Archive - 2013

Online Storage Auctions

Summer is yard sale season for buyers and sellers alike. For sellers, yard sales are a good chance to get rid of items purged by spring cleaning.

People have more free time to devote to hobbies during the summer, which makes them all the more likely to go searching for items.

Some thrifty folks also like to use summer yard sales as an opportunity to pre-buy Christmas presents.

Although summer yard sales are convenient for many reasons, they can also pose some problems. First, they can get hot and uncomfortable, especially if you live in an area with a harsh summer climate.

You might also need to worry about summer rain storms and other weather events that can be hard to plan for in advance. Even if the weather cooperates, you still need to worry about spending the time and effort necessary in setting up, maintaining, and tearing down the yard sale.

You’ll need to set up tables, price your inventory, and recruit at least one partner to help run the sale and keep an eye out for thieves. You’ll also have to worry about getting enough change at the start of the day, purchasing refreshments for yourself and any shoppers you might want to serve, and putting away everything that didn’t sell at the end of the day.

If all of that sounds like way too much work, don’t worry: There’s an easier way to sell off your belongings without all that hassle.

A virtual sale enables you to sell your items without dealing with people face-to-face. You can sell larger items individually and bundle the smaller items together into themed boxes to sell for a single price. This means that you don’t have to worry about handling large crowds of buyers or sitting out in the sun – you can just sell off items a few at a time.

An obvious choice for this method is Craigslist, which can get you into contact with buyers in your community. Some people also like to use eBay which doesn’t limit sales to local buyers.

There is, however, an even easier method of holding a virtual yard sale: Load the items into a storage unit and sell it off completely to the highest bidder. If your unwanted belongings are already in storage, you’re halfway there.

Using the free service at OnlineStorageAuctions.com, you can place the contents of your storage unit up for auction. You simply need to snap a few photographs and write a description of the unit’s contents, then post the auction to the site.

It will automatically be publicized to a number of places frequented by resale buyers and auction enthusiasts, enabling you to draw a large crowd of interested buyers. Best of all, once the auction is posted, you don’t need to do anything to maintain it.

You simply sit back and wait for the winning bidder to give you the money and clear away your items.

Please leave your creative thoughts in the comment box below.

Valuing Antiques

June 30, 2013

Storage Auctions 101

One of the reasons that shows like Auction Hunters and Pawn Stars are so popular is that they connect viewers to periods in history.

Antiques build a bridge between the past and modern times, which is one reason why they have so much value as collectors items.

Although you probably won’t find rare antiques in every unit the way Haff and Ton do, you will probably come across a few here and there as you work through storage unit auctions.

Knowing what you’re looking at and how to value them can ensure that you get the most money you possibly can from these goods.

The first step to valuing antiques is to learn as much about them as you can. A good place to start is with some of the higher-quality TV shows.

Ignore the unlikeliness of Auction Hunters, Pawn Stars and American Pickers and focus on the items themselves, whose history tends to be accurate. One of the very best shows for this sort of education is Antique’s Roadshow, which comes on PBS.

This show is much more educational and less commercialized since it’s on Public Broadcasting, and it can help you get a general idea about a lot of different kinds of antiques.

In addition to television, try to soak up information about antiques through other forms of media. The Internet is full of valuable information if you know what you’re looking for.

Books are also available on a range of general and specialized topics. Don’t overlook the library as a free source for information! Even if your local library doesn’t carry the book you need, you can request it through an inter-library loan to save yourself from needing to buy it.

Once you’ve gotten a general feel for antiques, you need to start acquiring more detailed knowledge about them. Start with a narrow focus and something you’re likely to come across frequently, like furniture or jewelry.

You can expand from there once you get a decent understanding of what you might be dealing with. Here are a few things you should make a priority to learn about:

Learn a few of the biggest or most collectible makers of items and how to recognize their maker’s marks or signatures.
Learn how to identify materials to make research go by more quickly
Familiarize yourself with the general trends of specific decades and styles so you can help pinpoint an item’s age
Find a reputable antique’s dealer in your area who can offer you a valid appraisal

This last point is particularly important. No matter how good you are at identifying antiques in storage units, you’ll still want to confirm your findings and get a good appraisal.

