Auction Scene #1...January, 2012

Going to one auction today; 12 units; haven't had auction for a year ..... what's up with that?
Will report later on crowd and prices....not very optimistic about either.

Going to one auction today; 12 units; haven't had auction for a year ..... what's up with that?
Will report later on crowd and prices....not very optimistic about either.

So some of these tenants are charged for a year of rent even after being locked out?

If so each units gonna need a grand to pay up past due rent.

3 facility caravan today, cut down to two due to paper work issues.  About 20 in attendance.  Mostly regulars with a couple newbies.  Prices stayed relatively normal until our Dave Hester went over the top of another regular and spent over $800 on a 10X10.  Can't say I recall anything making it worth that much, but I never get upset when he gets a unit I don't necessarily want.  Let him fill his sails.....leaves more air for the rest of us later on.

Second facility picked up a couple more.  Only thing of note was a couple newbie girls were bidding fast and furious at both facilities.  Think they landed a few and should lose their butts.  Hope to not see them again at any rate, as they threw money around senselessly. 

No locker for me.  Just as well, as we still have quite a bit of inventory.  Did notice that the first facility of the day prices are usually lower.  I know it's because as you draw to a close later on.....those that haven't bought feel the noose tightening.  Gotta get a unit....gotta get a unit.....gotta get a unit.....

eh.....next week brings a couple more caravans, then we're into the next month when things go crazy again!

Got 4 of the 12 lkrs at one facility today...all 5 x 10s...for a total of $225. Should double I think. Nothing special, but anymore the bread and butter stuff is what pays the bills...and they are easy cleanouts...no furniture.

One other guy got 5 I think (a newbie who I and others bid up and then bailed on).

One newbie and his wife were chatting me up and I accomodated them as they expressed an interest in some stuff I had just won. They won one lkr.  When I talked to them at the end they were prodding me (especially the wife) asking if I really ever got any good stuff. I gave her a couple of examples and told her the really good ones only happened about every 1 in 50 or so.

When she asked how many I had bought I told her..that took her aback a bit...but I reminded her it was over 8 years.
When I asked if this was their first buy, she piped up right away..."Oh no, this is our second!" I stifled my laugh especially when she said the first one was just yesterday!   

When I asked if this was their first buy, she piped up right away..."Oh no, this is our second!" I stifled my laugh especially when she said the first one was just yesterday!   

I love it!  Not sure I could have resisted the laughter.

Sounds like a good day MovieMan.  I'm hoping for a day of multiple buys, but with our crowds and soooo many struggling......I'm happy just for one locker.

I tell you what~I want just a 'normal' locker again.  Far too many questions with two of our last three, with the third being crap.  Oh we'll break even on it,  Maybe even cover the dump run, but dang that was NASTY!

Got 4 of the 12 lkrs at one facility today...all 5 x 10s...for a total of $225. Should double I think. Nothing special, but anymore the bread and butter stuff is what pays the bills...and they are easy cleanouts...no furniture.

When I asked if this was their first buy, she piped up right away..."Oh no, this is our second!" I stifled my laugh especially when she said the first one was just yesterday!   

Sounds like you did pretty good today.

With Rockin not sure I could have kept my composer on the laughter.  I would have asked is that one cleaned out yet? LOL 

We have a few newbies that buy and hold, Wait to clean out.  And then they don't clean it at all.

That is great MovieMan that you got some stuff.  I cleaned and sorted my locker from Monday.  Am 100% sure it was a "combined" unit now.

Next week is interesting even if I can't make all the auctions:  2 pods for sale on tuesday, 2 locations on wed (1 only has 1 unit), small 3 facility caravan and 1 late evening auction thursday, 2 facility caravan friday (4 units, then 1), and a 3 facility caravan Saturday.

Saturday I need to confirm as not seen anything in the paper.  They normally hold last saturday of month.  Should have a number of units as they skipped Dec due to Christmas.

That is great MovieMan that you got some stuff. 

Yep, I just decided to go for a few even though 2 of them were marginal. Two of the 4 5 x 10s I got were only about 1/4 full, the third one 1/2 full and the fourth one full...the two smallest ones I cleaned out right away.

On a side note the weather here was blustery yesterday afternoon and the forecast for Friday night into Saturday morn was for 1" to 2" of rain and winds to 25 mph throughout the night. I decided then I would not sell on Saturday and they also predicted showers from 6 a.m. to noon.

Well, I awoke at 12:30 Sat morn to find only sprinkles, no wind and there was no 1" or more of rain that fell from when I went to bed at 9 p.m. Friday. I went back to bed slightly ticked at weather.com but was committed to working on my other two lkrs Saturday and just shopping at whatever sellers decided to brave the weather or not believe the forecasters.

