Auction Scene #2...February, 2012

Liandra that sounds great !!!!! 
Glad they weren't like Todd's LOL

Auctions scarce the first of the month and we are still in a holding pattern. Having problems on the selling end. (Thrift our consignment having issues). We are actively looking for other avenues. Might even open our own.    Have enough inventory to do it. 

And CL sales are not moving. 

We are still getting stuff for free from neighbours and my brother. LOL Also picked up a nice sofa, bought a table and chairs from a CL ad they had a sofa trying to sell (to much for us to make a profit off of) they emailed and said we could have it for free. Had to give it to my daughter due to the thrift situation.


My .02 on the income tax money. Will bring out new noobies or there will be less units due to people being able to pay up.

Happy Hunting.

I'm almost surprised they held the auction with only 3 people.  Sounds like a gold mine you found - I'm jealous.

My 10am U-haul paid up at the last second.  Have a number of units at the 11am one but they are normally pretty trashy.  Will go mostly to look.  Report back on crowds later.


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Well the trend continues from January.  Crowd of a good 50 people at U-haul downtown.  Mix of people I've never seen and regulars.  Units were better then in past auctions for this location.  Prices however again went north.  Unit with a 32" LG flat screen in front and furniture went for $710.  Unit before that was $500 something.  Both went to new people.  Few other units go by with too high prices I thought.  Watched another unit sell for $350 that we thought would be a $150 unit.  Lady that had been coming on strong all day with her bids won it.  Of course she didn't have a lock or anything.  I just started to shake my head and laugh.  She was buying for her daughter who was just getting married and starting out in the world.  Best unit for price was a $160 unit that went to one of the regulars.  Had a big projection TV in it and some other furniture.  He has a big thrift store so can sell it all pretty easy.  Should be a $200-$300 locker with little worry so he will prob double or triple his money.  Didn't stick around for the last unit.  Was told it had 6 matresses in it by the auctioneer.  Be safe money to say it went for $100 or more with how stupid people were being.

Two caravans next week with 3 auctions the week of 13th and 3 week of 20th.  Few places that only hold auctions a few times a year have them this month.  So we will see how things go.

Went to three different auctions yesterday.  All had about 20-30 people.

The very first unit at the first stop ended up being the one I missed: a refrigerator and chest freezer, two cb radios, cheap bicycle and skateboard and totes/boxes went for $80.  I bid up until what I felt was the scrap price for the fridge/freezer and then stopped.  In hindsight I wish I would have kept going.

One locker with office papers (a lot!) went for $125 because there was a burton snowboard case leaning in the corner.  I know snowboards are loot but I thought it was kinda high...

At the last stop a bunch of friends were just toying with each other and bidding each other up on trash.  small locker with two pieces of medium luggage (that's it!) went for $135.

You can learn a lot by attending these with an open ear...

I went to two auctions today (wish I would have stayed home!)

I bought a 10X10 for $300.    It had a 32" lcd, fake leather sofa and love seat, glass dining room table and 3 chairs (yes 3 ), big car speaker box, lcd computer monitor, tower speaker for house, a couple of pairs of jordans real clean, and 6-8 boxes.

This looked like a good unit, BUT I WAS Wrong!   I overpayed from the get go, but thought I would be ok.   

Lcd tv has cracked face, but I expected this it was no surprise.   

Sofa and love seat were stacked on top of each other and when flipped over thy were CRAP

Car speaker box had no speakers

House speaker tower was really beat up.

Did find a gas powere rc car just to look it up and it is a cheap one even if it ran.

Lots of clothes and shoes.

I may still break even but I doubt it.

There were about 80 people at the auction, but not many bidders. I thought this was the best unit of the day but now I think I would have been better driving home empty. 

Lol - UGAFAN - At first read I thought you had attended the U-haul auction with me.  Sounded like the LG flatscreen unit that came up for sale.  However, that unit sold for $710.  I expect he will have the same results.

Auctions a little scarce here.

A U-Haul one tomorrow. Not attending. Auctioneer mailing list / Auction zip / found on CL / and local online Classified.

People + Money = staying home 

Did the popular auctioneer circuit today, happy to report numbers were down, but bids were too high and temps today were below freezing so lookie loos probably chickened out.

There are 15 within 30min of my place this week.
Called the four that are early morn and all have 5 or more units. Trying to switch schedule so I can work the night shift and make them.

Guessing right know is the end of the time period where everyone was broke at the end of last year and didn't pay??

Don went yesterday to day 1 of a two day caravan.  Crowds were 'normal', but bidding like crazy.  There were two elderly couples that blew through (at least we hope) their pension checks.  They bought 4 lockers yesterday and overbid on every one.  Many of the regulars ran them up and took quite a bit of joy doing so.

Supposedly another newbie (never seen before) who stated 'come on man!  let's get this auction going!  This is a rush! better than Vegas'~sheesh..... 

Well.....I'm going today and can report back what I find.......

tomorrow, the caravan takes off here for another uhaul tour. the wife will be attending this one with me, and with income tax refund in the bank + her overtime + my 2 projects i just completed = 7 grand to play with.

for those interested, i paid 16k in taxes this year (federal) :\

tomorrow, the caravan takes off here for another uhaul tour. the wife will be attending this one with me, and with income tax refund in the bank + her overtime + my 2 projects i just completed = 7 grand to play with.

for those interested, i paid 16k in taxes this year (federal) :\

Would only play with 1 grand. No need to play with all of it.  Our 1st unit was $35. Just my .02.

7 grand in play money would find my happy butt on a cruise or type vacation.  Not spending it on smelly units that I have to clean    Seriously - good hunting to ya.


Have my 7 facility caravan Thursday.  So have the day off and wife will be attending.  Two different vehicles (for parts only) currently in the paper with a third unit by the same person.  Hope can snag the one unit as I did well last time on a parts/tool unit that people didn't know was related to the vehicle.  Saturday will find me at a 3 caravan auction.  The next two weeks should be interesting.

Well....all it takes a couple yahoos to ruin the fun.....and we've got 'em.  Relatively small crowd~about 30-40.  All the regulars (about 40%), a few looky-lous (say 20%) and the remaining 40% fools.....who were soon parted with their money.

Really not much to report.  Just typical overspending.  A friend of mine went along to watch and her final comment was "These people aren't here to make money.  They just want to win at any cost!"  Sad, but true.  Even our Dave Hester was looking a bit flustered today.

I'm hoping this trend doesn't continue or we may have to rethink this.  We had a couple people ask if we wanted to go in on a unit.  As Don said "I've got plenty of money.  I just don't want to throw it away."

If these same 'newbies' show up at our 'hidden' auctions on Monday......we're in trouble~

They will find the hidden places, trust me. My one secret place is slowly being found, by idiots too.

im only taking a grand when i go to the next auction. sadly, tomorrows excursion has been cancelled. next one is Monday, assuming its not cancelled either.

no desire to vacation right now. my business just landed an IT contract for a trucking company that's contracted to Halliburton. im making some mad cheese right now and the guy who's network im administrating..., hes about to open 2 more offices... and guess who gets to purchase, install and set up the new gear?

im guessing its going to be an EASY 20k+ profit for me after its all said and done, and that's not counting the money my employees are going to make