I've got almost 20 units under my belt

All bought online, all made decent money..   I want to venture out and do a live auction now. I got a little research to do (finding them is not the real issue) More so for trying to find who owned the units, what their situation might have been..  I'm thinking about the live ones because you can actually see a little more detail than a few pictures, but the emotional aspect of bidding is a little frightening. Gotta tell myself only bid on what I can see like I do online, set my max and stick with it.

I would have probably avoided 2 units that I have bought this year if I just smelled them.  Actually though the second smelly one was loaded with very sale-able stuff. Tonos of Games, 2 game systems and several hand held games, and a complete Tattoo Kit (A business I can fall back on if all else fails, I just need to find a victim or two to practice the art on as I'm ink free and don't know anything about it). also found it in my own saw like they cut the locks off on the famous TV show.

Any tips for Live auctions?? Really I'm pretty good.. I've been to estate auctions and the like before. Just have to find the right auctions I want to go to, as they are mostly during the week and I will have to play hookie from work.

It is as you say, just set your cap on what you can see from the door, and don't get in a pissing contest with others. I am at the opposite end today. After hundreds of live auctions, I just bought my first unit online. I'm either going to pick it up later today or tomorrow. Paid $70 for it, will prolly use about the same in gas getting it home, so not too big of an investment. We'll see how it goes! Good luck to you.

  I'm thinking about the live ones because you can actually see a little more detail than a few pictures...

Duh !

I've had good luck with online..  One suggestion there..  Get there soon, hasn't happened to me, but others have lost units because the owners pay them off.

We'll see how the live auctions go for me.. Sounds fun, and yes the pissing contest is what I'm afraid of.. But I know I will do fine!

my biggest tip is look for all the auctions you can and go to the LEAST PUBLICISED ones. Also look for multiple auctions going on at the same time on the same day and GO TO THE ONE THAT LOOKS LEAST APPEALING. Just a few tricks i've learned. Would you rather get a unit For $1000 and make $2000 on it. Or pay $800 for 3 lockers and make $7000? Of course it all depends on your demographics and area you live in but this is how i make the best bang for my buck. As far as bidding goes its not that scary, if youve ever bid in any auction its the same. set your price but be flexible. If i set a price of $300 i'm not losing that unit for another $50.
PS whereabouts are you? im near nashville

I'm just outside Cincinnati, I can see downtown from my porch!

nice area for auctions. Maybe try to hit some of the auctions on the outskirts. I always hit the ones away from nashville to get better prices

The inner city ones are mostly evictions with a rare decent one.. Although I've done good with the evictions..  The landloards rent the units for 1$ for the first month, tell the tenant where their stuff is, and they hardly ever actually go get it out. (I am assuming they charge them a fee for moving it also) If he tenants don't get it, they hit the block.

Here's wishing you all the best mate! What I suggest is that you should attend a live auction without the intention to buy and stick to it so that you can get a feel of what auctions at that particular storage facility is like. If you can take the "time off" to do that, it might play out to be pretty helpful because the next time you head down, you'll be more prepared to jump off the deep end and actually place a bid for the storage units in a live setting.

i dunno about that. You learn tons more by actually bidding and buying. I'd go right in guns blazing and at least get 1 unit. Its easier than bidding online id say. Hes bought 20 units, im not saying buy a $2000 unit but man, i cant imagine going to an auction and passing on a deal