Lookey Loos Part 12.....December, 2011

Only a few auction possible days left in old man 2011....

Going to a "piece by piece" auction later this week and am "upping" my "picking" efforts at 4 local flea markets throughout the week....doing well with individual item purchases most of which then go on eBay.

Finishing the year strong here in the Atlanta area! Over 150 storage auctions this week!

Finishing the year strong here in the Atlanta area! Over 150 storage auctions this week!

Yep, if you live in a big enough metro area there will be a lot.  Take a look at this list of top 50 metro areas.

Note the 5 million plus population of Atlanta to the Sacramento and separate San Francisco areas I might go to.

If one is willing to drive 50 to 100 miles in this area there are plenty of auctions....and plenty of newbies!

I have highlighted those 3 cities (above) in RED below.
1
 
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA MSA
 
18,897,109
 
18,323,002
 
+3.13%
 
New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA CSA
 


2
 
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA MSA
 
12,828,837
 
12,365,627
 
+3.75%
 
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA CSA
 


3
 
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL-IN-WI MSA
 
9,461,105
 
9,098,316
 
+3.99%
 
Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City, IL-IN-WI CSA
 


4
 
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX MSA
 
6,371,773
 
5,161,544
 
+23.45%
 
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX CSA
 


5
 
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA
 
5,965,343
 
5,687,147
 
+4.89%
 
Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD CSA
 


6
 
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX MSA
 
5,946,800
 
4,715,407
 
+26.11%
 
Houston-Baytown-Huntsville, TX CSA
 


7
 
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV MSA
 
5,582,170
 
4,796,183
 
+16.39%
 
Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV CSA
 


8
 
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL MSA
 
5,564,635
 
5,007,564
 
+11.12%
 
primary census statistical area
 


9
 
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA MSA
 
5,268,860
 
4,247,981
 
+24.03%
 
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, GA-AL CSA
 

10
 
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH MSA
 
4,552,402
 
4,391,344
 
+3.67%
 
Boston-Worcester-Manchester, MA-RI-NH CSA
 


11
 
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA MSA
 
4,335,391
 
4,123,740
 
+5.13%
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA CSA
 


12
 
Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI MSA
 
4,296,250
 
4,452,557
 
−3.51%
 
Detroit-Warren-Flint, MI CSA
 


13
 
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA
 
4,224,851
 
3,254,821
 
+29.80%
 
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA CSA
 


14
 
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ MSA
 
4,192,887
 
3,251,876
 
+28.94%
 
primary census statistical area
 


15
 
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA MSA
 
3,439,809
 
3,043,878
 
+13.01%
 
Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia, WA CSA
 


16
 
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI MSA
 
3,317,308
 
2,968,806
 
+11.74%
 
Minneapolis-St. Paul-St. Cloud, MN-WI CSA
 


17
 
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA MSA
 
3,095,313
 
2,813,833
 
+10.00%
 
primary census statistical area
 


18
 
St. Louis, MO-IL MSA
 
2,812,896
 
2,698,687
 
+4.23%
 
St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL CSA
 


19
 
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA
 
2,783,243
 
2,395,997
 
+16.16%
 
primary census statistical area
 


20
 
Baltimore-Towson, MD MSA
 
2,710,489
 
2,552,994
 
+6.17%
 
Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV CSA
 


21
 
Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO MSA
 
2,543,482
 
2,179,240
 
+16.71%
 
Denver-Aurora-Boulder, CO CSA
 


22
 
Pittsburgh, PA MSA
 
2,356,285
 
2,431,087
 
−3.08%
 
Pittsburgh-New Castle, PA CSA
 


23
 
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA
 
2,226,009
 
1,927,881
 
+15.46%
 
primary census statistical area
 


24
 
Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, CA MSA
 
2,149,127
 
1,796,857
 
+19.60%
 
Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Yuba City, CA-NV CSA
 

25
 
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX MSA
 
2,142,508
 
1,711,703
 
+25.17%
 
primary census statistical area
 


26
 
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA
 
2,134,411
 
1,644,561
 
+29.79%
 
Orlando-Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL CSA
 


27
 
Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN MSA
 
2,130,151
 
2,009,632
 
+6.00%
 
Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN CSA
 


28
 
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH MSA
 
2,077,240
 
2,148,143
 
−3.30%
 
Cleveland-Akron-Elyria, OH CSA
 


29
 
Kansas City, MO-KS MSA
 
2,035,334
 
1,836,038
 
+10.85%
 
Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS CSA
 


30
 
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA
 
1,951,269
 
1,375,765
 
+41.83%
 
Las Vegas-Paradise-Pahrump, NV CSA
 


31
 
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA MSA
 
1,836,911
 
1,735,819
 
+5.82%
 
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA CSA
 


32
 
Columbus, OH MSA
 
1,836,536
 
1,612,694
 
+13.88%
 
Columbus-Marion-Chillicothe, OH CSA
 


33
 
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC MSA
 
1,758,038
 
1,330,448
 
+32.14%
 
Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury, NC-SC CSA
 


34
 
Indianapolis-Carmel, IN MSA
 
1,756,241
 
1,525,104
 
+15.16%
 
Indianapolis-Anderson-Columbus, IN CSA
 


35
 
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA
 
1,716,289
 
1,249,763
 
+37.33%
 
Austin-Round Rock-Marble Falls, TX CSA
 


36
 
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA
 
1,671,683
 
1,576,370
 
+6.05%
 
