What to look for in brief legal postings for storage auctions?

So, I've been scanning the brief legal listings on-line with my local paper (for storage auctions). Most of the storage places have brief listings, ie., furniture, toys, household items, boxes, etc.

As a noobie in Utah I'm just wondering if there are certain things that catch your eye as you are sifting through listings? The usual or common items that are easier to sell? The unusual that may have greater demand (log bed was one that comes to mind)? If it says lots of boxed items...is that appealing. Is there a greater chance of some good stuff in boxes (smaller, easier to sell on-line, etc.) Tools, electronics?

Also was wondering if weekday auctions are less attended than Saturdays in general? Thanks for your help.

Russ

Legal notices in my area don't often list contents and I would guess that is true elsewhere for the most part.

As far as Saturday vs. weekday auctions....in my area a Saturday auction is a RARITY. I think the storage places know that the majority of buyers are SELLING on weekends and therefore need to buy during the week. This eliminates a lot of people who are otherwise employed of course. Conditions may vary in your area.

When you get started you will start learning quickly. Watch what other people buy and do.

In my area they normally don't list items and personally I'm less interested n going to the auction if they do list items. If its good stuff will bring out more people and just seems more likely that things may be picked through.

IN my area they list date, time, etc plus normally the peoples names and unit numbers. i find it a good sign if multiple units are owned by one person.

Having trouble with my phone now but will post a sample ad like i mentioned

Here is an ad in Chicagoland area

Hi all, I have always depended on the internet to find my auction listings. I have had trouble finding notices for auctions in the local paper. Are there certain papers that print these notices? I am in NH. Thanks!

Hi all, I have always depended on the internet to find my auction listings. I have had trouble finding notices for auctions in the local paper. Are there certain papers that print these notices? I am in NH. Thanks!

If you live in a small town that has a weekly newspaper you need to buy a daily from a larger town down the road. A county seat USUALLY (but not always) has a daily paper and is more likely to have the legal notices cornered. Of course this is only my OPINION and others may think differently.

Once you find an Auction you can always ask the Storage Unit owner if the have a call list or email list they can put you on. It works well for future Auctions, as I just received an email for an Auction this Saturday with 15 units at least for now. We all know how the list of units can dwindle down by Auction day LOL.

In Texas, the storage facilities are required to provide a description of the contents. Rarely, are they every completely accurate. A lot of facilities just post a general comment like units contain household items, clothing and furniture unless otherwise noted but others go into detail. I found this ad really amusing because of the contents of the last unit. Roller coaster parts??

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE Amazing Spaces

Notice of public sale of property to satisfy landlord’s lien. Sale is 10:30AM Friday, April 29th, 2011 at 9040 Louetta Rd., Spring TX, 77379. Property will be sold to the highest bidder for cash. Cleanup and removal deposit may be required. Seller reserves the right to withdraw property from sale. Property includes contents of spaces of following tenants: William Johnson: trailer (approx 9ft).  Shannon Dodd: tv, office chairs, fans, misc. boxes.  Michael Staples: Furniture, misc. boxes, yard tools, luggage.  Lonesome Riders Services: arcade game, misc. parts for a roller coaster. Contact office at 9040 Louetta Rd. Spring, TX 77379

Been seeing a ton of listings lately where individuals will have 3-4 units being auctioned off at a facility, often times multiple individuals with multiple units. I love those usually means a whole house full of stuff and often times cars.

This is because there are more foreclosures than ever. People are moving everything they own into storage and unfortunately, if there is a loss of income, they lose their stuff. I don't even pay attention to the contents of the legal notices anymore. If there is something really good listed, chances are 50-50 that the tenant will pay before the auction.

Was just looking in the sunday paper today. For the first time in a long time I saw an auction that listed what was in units. This really turns me off to wanting to attend the auction. One did say something like 8 vending machines. Easy to flip if they are modern machines, the older ones are cheap as hell, a dime a dozen and heavy and a pain to move.

I suppose I don't mind if they list large itmes like a boat, armoir, etc things you cant miss just peeking in a unit. When they start listing small stuff and stuff that would be found in totes and things like that really turns me off as it's obvious they have gone through the whole unit.

I agree, newspaper listings with detailed accounts of what is in the units turn me off from attending those auctions. It's not just the possibility that they have already absconded with the really valuable stuff, it's the fact that half the fun of being in this business is the "treasure hunt". The "treasure hunt" aspect is what keeps me motivated in diving through and sorting 100, 200, 300 square feet of garbage and junk. If I know the storage facility manager and associates have already "rooted" through the unit, then I sure as hell don't what to drop several hundred dollars on a garbage dump picked of treasure. There is also the issue of advertising everything of value in the unit, so the bidding automatically goes above what is normal for sight-un-seen lockers.

