by someone earning some extra cash the same way some of the older newbies do. This isn't rocket science. If you like what you see, you bid. You may win, you may not. Everyone see's pretty much the same items during that initial glance over. Though SOME junk collectors may be able to better "price" some of the lockers contents than others. Lay off the whining about the TV shows. Everyone knows it's TV, already. Whether real or fake, everyone knows that only select lockers make it past the cutting room. Many people are simply trying to squeeze out a few extra bucks because of lay-offs, the worst economy in decades. This "Noobie" guide seems to have a flair for the obvious. I can think of hundereds of jobs much more disgusting and dreadful than cleaning out storage lockers! But, this business is sooo disgusting, dreadful, and burdensome, that's why we all keep doing it, right?
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: rulesforrebels on May 11, 2012, 04:20:29 PM
#6 is funny, just because someone is a part timer doesn't mean they don't know how to work this business, I don't get "run up" because I stay disciplined in my bids, if I overpay for a unit it's because I didn't value it correctly not for being outsmarted by someone like you, if I go home empty thats ok cause I go to work the next day and then off to the next auction, seems like all the part timers at the auctions really bother you, maybe you could give us some more stellar advice and we'll all quit our jobs and do it full time.

i agree with what you said i was always a part time and still am though very part time these days. i got lazy and just not willing to really hustle selling the dollar items anymore very picky about my units now but very true if your disciplines and buy smart doesn't matter fulltime or part time.
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: 39shades on May 26, 2012, 03:14:34 AM
Whoever said this was hard dang work was dead on. It used to be an old joke that no one ever made big money digging ditches...well sometimes this runs a close second. It can wipe you out and eat all your spare time watching your ebay sales, wrapping stuff up and sitting in line at the post office.

But it's also a good time sometimes, and definitely can make you some decent money. If my family wasn't pitching in from time to time though I really couldn't do it. A note of caution: you will run out of space very very fast. Get a small warehouse space, extra garage, or large shed.

And lastly, I feel like changing my username to "booksaremybane". Any seasoned auction goer will know what I mean...
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: NeWbeGiNNing on October 22, 2012, 11:15:06 PM
Not very good advice.  I plan to become a millionaire from buying and reselling.  AND i'm serious.
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: mrbuyout on December 29, 2012, 03:09:26 PM
I too will take EXTREME issue with your #6,I am 68, weight just over 125 lbs, yet i can and do move VERY heavy equipment EVERY day.I build and repair drycleaning equipment and commercial washers.Moving anything in a locker will not be a problem.
Title: Re: 10 step noobie guide and you not going to like what you read
Post by: anned on January 07, 2013, 07:48:43 AM
I have been out of the storage auction business for about 20 years. I got arrested selling stuff from a locker i bought that had been stored there by ether a big time thief or a fence.
lucky i got cleared of the charges but had to go back to a regular job to pay the lawyers and the money i lost paying bail.
In those days i had a consignment store and a pawn shop that would buy many of the good items i found. but the arrest put a stop to those till i was cleared but broke.

I am thinking of going back to buying again now that i am retired.
i have a few tricks of my own.

Yes the good old days had a few a**h**es and a lot of crooked storage business owners that striped the units before the auctions.

in the last 20 years i worked construction and mining and moved a lot .

i live in a 30 foot motor home so i don't have much room and store my extras in storage places.
In the last 20 years i have never cleaned out any of the units i had i just took everything i wanted and left the trash and junk in nice clean boxes with nice high priced marking on the boxes.
Saved me from having to try to find a way to haul the trash off after i had filled up my truck with my stuff and had no room.

Wonder if anyone here bought my trash and junk. :P :P :P :P :P :P

I always wondered how many people paid way to much for my bait units

I never had any problem cleaning out the units i bought because i always had a few friends that did not work regular jobs that liked to help me cheap or some times i payed them in stuff i found in the units that i did not want.

I know a few full time swapmeeters that can sell items for me when i don't have the time. most are retired and just love swap meets.
Plus now you have the internet and Craigslist that i did not have 20 years ago. 



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