Several facilities on NorCal sell online now.
I have not yet won one, bid on 2 just to be horrendously outbid.
It appears to me as a buyer you simply don't have the view you would have on your own.
The site I looked at also opens everything they can access, take LITERALLY sometimes over 15 pics of the same damn HomeDepot box, making it look like there is more than it is.
Overall it just does not 'feel right' when I see their auctions.
They also post a full length video of the entire process in the auction.
My biggest concern is staging/theft of units. But I realized that is no more less or more likely than any other auction, as we are usually not around whe the lock is cut and the unit inventoried.
But the bids online seem MUCH higher as much as 2-3 times of what you would expect for the same unit in a live auction.
I contribute that to newwbees and the lazy wannabees sitting on their asses at home and it is REAL easy to get carried away when you are not in the heat of the actual auction and see how much dirty crap it is, you have to haul.
One local facility alwready went back to regular auctions due to massive problems with buyers, asking for more tinme to clean out, because they live 2 hours away. No shows and all that.
I hope this is just a fluke and will go away.
The higher prices should not be a major incentive for the facilities as any overages go to the tenant anyway.
Just my dirty 2 cents...