Storage Auctions
The Storage Locker => General Storage Auction Talk => Topic started by: fireman on February 13, 2011, 01:34:29 PM
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which lockers do you believe has the best ROI ( return on investment )
1.5x5
2.5x10
3.10x10
4.10x20
5.10x30
I know each locker is different but what effect does sq ft come to play.
Other subjects on profiling at a later date could be.
1. rural vs. urban
2.hi income vs low income
3.how to spot a set up locker
4.what turns you off on bidding
5.what turns you on to a locker and makes you want to win this locker.
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Now THIS is a thread with a lot of potential ! :)
Gotta go right now, but I'll be back ! (with apologies to Arnold S.) ;D
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thanks,I think we all can learn a lot from each other
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My best units with ROI in mind is 5x5 and 5x10.
10X20 have so far been the worst ones.
This is also very commen among other storage locker buyers here in Memphis,TN.
Infact we had a talk about this topic last week, and we all agreed that 5x10 is the best.
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OK, I'll give it a shot by size, one at a time.
5 x 5 seems too small to me to be of much good, though I like the fact it can't have a lot of furniture in it. I prefer "smalls"
5 x 10
often sometimes gets bigger furn and it can take up a lot of space. A couch (with recliner on each end) and standing on end
is not my idea of fun, but I got one recently and gave the couch and bed to someone and kept the smalls for myself.
On the other hand a 5 x 10 full of boxes could be good...a risky thing to gamble on just boxes, but sometimes can't resist depending on neighborhood, etc.
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10 x 10
More opps for larger furniture but box count usually goes up. Roll-Away toolboxes more common here than smaller sizes.
10 x 15
Larger furn, more boxes. Large furn ok if good quality. Particle board no good for me.
10 x 20
Now we're talking serious cleanout time and storage of big items until they sell, but box quantity could be good if quality is good.
10 x 30
Prepare for a lot of work. I do most of mine myself, so a buy this big means I usually rent the locker if a first month special is available.
As to QUALITY of goods contained by locker size, I'm not so sure that works. Sure collectibles might fill a 5 x 5 or 5 x 10, but they could
also fill the corner of a larger locker. For me it's mostly about a lkr NOT containing a lot of big heavy items. I'll take them if the box count looks good or the lkr is cheap enough (not so likely the first few months of 2011).
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Bigger is Better! Well, sometimes. I like the big lockers. Say you can buy a 5 x 10 for $400, or for that same $400 you can get a 10 x 30. All things being equal, and based on what you can actually see in the unit that makes you willing to pay the $400 in the first place, the chances of there being something exciting hidden in the bigger unit is usually greater. Yes, they can be a lot of work, but they can have great rewards too. Ideally, I'd only be buying 3 x 5 units and they'd be full of gold and easy to clean out and there would never be any garbage, but remember, with risks come rewards! Just my opinion, and not everybody has the means or the storage to clean out the larger units.
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The following comes to mind:
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained"
"Bigger is better" (I don't believe that...marketing pros been selling this idea for years)
A little off for this topic, but "racial" or "demographic" profiling comes into play from a size standpoint too. If you have had bad luck with lockers from any particular ethnic group, if you buy a larger locker from them you will simply end up with more trash to haul away.
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The following comes to mind:
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained"
"Bigger is better" (I don't believe that...marketing pros been selling this idea for years)
A little off for this topic, but "racial" or "demographic" profiling comes into play from a size standpoint too. If you have had bad luck with lockers from any particular ethnic group, if you buy a larger locker from them you will simply end up with more trash to haul away.
AMEN to that.
Been there and done that.
I now try to stay away from certain lockers. lol
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I'm equal opportunity! I have bought crappy lockers from EVERY ethnic group! ;D
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I'm equal opportunity! I have bought crappy lockers from EVERY ethnic group! ;D
Me too...at least once and sometimes more than once, but I'm careful when or if I do it.
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Thanks everbody for your input.I like a 10x10 half full and little to no furniture. I hate tv's, mattress ,and large amount of black bags.
I'll start a new thread on profiling with a new or different subject in few day's.
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In 90% of the time, black bags are a NO NO.. But i have in some cases found some really nice stuff in black garbage bags.
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My best lockers seem to come from Philipino people. They wear mostly designer clothes, nice handbags, stuff is well taken care of. Only problem is the stuff is all super small...lol. I was gonna keep some mens clothes and shoes for myself but all size 9 shoes and sleeves are a few inches short for me and I'm not even a big guy like 5'8". Womens clothes are all petite sizes, great stuff but since majority of our population is fat its tougher to sell.
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Do any of you really have any luck selling mattresses? I mean really that can be no better then the press wood put together furniture in my book. Straight to the dump I would think.
Orlando
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I like buying big units cramed full becasue the price per cubic inch of stuff is generally lower. On the other hand a 5X5 stuffed full can have a lot of stuff in it. I once bought a 5X5 packed into the rafters. It took 3 loads in my Expedition to unload. That was after throwing the dead rat into the parking lot. I always look at the ratio of big items to small in a huge locker. I like small items much better so will pay more for a unit that I think has a lot of smalls in it and no or few large. It only takes one item to make a locker a good one. My preference it to look at how much stuff is in a locker not the size and try to minimize price per pound of good looking stuff. On small lockers I always factor in a $20 to $35 dump fee when bidding. On big locker over 10X10 I figure a minimum $100 at the dump. I have seen 10X30 foot lockers with less stuff in them then 5X10 foot lockers. In Dec I got a 10X30 for $1. It had a few big items and looked no good but I got $15 for a dreser and have a Harley wheel and exhaust system left. Dump fees on that one were under $20.
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Just thought I would revive this topic to see if we can get other input on locker profiling. Anyone have anything to add?
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very cool topic, i hadn't seen it yet. By far in my area if you want a deal you go for big. a 5x5 will sell for the same amount as a 10x30 around here. There is work involved of course but i generally pull everything out that i want and hire someone to clear the rest(and keep what they want). if there is a lot of good stuff i'll take what i really like and leave some meat on the bone and resell to someone i know.
That being said, i buy units of all sizes but the best bang for the buck seems to be big lockers because not everyone has the ability to move it all.