Start asking around early to figure out who the best option in your community might be. This kind of network of experts is one thing that every reseller needs to start developing early.

Please leave your insightful opinions in the comment box below.

Rare Lute Found in Storage Auction Sells for $3,100

June 30, 2013

News

A storage auction in New Zealand recently uncovered a rare musical instrument worth thousands of dollars hidden amongst a pile of otherwise worthless junk.

The instrument in question is a 36-string lute made in 1926. Lutes are relatively obscure instruments resembling mandolins, and they have not been in favor since ancient times.

This one, however, was made by English-dwelling Frenchman Arnold Dolmetsch, one of the best and most famous lute-makers in history.

This musician-turned-instrument-maker kept his workshop in Surrey, England. He was a key figure in the 20^th Century revival of Early Music, re-creating the same songs and musical styles of ancient people.

His hand-made instruments are high-quality, rare and collectible. The lute in question was originally sold to Diana Poulton, a musician and personal friend of Dolmetsch.

How the item came to be stored in New Zealand is a mystery. Once it fell into the hands of the Central Markets auction house in Lower Hutt, however, offers started coming in from around the world from collectors wanting to get their hands on the lute.

Ultimately, the lute sold for $3,100 to the London Museum, where it will accompany a number of other classical instruments.

Storage auctions are relatively rare in New Zealand, and there is little footing for professional auction hunters in the area. Unlike in the United States, where units are sold whole after default, abandoned storage lockers in New Zealand are emptied and sent to auction houses where they can be sold one item at a time.

New Zealand storage facilities are also more likely to work with tenants to recover lost rent or make payment programs, so defaulted units are less common.

Considering the country’s small size and neighborly culture, it’s hardly surprising that cut-throat bidding and thriving resale businesses are fairly rare. This makes high-profile auctions like this lute sale very rare on the island.

Please leave your creative thoughts and insights in the comment box below.

Storage Wars: Mouth Urinal

June 27, 2013

Storage Wars

6 Comments

Storage Wars: Season 4, Episode 17: “Total Wine Domination.”

Barry brought Adam, his accountant, who advised “The Collector” to get out of the auction business. Oy, vey! Earl, Johan Graham’s father, got lost on his way to Mission Viejo. Oy, vey! Mark Harris stated to Matt it was official, today they would buy a locker. Oy, vey!

It’s gonna be an “Oy, vey!” day.

1^st Storage Unit
Reproduction antique table with glass ball feet, cabinet, coat rack furniture piece, drum set, and a few boxes. Rene Nezhoda told his wife Casey it was worth to play. He took a leap upward to see the back of the unit.

Rene: I’m too fat to jump.

He said it, not me. Harris brothers would make a play on the locker and whipped a bid of $500. Barry whipped back at $1,000. Barry’s accountant about had a heart attack. Barry won at $1,150.

As Barry dug through the storage unit he found a beveled mirror, wardrobe, and underneath a drum… oh, looky-looky here. S&M gear. Not M&M like the candy. S&M as in bondage. Of course, Barry had to have it appraised. Accountant stated he couldn’t see a profit off the locker.

Barry: I make losing money look fun, don’t I?

Yes you do, Barry, yes you do! He and the accountant took the bondage gear to Purgatory (not kidding). Woman clad in all leather assessed the inventory: mouthpiece, gimp mask (don’t ask), basic collar and leash, ballet boots, flogger, body harness, and cuffs.

OY, VEY!!!

Barry and the leather clad woman strapped Adam the accountant with the body harness. Yep, it works. All to the whip-whip flogging sound of $700 for the collection.