As I write this at 5 a.m. Saturday it is lightly sprinkling and no wind, so my decision may have been justified after all. I was thinking it would be nice to take a break from selling (last six Saturdays were sunny after 6 a.m. 35 to 40 degrees). So anyway, best laid plans? Maybe, maybe not.

More auctions next week ! 

Glad I didn't sell today as the 50% chance of rain has turned into light to heavy rain and now severe thundershowers (lost power once already).

Called the Saturday caravan to verify next week.  I was told it was canceled.  They canceled the auction and moved it to Feb 11th (not normal sat for them).  The reason - to wait for most people to have tax money back.  I was like oh good grief - it's already bad enough w/ the newbies.  Now we will have them out in force with 2-4k earned income tax checks.  This place will also be 2 full months of no auctions.  Currently the 1 place I spoke with had 23 lockers going up.  Will be MLK day all over again.

I went to a place today where only 50 showed up. My second auction and it only had about half the people of my first, but still a sizable crowd... Anyway, it went from the 8 units advertised to 2 and they both went for over a grand. I'm not a phenomenal judge of antiques, but really, it was a bunch of furniture and it all looked kinda cheap. The other unit had about 4 refrigerators and some stuff wrapped up in those furniture blanket things. There was also a largeish toolbox on top of one of the 'fridges. There was a safe in this one, too and I tried to stay around to watch them break open, but they shunned me out. Oh well, probably empty or paperwork.
I've been picking a lot lately to get some payroll so I can start bidding, but weather prevented me from setting up at the flea market this weekend so I decided to go spectate this auction. Discouraging to say the least. But still only my second. Here's to hoping it gets better!

I went to a place today where only 50 showed up. My second auction and it only had about half the people of my first, but still a sizable crowd... Anyway, it went from the 8 units advertised to 2 and they both went for over a grand. I'm not a phenomenal judge of antiques, but really, it was a bunch of furniture and it all looked kinda cheap. The other unit had about 4 refrigerators and some stuff wrapped up in those furniture blanket things. There was also a largeish toolbox on top of one of the 'fridges. There was a safe in this one, too and I tried to stay around to watch them break open, but they shunned me out. Oh well, probably empty or paperwork.
I've been picking a lot lately to get some payroll so I can start bidding, but weather prevented me from setting up at the flea market this weekend so I decided to go spectate this auction. Discouraging to say the least. But still only my second. Here's to hoping it gets better!

But you're doing it!  Hopefully you are learning each time.  And no matter how much you observe.....ain't nothin' like the first time you bid, win and start to dig!  We're now at 10 lockers and each time the anticipation is great!  Of course the actual cleaning out.....not so much, but that first time you lift the door after paying for the locker??  Sky's the limit!

I've yet to find a safe, but with my crowds......if one is apparent......well let's just say, I don't have the capital to compete~

I've yet to find a safe, but with my crowds......

And you may not find one for quite a while, but when you do, you can bet it not have anything in it of value to you.

I think I've gotten maybe 10 over the years and 3 of them DID yield value, but I consider that ratio high...I would guess it's really more like 1 in 50 or so will even have a safe, and when they do it's probably 1 in 50 of those that do that have value...I just lucked out...or my ratio thoughts are off.  Search for "safes" here in the threads and you'll find a fair number of stories and pictures.

I remember one unit that a rumble started about a safe in the unit.  I went back and checked and it was a small all in one stereo system with a tuning dial.  I went back to the instigator (an old-timer regular) and told him what I believe I saw and he said "yeah.  I know.  I just love messing with folks!"  I gently punched him in the arm and told him to knock it off, as I wanted that unit.  Needless to say the price went far too high.

at an auction a couple weeks ago Don heard some guys talking about the 4 shotguns in the back.  They could see the barrels.  Don double-checked and they were curtain rods.  He just chuckled and let 'em go~

Funny how different eyes see different things~

Funny how different eyes see different things~

Think it is blind eyes.. (blind smiley)

We had one that was a kiln it really was a commercial dish washer (husband was one when he was a teen)

Husband hears more of that than I do. sometime he bust their bubble and sometimes not. 

That is why I always like to have a second pair of eyes on a unit.  It's like the first auction of the month.  One of the regulars and I were looking at a unit together.  We saw something and both looked.  Went outside and discussed it - both saw the riding lawnmower in the back behind some furniture.  We were the only ones that did, so they got the unit pretty cheap.

As for talking up a crap unit - we do that many times when have a crowd of newbies.  A few of us regulars will get into a small bidding war and then some newbie will jump in.  Then another will jump in on that newbie and a bidding war breaks out.  The regulars sit back and smile at each other.