No fun either way! 

I agree, newspaper listings with detailed accounts of what is in the units turn me off from attending those auctions. It's not just the possibility that they have already absconded with the really valuable stuff, it's the fact that half the fun of being in this business is the "treasure hunt". The "treasure hunt" aspect is what keeps me motivated in diving through and sorting 100, 200, 300 square feet of garbage and junk. If I know the storage facility manager and associates have already "rooted" through the unit, then I sure as hell don't what to drop several hundred dollars on a garbage dump picked of treasure. There is also the issue of advertising everything of value in the unit, so the bidding automatically goes above what is normal for sight-un-seen lockers.

No fun either way! 

Wish I had that kind of surprise here. You all already know that The Hart Beat has basically cornered the market in my area as the PLACE TO BE PLACED for storage auctions. So 90% of all the facilities around my area use them. And I say about 99% of those give a breif description of what is in the unit.

I use to pay attention, I would plan my day out based on that.  But gave up. I end up missing out on a unit I could of gotten real cheap that at that time I would of taken it. No one wanted to bid on this particular unit. From what I heard it was completely trashed. Now what was placed in the ad was nothing special about it. But the facility I decided to go to listed a few units I was highly interested in. Well The units I was interested in turned out to be bunk, way out dated used and abused low end merchandise, that I did not bid on and was going way over retail in the biddings.

Now lets go back to the facility I did not go to, based on the ad, that I should of gone to. Nobody wanted to touch this unit, looked trashed out, which at the time (being a noob, was alot of time looking for that wow factor), with no one jumping on it. I could of walked away paying only $1 for. Which is unbelievable, because the auctioneers here never let them go below $5, most of the time nothing below $50. Anyways, what ended up being in that unit was a Vintage Violin. That is one of the things I found out was in there. The lady who had the unit died a very old woman, and apparently had some eccentric taste, but was also a hoarder.

Since then, I dont even read the ads, I simply see where, when, and how many units. That is it.

Wish I had that kind of surprise here. You all already know that The Hart Beat has basically cornered the market in my area as the PLACE TO BE PLACED for storage auctions. So 90% of all the facilities around my area use them.

The Hart Beat covers the larger storage chains and some independent but it's nowhere near 90%. Their website claims that they publish notices for around 100 facilities. Houston has over 1400 storage facilities within a 60 miles radius. San Antonio is smaller than Houston but I would estimate that you have at least 900-1100 facilities.

Chances are that San Antonio has at least 25-30 smaller independent newspapers that storage facilities advertise in.

Lord willing, we will be moving into the San Antonio market by years end.

The Hart Beat covers the larger storage chains and some independent but it's nowhere near 90%. Their website claims that they publish notices for around 100 facilities. Houston has over 1400 storage facilities within a 60 miles radius. San Antonio is smaller than Houston but I would estimate that you have at least 900-1100 facilities.

Chances are that San Antonio has at least 25-30 smaller independent newspapers that storage facilities advertise in.

Lord willing, we will be moving into the San Antonio market by years end.

I compiled a list of my own on a spreadsheet. With the help of White/yellow pages, as well as the internet of every Storage Facility in San Antonio, and a few outside the area going south. I have called every single one of them, some would not comment or lied saying that dont do auctions (which later I find out they use Hart Beat, except one, they publish in a small paper on the Southside of town). Regardless, all my information is in, and like I SAID 90% OF THEM USE THE HART BEAT. I think I know what I am talking about here since I did my homework and research before I even reluctantly subscribed to the Hart Beat.

Also sad to report we dont have that many facilities, maybe half of what you expected. I have not counted them all, but I can tell you it took me 4 and a half days to call every single one of them.

As far as independent newspapers, sadly no again, we dont have that many. We have I want to say there is currently 4 or 5, one of which is I assume closing down, or has been bought out.

I have lived in both cities, it is not just size difference between Houston and San Antonio. Culture difference, meaning there are way more different cultures in Houston than here, financial economics are way different, even the way Houston values history is different than the way San Antonio does. You got to remember, Houston is what the 4th or 5th largest city right now in the USA. San Antonio does not even come close.

Dammit, now you making me miss my neigborhood in Houston. Loved that smell of coffee when I wake up and when I get home from work.