2^nd Storage Unit
Stove, fishing poles, and a whole household load of stuff. Jarrod stated it was a guy’s unit. Brandi disagreed. Jarrod’s subtlety was lost on Brandi until he hinted that Hansel & Gretel were standing right behind her.

Brandi: (whispers) I like this unit a lot.

Atta girl! Jarrod said, “If Brandi is nagging me to bid, you know it’s a good locker.” Rene and Casey liked the locker, too, but so did Barry.

Three way bid war. Johan tried to keep Barry in the mix by asking him to “listen to the sound of her voice, not the sound of his accountant’s voice.” Adam however did manage to pull Barry away, which gave room for Jarrod to win at $1,900.

Jarrod plowed through the locker. Found more fishing rods and reels, DVDs, Craftsman tools, gas dryer, and a surprise. A mouth. A urinal mouth.

OY, Vey… GAH!

Jarrod: I can’t wait to get a unrine-ologist to take a look at my mouth.

So wrong on so many levels. Jarrod and Brandi took the, uh, mouth urinal to a wacky artsy store to have it appraised. Designed by a Dutch woman. Lip Urinals were made for the JFK airport but never installed. Only a few of these urinals are in existence. Appraiser asked if they wanted to sell it or keep it.

Brandi: There is no way we are keeping this thing.

If they sold it immediately they could ask for $2,500. If they waited for the right buyer, might get $5,000. It’s art. But it’s a urinal. But it’s Art! But it’s a URINAL! OY, Vey…

3^rd Storage Unit
Lots of restaurant supplies, few mattresses, Asian vases, and boxes. Harris brothers are not in the restaurant business, so they were out.

Once the bid jumped to $1,000, both Jarrod and Rene took a second glance at the locker.

Johan: You can look. You can look. Don’t overlook it.

Rene won, but barely at $1,050. He found art, kitchen household supplies, home goods, shoes, jewelry, and nightstands. Casey found designer scarves. Rene said he could sell each scarf for $100 a piece.

OY, Freakin’ Vey, no you can’t!

Did Rene take, “How to over value the resell value of your merchandise” lessons from Ivy Calvin? Seriously, German, get a grip. He did find four bottles of wine and a wine kit to have appraised. Good thing the storage facility was climate controlled, otherwise the wines would have been worthless.

Wine connoisseur stated that when someone says, “Really great year” for wine, that meant the weather was good for the grapes to grow. On French bottles, the more words on the label, the higher the value.

Wine kit helped one identify the aroma of wines, valued between $200-$300. Wine bottles were each valued at around $100 a piece, except for the Bryan Family Vineyards 2008 wine valued at $500.

Profit Scorecard:

Jarrod Schulz & Brandi Passante: $5,725
Rene & Casey Nezhoda: $1,150
Barry: $300
Harris Brothers: $0

Mark and Matt Harris still cannot score a good unit. Should they stay on the show or go?

Please express your insightful opinions in the comment box below.

Extra Space Storage Blogs on Online Storage Auctions

June 26, 2013

T.C. Lane

Press

Extra Space Storage recently wrote an article which explained some of the benefits of using OnlineStorageAuctions.com (Formerly VirtualStorageAuction.com.)

Be sure to recommend the article on G+ and Like it on Facebook!

Click here to read the full article.

How to Tell which Comic Books are Valuable

June 24, 2013

Storage Auctions 101

A storage hunter at a storage auction in the San Fernando Valley bought a locker and found movie star Nicolas Cage’s stolen comic book worth a million dollars!

Action Comics No. 1, published in June 1938, in which Superman first appeared in a comic book.

Present day, that issue is still regarded as one of the most important comic books ever published.

I know, the chances of you finding a $1 million dollar comic book in a storage unit are the same as winning the lotto (it could happen).

But what you could find inside a storage unit you win online are comic books worth anywhere from $1,000-$10,000.

Don’t throw away comic books!

First, let’s comic book educate you. The year in which a comic book was published will determine if it has $$$ value.

Published between 1938 and 1979.
Same time frame as above but with superhero’s first appearance or origin issues.

