I have not been too active lately......

I have hardly any inventory so have been using the time to catch up on yardwork and some "me" time. I went to Los Angeles last week-end for a dog show and visited with a high school friend that I have not seen in several years. We stopped by Redlands Thrift - supposed to be the largest thrift store in California. It was a little overwhelming...they have an amazing array of items.I had also planned to stop in at Jarrod and Brandy's (SW) shop on the way home just to say I did but it was hot and I had two dogs I managed to get talked into transporting for a rescue so I just stayed on the freeway.

I have plans to hit an auction tomorrow with 13 units up...hopefully the crowds will be thin and I can snag one or two. Then back down to LAX in the late afternoon to pick up the oldest daughter who is flying in for her sisters graduation next week.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

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


 

Hello everyone! What a wonderful forum....I have been lurking and reading for a few days!!

Hubby and I did storage auctions many years ago and sold mostly at the swaps and consignment stores. We are ready to get back into it but I have realized that things have really changed..and not all postitive

I have gone to a few auctions close to home (40 miles) to re-train my eye and get a feel for things again. I was very disappointed in how they were run. The storage place is owned by a huge company with many facilities up and down the central valley and this particular one was in a great area of town but....the units were opened by the auction company, everything was pulled out looked over and sorted - valuable items were seperated then everything was auctioned seperately! Prices were outrageous. Folks were paying almost retail!

I have another on Feb 4th that should be sold by the unit but I may end up going back to the Los Angeles area to the moving company auctions!

Anywhoo.....I enjoy the site and the internet will be a useful tool as we re-start our new venture!