How low will auctioneers go?

I've noticed a few people describing a unit and then saying that no one bid on it. Is this because there's a minimum that auctioneers will accept as a starting bid? I admit I'm one of those who hopped on the bandwagon after watching the reality shows, but on those shows I've seen a few units go for $1. I'm just planning on going to watch auctions for a while, but if no one wants a unit, I'd like to pick it up for cheap and was wondering how little will an auctioneer accept.

It all depends on who the auctioneer is.  Is it the facility / regional manager that just wants the units cleaned out.  So will take even $1 to make the sale legal.  Or is it a real auction company that get paid for what they bring in.  In this case they may "buy" the unit to try and make some money.

Most disclaimers also read that the facility can reject any/all bids.  I've yet to see it happen in my area however.

Most units under $10 are that low for a reason.  Either it looks like all junk/trash and people don't want to make a dump run.  Way to much work for a unit that looks like no profit.  Or a combination of reasons.

My best unit wasn't a $1 unit but a $26 silent bid unit that looked like mostly trash.   

Have seen two go for $10. They were empty just a few things in it, one had an easy bake oven in it.

Saw one not sell, it was two old office chairs, the manager was kinda *****y about no one wanting it.

The other $10 unit had a definite dump mattress and box spring king size. On same day another scary looking locker went for $25. Normally we would have jumped on all of them but we had purchased a large one and still had work to do on it. So we passed just because we had other things to take care of.

Your question has been answered by others depends on auctioneer, the facility.
We went to one the owner of the facility hated doing auctions, he did not care what they went for, just as long as it went away. There were no $1.00 lockers though.

Good luck.

I have seen a couple $1 units bought. One of them had 2 garbage bags full of aluminum cans. I bought a $5 unit a couple months ago. $5 was the minimum and there were no bids, when auctioneer said last chance, I bid, he said sold in half a second. I kept a wine glass set (9) and some other kitchen goods, have about $30 worth of kitchen good to sell. Took 10 min. to clean out, as everything of value was in 2 boxes and all I could see was something glass in them.

Our 7 facility caravan does a min of $5 increases but you can still open the bidding at $1 if the unit is crap.  Seen a few go for that amount at the auction.

One thing to keep in mind Shmoopy.  Many people will bid the $1 just to keep the facility manager happy.  I've done this several times and learned various tidbits of info from the local manager while cleaning out the locker.  I've seen the auctioneer close a auction quickly for a regular who has purchased a few $1 lockers when bidding against a newbie.

Many people will bid the $1 just to keep the facility manager happy. 

Well I'm buying every $1 unit I can find because it will just be pure profit (disregarding time and effort, of course). Also I'm not doing this as a business, it's more of a hobby kind of thing... Hopefully I can get some auctioneers on my side 

Thanks for your help!

I seen several lockers go for a dollar. It was always the same guy bidding and the stuff looked like crap, one had an old sofa in it, another was just a pile of clothes. I guess the guy drove a good distance to get there and didn't want to go home empty handed, and it's just as easy to take 1 item to the dump as 20. You never know, there may be something buried in the mess to make it all worth while.

Problem is around here those $1-$20 lockers have turned into $50-$125 lockers. Every newbie has atleast $50 - $100 to gamble, and no newbie wants to let another newbie or regular get a potential "treasure" for under $50. I swear you  could through 1/2 a dozen used baby diapers and 1/2 a dozen rat carcasses in a unit and it would still go for at least $25! "There might be a gold ring under those diapers."

Lol Cobia - your not joking either.  At the U-haul in January we opened a unit to find a torn, stained, etc. couch and a water stained box.  Next to the couch was a dead rat.  We said the rat was free to the highest bidder.  Don't you know two newbies got in a bidding war and it sold for $65.  A few of us had to walk outside to the next building we were laughing so hard.  Was almost in tears.