Any comic book published from 1980 to present day is pretty much worthless. Over printing and extensive hoarding of issues by collectors decreased any potential value.

You know that collecting comics is a current trend because of all the superhero movies flying out of Hollywood.

Now let’s talk about grading.

Mint: 10-9.9
Near Mint: 9.2-9.8
Very Fine Near Mint: 7.5-9.0
Fine: 5.5-7.0
Very Good: 3.5-5.0
Good: 1.8-3.0
Fair: 1.0-1.5
Poor: .5

Check out the grading guide over at ComicPriceGuide, click under “Grading” to see what the qualifications are for each grade.

If you believe that only a near mint old comic book is the only type with any true value, you are mistaken.

A contractor who was remodeling a home found that same Action Comics No. 1 inside a wall. It was used as insulation along with newspapers (what were the owners thinking?). The comic book was not in the best condition but the estimated value was $100 grand.

Whoa!

A mint condition Detective Comics #27 published in May 1939, which was the origin and first appearance of Batman fetched a whopping $1,075,500 at auction. The individual who originally bought this comic paid only $100.

Now here’s the kicker… that same Detective Comics issue in piss-poor condition may be worth $25,000 dollars.

Now do I have your attention?

Rare comic books, even in poor condition, can have an estimated value from $100 to $1,000 to $10,000 to $100,000 or more. Depends on the grading.

To have your comic book graded, try Comics Guaranty LLC grading service. They will examine any comic book, assign it a grade and encase the comic book in a protective plastic shell for a fee.

Check the publication date of any comic book that you uncover in a locker, the older the better, and don’t throw it away if it’s in poor condition. You could be throwing away thousands of dollars.

Have you found comic books in your storage units?

Share your unique finds in the comment box below.

Why are Storage Unit Auctions so Popular?

June 18, 2013

Storage Auctions 101

1 Comment

Why are storage units that are up for auction so popular today?

Storage Wars.

Until I saw the reality television series on A&E channel, I had no clue of this type of investment enterprise. People however have been earning a living through this unique venture for decades.

However, once Storage Wars made its debut in 2010, the general public became aware of a new method to make money.

The second season Storage Wars achieved 5.1 million viewers. That opened the floodgates for the emergence of new storage hunters; full-time, part-time, and even online.

We were HOOKED!

Is it just the money? No, not really. There are many ways to make a dollar. It’s the mystery of what’s inside the storage unit that adds to the excitement.

Boxes upon boxes of possible treasure or junk, nothing is guaranteed. But the thought of finding that one item that will strike you rich is the game of it, the sport. That’s it, you see.

Mix mystery with possible treasure – IRRESISTIBLE!

Storage Wars cast member Darrell Sheets found four drawings by Pablo Picasso inside a storage unit. Former cast member Dave Hester found a Jack Wilson Smith painting which he sold for $155,000!

In 2011 a pirate booty treasure was found inside a storage unit at an auction held by Storage Wars auctioneers Dan and Laura Dotson. A man bought a locker for $1,100. Inside a rubber container he found 16 gold doubloons, several silver Spanish dollars, gold and silver ingots worth $500,000.

Mind blowing!

The popularity of Storage Wars is so widespread, it’s now shown in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland, and Denmark.

This year the reality series filmed internationally — Storage Wars: Canada.

The unstoppable urge to buy storage units at auctions is here to stay, for now. The wave of the future is VirtualStorageAuction.com. Just like eBay you stay at home to bid and win a locker.

You may say your chances of winning the lotto are greater than finding treasure inside a storage unit.

Auction hunters would disagree. Many have found items worth hundreds of thousands of dollars inside their storage units. It just doesn’t always make the news.

Mystery + Possible Treasure = Popularity.

Do you plan on buying a storage unit online or at auction?

Let us know what you think about the popularity of storage auctions in the comment box below.

