How far are you willing to travel?

Last week I went on a storage auction spree. First auction started at 8:00am in my town,next was in Cloverdale,they had some really good units,but went way over what I had to spend. Then there were four auctions in Santa Rosa,all at different storage places. I did'nt get home till 7:30pm. I was really disappointed by the units in Santa Rosa,there was 11 units auctioned off at one storage facility,and all of them were crap.

How far are you willing to travel?

Here's a piece of nostalgia for you with some answers to your question, but then as now, most members are in the silent majority.

http://storageauctionforums.com//index.php/topic,652.0.html

I think I would travel less now than maybe a year ago.  The tv shows  have sparked an interest of most who would never probably have gone to a storage auction before.  I have been to many auctions, but not storage unit ones. I have noticed though, many storage facilities around here put legal notices to the fact that the "units will be cleaned out and disposed of" not auctioned off.

I have noticed though, many storage facilities around here put legal notices to the fact that the "units will be cleaned out and disposed of" not auctioned off.

Call them and make sure. We found one that dose not even run the legal. Have not been there yet, got the tip from another buyer.

We have travelled up to 50 miles. When we first started. Being new wanted to see other prices not better units. Our major storage facility (14 locations) advertises and the crowds and prices have been crazy. So we have been bouncing around. I still check the legals further out.  We found some that we will travel too, and skip the local Big Dog. 

Auction hunting can be a day long event. We have been yard sale picking and that takes all day too.

I don't travel beyond my local area for the most part.  Further then that 30 mile radius and you really need to take a trailer with you in case you win something.  Then if you don't you have spent all that gas for nothing.

Now - when I'm going to other places for something specific already I'll try and hit up and auction or two.  Mostly just to see what the other places are like but also in case I score a small locker that fits in my truck.  Searching now for auctions down in Statesboro on the 4th.

I have been a fair distance (30) miles away, in the hopes of a lesser crowd. Different faces but about the same number of people. This Saturday will be my first experience traveling far (an hour out). Its worth the cost of gas if units go for a lot cheaper, but you never really know until you put yourself out there.

If this thread is still going i'll report what happens.

No more than 20-30 miles.Found it wasn't worth it.

We drove about 75 miles to Oak Cliff ONCE...and I do mean ONCE... (had 36 units) the storage units were total garbage.  Trashy units throughout, but we didn;t know at the time of the location history which explains everything. Now we keep it to under 50 miles.

Luckily, we live in a metro area that has a substantial number of facilities just within our normal day-to-day travel radius, so travelling to find auctions isn't really a concern of ours. Hell, we've got three storage places within walking distance.

I try and stay within in a 30 mile range.  Now if I decided to double my travel distance I get maybe 5 x the amount auctions that I do now. a 60 mile range would put me in Baltimore and Philadelphia area's.

I live in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, I used to live in North Texas (Denton) then San Antonio, now the McAllen area.  Storage auctions are far and few between here.  That being said I will drive to San Antonio to go to a Uncle Bob's auction, it's a 2 day auction and they cut the lock in front of you.  So, I will drive 250 miles one way with a trailer for a 2 day auction and I see other people from the RGV at these auctions.

I live in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, I used to live in North Texas (Denton) then San Antonio, now the McAllen area.  Storage auctions are far and few between here.  That being said I will drive to San Antonio to go to a Uncle Bob's auction, it's a 2 day auction and they cut the lock in front of you.  So, I will drive 250 miles one way with a trailer for a 2 day auction and I see other people from the RGV at these auctions.

2 day auction? I have never heard of an auction that last days. How many units?

Its a 2 day auction 2 storage companies with one auctioneer.  1st day is 1 facility with multiple locations and the second day the same.  Up to 18 or 20 locations in 2 days with multiple units at each.  One facility requires a $100 cleaning deposit PER unit.

Wow have I been busy! Went to the Saturday auction in Sanford, 50 miles away. Crowd was about the same as Fayetteville, but prices far lower. I pick up two locks for $475, $225 and $250. These would have been $500 lockers easy in my town. Good returns so far to include; Bedroom suite, Bombay Company stand, washing machine, slew of collectables, pool sticks, fishing poles, car speakers etc... All the usual goodies one finds in a half-decent locker.

I hope this encourages others to travel in search of cheaper prices.

... All the usual goodies one finds in a half-decent locker.

I hope this encourages others to travel in search of cheaper prices.

I hope I could be as lucky as you to find those goodies. learning here.