Do any of you use a storage auction listing service?

Just wondering how many of you use or have used a storage auction listing service. How are or were the results of the one you used?

Just wondering how many of you use or have used a storage auction listing service. How are or were the results of the one you used?

Haven't paid for one. One of the local ones posts the auctions THEY do and I sometimes get the rest of them from a friend who subscribes.  For the limited size of the circle I am willing to explore I don't need to know about a bunch outside that circle.

Be interesting to see what answers you get here.

Never needed one.  Once you get yourself set up on a number of lists and get to know people, you'll end up with more auctions than you'll even want to go to.  Now I have my favorites and unless I'm really needing a locker or I'm just bored, I skip a bunch of the others. 

That is one service that i don't need, as i can get everything locally for free. In the whole state for that matter. And if i want to go to Arkansas or Mississippi then i can get everything there for free as well.

Paid auctionlists are for lazy newbies, and they will never last long. If you are serious about the business, then you lay down the foundation in everything you do. Finding places and doing it on your own is more valuble to your total business then beeing passiv and lazy.

I spend over 60 hours per month calling the storage facilities and organizing the listings for our members in the Houston area. So, considering the amount of time involved, doesn't it just make more sense to pay $7.49 and move on? So, the question is, are these consumers lazy or just smart with their time? I know that when I first got into the storage auction business, I didn't want to spend several hours making phone calls. I wanted to be at the auctions looking for a good deal. Had there of been a list like ours in our area, when I was buying units full time, you better believe I would have bought it.

Now, I realize that there are several of these services out there that are reselling information you can get for free or claim to have free auction listings and offer little to nothing, but I can't speak for them. I think that most consumers know a good value when they see it. Only the strongest of these services will survive after the reality shows end!

Well, so far 3 of the regular 10 to 15 posters have responded; would be enlightening to hear from the huge silent majority or even the additional 10 to 15 posters (who would fall in the 16 to 30 rankings of posters).

I think this is an area that really deserves some answers; not only are you interested in it, but the paid advertisers and Drew would be too.

Maybe as the number of folks who view the thread goes up the responses will start to come in.

I don't use a auction list, as I find the listings in the news papers, on Craigslist, and word of mouth ( friends in different towns that let me know about storage auctions).

Also if the Storage Facility has a phone list or email list I'll get on there list and they contact me that way. Email list seem to be the most prominent way for the Storage Facilities.

The thing is, once you have ben to a auction you know when the next one is.
Here in Memphis all the facillities have regulars days that they run on. And to make it easier, the auctioneer hands out a flyer with all the dates for the whole year. So why would you pay for something that basicly is not needed.

And yes, they are lazy, if you can't do the work of finding auctions, then you are lazy. And btw, looking up new places and find out when the auctions are, is half the fun. And then when you have attended the auction, then you know when it is the next time. It iseasy as that.

Example:
U-stor goes every first tuesday of every month.
Telus goes every theird tuesday of every month.

On top of that the auctioneer has a list for each place allready made. easy!

I have never used one, maybe would have signed up for a week when I first started but when I first started there weren't a million sites selling lists.

Personally the auctions I go to are normally all from the same one or two auctioneers with the exception of a few independent places I know are low crowd places I attend.

Lists may be good to get started but like others have said, once you've been to one or two you start getting on lists, know what auctioneers websites to checks, etc.

Also, there's more than enough auctions in my city and surrounding cities, more than I can attend so I really have no need or desire to find more or expand as I already have more than enough within say a 30 mile radius.

Sites like this are a great place to market a list however at the same time any newbie who takes any time to read the boards knows how to check the local classifieds, craigslist, auctioneers sites, etc. and probably could get started without one.

I am from Houston and I thought I needed a list at the beginning but after having alittle talk with Mr A and Movieman I found that a list was not for me. I have gone to a couple of auctions and now find it quite easy to find auctions.
I really dont wanna pay for a list thats going to tell me the hundreds of auctions that go on in Houston or surrounding areas becuase I rather to go to those that are closer to my house and I already know when those auctions are taking place.

Good, i am proud of you Josepc.

keep doing this and you will be doing fine.
To me it is a reward when you look up stuff, call around, or drive by one and stop by.
That way you bond with the people you should be on good terms with, the auctioneer and the site managers.

I have to say that it has really paid off for me, i mean doing it the old fashion way.
I called around, i drove around and i contacted the facillities directly. That has created a kind of a business relationship with the site managers, and that will be good for you when you start to win lockers. They give you so much more slack and time.

A newbie who comes there and have no relations with them gets 24 hours to clean it out. If you create a relation with them they give you up to a week many times.  One place they gave me a whole month to clean it out.

Good point Mr. A. I kind of limit myself to a small number of auctioneers and local auctions so I'm on good terms with all these guys but like you said it pays off.

I pretty much always get to use their facilities trucks for free. They often will give me some tips on other good facilities. And the biggest thing the 24 hours. At one facility I usually bring the manager lunch and he normally gives me a week to clear out my unit, some guys let me store my stuff for free for a few days or even a week or two if I'm busy. It definately pays to get to know managers and auctioneers.

The U-Hauls, Public Storage, Uncle Bobs, Morningstars, & several other larger companies have their auctions every month; However, in the Houston area, they are never on the exact same day.

Also, most of the rural facilities only have auctions 1-3 times a year or as needed. It's almost impossible to keep track of all of them. These can be some of the best ones to go to because the crowds are unaware of them.

Jose, if you really want to see what your missing, email me and I'll send you a copy of our weekly list for free. Compare it with the source you are using and you will see that: 1. We average 10-15 additional auctions per week that were not advertised in the newspaper you are using. 2. Most of the auction buyers in our area use the source you are using the auctions it advertises are flooded with hundreds of buyers. The events we advertise typically have smaller crowds. 3. They list less than half of the phone numbers for the facilities. We list the phone number of every facility. 4. With their list, you can only print out 1 auction at a time. (On average there are 50-75 per week)  With our list, you can print the entire week's auctions in less than a minute. 5. If there are any unique or valuable items up for auction, our service lets you know.

But, I'm sure you've heard the old saying...."You get what you pay for"

Go ahead, give it a try...what do you have to lose?

You mention U-haul.

Well U-aul sends me a invitation per snailmail every month. And yes they do have them on regular days, at least here in TN and AR.
I just got an invitation in my mailbox yesterday from U-haul, where i am beeing invited to auctions in St. Louis,MO and Jonesboro,AR and Little Rock,AR. Pluss Nashville and Memphis here in TN.

Most facillities has a mailinglist, when you sign in on an auction you fill in name and address and phone number, but also email.
That way they can send you information on the next auction. I get like 40 emails every month from facillities, some even call me and let me know. We are then talking about facillity managers.