Storage Wars: Camping & Smack Talking

June 18, 2013

Storage Wars

Storage Wars: Season 4, Episode 18: “The Storage Buyer in You.”

Barry drove to the auction in his Jetsons space automobile with matching camper. The Collector camped for the night, grilled dinner, read a book… you had to be there.

Ivy smack talked how he would dominate and cause pain. Darrell smack talked how he would give Ivy a taste of his own medicine. Brandi smack talked against the hot, windy city of Lancaster. Jarrod told her to keep a positive attitude.

Brandi: I hope that works out.

My, my, my, everyone was in a mood; except for Barry who was well rested.

1^st Storage Unit
Lots of furniture wrapped in plastic, really good sign. Everybody wanted this unit. Barry started the auction at $1,000 (dang!) and won the locker for $3,350 (dang, dang!).

Barry: When you bid big, you win big.

I wouldn’t carve that in stone, Barry. He dug through his unit and found a rocking chair, side tables, loveseat, ottoman, leather chair, dining set, lots of big furniture pieces, and um, an interesting bowl set. All white with a pair of xylophone type mallets.

Barry took his bowl set to the Temple of Light for appraisal. White bowls were made of pure quartz crystal, set of seven, called Chakra bowls or Tibetan healing bowls.

Rub the mallet around the bowl and you hear a resonating note which corresponds to one of the seven Chakras on the body. Valued at $2,000 and Barry sold it to the temple for $1,500.

2^nd Storage Unit
Rubber containers, sealed boxes, mattress of better quality packed in back, and miscellaneous stuff. Darrell mimicked Ivy, “I will bid on lockers because I can.” Ivy was not amused. That set him off to outbid Darrell at $700.

Ivy also won the next three lockers at $145, $450, and $165. For the first time we saw Ivy Calvin’s thrift store, Grandma’s Attic. Nothing to write home about (and that’s saying it nicely).

Ivy unloaded the merchandise and uh, it was less than stellar. He found a cigar humidor which he priced at $100. His store’s in Palmdale. That city is half gangster and half not. I’ve been there, so I know. He thinks he’ll get a $100 for the humidor in Palmdale? No way! Ivy priced a ring at $200 and a necklace at $100. He’s totally overpricing his merchandise as he did on his first appearance on Storage Wars.

Darrell: One thing I learned about Ivy, he is the King of Crap.

Sorry, Ivy, but that stuff you bought was just, ugh. Wait till you read his profit score for four lockers, and you’ll see what I mean.

3^rd Storage Unit
Rubber bins labeled “fabric,” a hand cart, boxes, step ladder, and so much more. Locker was a thrift store haven. Darrel vs. Ivy but at $2,200 Jarrod placed his bid then won at $2,400.

Jarrod’s plan was to dig straight through the middle of the large unit. Brandi chomped on M&Ms and told him to go for it. He found a gas powered hobby plane, 20 bins full of fabric, dishes, hundreds of DVDs and CDs, a few Blu-Rays, and DJ equipment.

The Young Gun rapped, “What? Flavor. What I don’t know. But I just flow.” Brandi said that was so embarrassing. Jarrod agreed and hoped it would not make it onto the show.

Brandi: Too late, dumb-ass.

Couple took the DJ equipment to Capitol Records to DJ Cobra. Appraiser stated they had a beginner’s kit. Two new mixers (that scratch sound you hear) model Numark NX900. Also found a Numark iM9 in a case. That is a 4-channel mixer with effects. Because it’s a beginner’s kit the value was only between $500-$600.

Profit Scorecard:

Jarrod Schulz & Brandi Passante: $2,880
Barry Weiss: $1,955
Ivy Calvin: $490
Darrell: $0

Darrell stated at the beginning of the show it was either him or Ivy who would win lockers. Darrell did not buy a locker. Ivy bought four lockers but barely made a profit. Who then won the battle? No money spent or money spent on crappy lockers.

Please add your opinions about the show in the comment box below.

Dave Hester – Auctioneer?

June 11, 2013