primary census statistical area
 


37
 
Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA MSA
 
1,600,852
 
1,582,997
 
+1.13%
 
Boston-Worcester-Manchester, MA-RI-NH CSA
 


38
 
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN MSA
 
1,589,934
 
1,311,789
 
+21.20%
 
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Columbia, TN CSA
 


39
 
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI MSA
 
1,555,908
 
1,500,741
 
+3.68%
 
Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI CSA
 


40
 
Jacksonville, FL MSA
 
1,345,596
 
1,122,750
 
+19.85%
 
primary census statistical area
 


41
 
Memphis, TN-MS-AR MSA
 
1,316,100
 
1,205,204
 
+9.20%
 
primary census statistical area
 


42
 
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN MSA
 
1,307,647
 
1,161,975
 
+12.54%
 
Louisville/Jefferson County–Elizabethtown–Scottsburg, KY-IN CSA
 


43
 
Richmond, VA MSA
 
1,258,251
 
1,096,957
 
+14.70%
 
primary census statistical area
 


44
 
Oklahoma City, OK MSA
 
1,252,987
 
1,095,421
 
+14.38%
 
Oklahoma City-Shawnee, OK CSA
 


45
 
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA
 
1,212,381
 
1,148,618
 
+5.55%
 
Hartford-West Hartford-Willimantic, CT CSA
 


46
 
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA MSA
 
1,167,764
 
1,316,510
 
−11.30%
 
New Orleans-Metairie-Bogalusa, LA CSA
 


47
 
Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY MSA
 
1,135,509
 
1,170,111
 
−2.96%
 
Buffalo-Niagara-Cattaraugus, NY CSA
 


48
 
Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA
 
1,130,490
 
797,071
 
+41.83%
 
Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC CSA
 


49
 
Birmingham-Hoover, AL MSA
 
1,128,047
 
1,052,238
 
+7.20%
 
Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, AL CSA
 


50
 
Salt Lake City, UT MSA
 
1,124,197
 
968,858
 
+16.03%
 
Salt Lake City-Ogden-Clearfield, UT CSA

Hope everyone had a merry Christmas. That is a cool list MM. Being from the Middle TN area, I can comfirm the population growth here, new homes going up all over. Better yet, new storage facilities going up also, including a big facility about 5 miles away from my house. Will be attending first auction in over 3 weeks on 28th, very busy at the Post Office. Happy New Year everyone.

Dang that is alot of growth for Atlanta in a down economy.  Friend that hit an Atlanta storage auction after thanksgiving said the unit prices were about the same / lower then our area.  Thought maybe just due to holidays.  One of our flea market regulars I know goes to Atlanta to do all his buying for the flea.

One auction today in south carolina.  Only 3 units in the paper so will call to see if all paid up.  May or may not go just to check out the crowd and catch up with some of the new regulars.

WOW! I went to an auction this morning, 7 total units @ 2 facilities, and 50 bidders with 100 total people. I did win the 1st unit, 25.00, with a stack of coated wire closet shelving, twin halogen lights on tripod, gardening tools and a boat oar. Think the oar will make a great paddle to spank some ass. I'll be keeping all of this stuff.

Think the oar will make a great paddle to spank some ass.

Great Idea

Todays crazy locker, Two bowling balls and two plastic totes that you could not see in $160.  I have no idea what people are thinking.

Todays crazy locker, Two bowling balls and two plastic totes that you could not see in $160.  I have no idea what people are thinking.

THEY AREN'T!!!

THEY AREN'T!!!

Only had two auctions this week and both a drive away. We avoided them due to the over all statements on here.. PEOPLE ARE NOT THINKING.

The new year looks better. 

Todays crazy locker, Two bowling balls and two plastic totes that you could not see in $160.  I have no idea what people are thinking.

OK, I am having the same problem in my area.

5 x 10 only things in there are 4 soft sided bags, 1 backpack, 1 tote, all full of something (probably clothes) = $340!

5 x 10 about 1/3 full showing 1 pressboard dresser, 1 6' fiberglass ladder, 1 snare drum, piles of clothes, books, personals = $405!

Is the recession over or what?!

$160 for two totes - oh man I'd of been laughing hard.  Think people may of gotten money for christmas and expect to buy 1 locker and make $500k from it.  Who knows what people are thinking...or not thinking anymore.  I don't know if late Feb / March will be good or not.  People will be getting tax refunds by then.  So they will have cash to blow.

First auction of the new year for me is U-haul on the 6th.  Followed by my caravan auction on the 12th.  Caravan has 1 unit that was owned by a Icecream or such parolor place so figure a ton of people will be at this auction.

Just looked and Metro is on the schedule again.  They canceled back in Nov.  29 units at 1 location with (Baxleys Used Furniture w/ 4 units, and Neighborhood Improvement as owner names).  29 units at the other location.  Only thing I don't like about Metro is tax and a 10% prem.  But that is a holiday for my work due to MLK and thus I plan to attend it even if don't buy anything.

January looks to be a busy auction month.  So buying will be easy (if prices are good).  But no easy way to sale for next few months.  Flea market is open but very few people come to buy I'm told so not going to waste time, money, or freeze for little return.

My last auction report of 2011....

Went to an auction today where they pull out piece by piece. Had about 13 lkrs. Only 1 had really good stuff and then only about 5 good items among the usual, bags and boxes of clothes, particle board, old (creme colored) computers, etc.

I bought one box for $20...might pay for itself, maybe a little extra.

Took hours to do and I left with 2 lkrs left....my friend says the odds are the same for any of them being as good as the others were, or of course better or worse. If I lost a winner by not staying I will buy my friend breakfast !

If you can be sure of one thing in this business, it is this (IMHO)...there will be more junk lkrs than there will be good lkrs.