Well monday has come and gone and I have another auction under my belt.  This was a 3 facility caravan with a heavy mix of regulars.  When I first arrive there is only a few trucks waiting around.  About 10 mins before the auction everyone else shows up.  All the regulars quickly form a circle in the shade joking around and such.  So I go over and say hello and to get a feel for the crowd.  I asked was I the only noob here and was told no, looks like about 4 new people today.  Most of these guys are retired and older.  I was the young guy being in my late 30s.  While talking and listening I learned who the high roller was.  Of course him driving up in a escalade also pointed to it.  So 4pm hits and the owner of the facility is ready to get started.  He had us noobs sign-in but that was all.

Rules at this facility are simple.  Cash only, and clean the unit completly or don't bother coming back.  No deposit required.  He takes offers to start the bid.  A few things surprised me.  The first was how laid back everything was.  Everyone joking around and such.  Even when bidding against each other.  Second was the ability to go in the lockers and really look around.  The third was I was the only one with a large flashlight.  Most of the regulars didn't have one or a few had small 3 LED lights.  In one of the units I allowed a few of the vets to use mine.  Here is the break down of units / bids.

First and second unit was mostly empty with a couch, matress, and a few containers.  Both went for $25 each.  Third unit had 3 toolboxes, some speakers, a truck toolbox, etc.  One of the best units we saw so far.  It sold for $155.  The fourth unit surprised me.  It was a big 10 X 20 or more, but mostly empty.  The owner told us to come in and look behind the furniture and such.  This is where the good stuff was hidden.  A nice guitar, keyboard, and a few other things.  I bid up to $150, but the unit sold at $165.  The last unit at this facility went for $5.  It was a large unit but was very disorganized and looked like a ton of work for nothing.  I saw a few item that would of sold but like the veterans I wasn't up to the amount of work for the little profit (if any after dump fees) I saw.

The second facility had some units on paper I was really interested in.  The first two were closet size units.  The first went for $220 and had a single snare drum showing and alot of other junk.  The second unit with I was interested in sold for $350.  It had a guitar, a violen, and after it sold found out a clarinett (spelling) all in the unit.  The first large packed unit we came to sold for $550 to a young guy with some deep pockets.  Found out he has a thrift store or something and is always looking for furniture, etc.  Last unit at this facility sold for $45.  It had a little heater, headboard with mirror and a window AC unit.

Last facility of the day had a little larger crowd.  A few of the guys from the Army base showed up to also bid.  The bids at the last facility were either high or low.  First unit went for $320, the second for $100.  Here again we ran into a large unit filled with stuff.  Had a washer, dryer, tv, fridge, etc.  It sold for $550 also to the same guy as above.  The fourth unit we called the scrapyard special.  It was trashed.  It had a matress & boxspring with a huge hole in the middle.  A stove that was 1/2 stripped, some wire hangers, and a object that caused all sorts of jokes....a kitchen sink.  This unit went for $10.  People just didn't want to hassle with it, even for the scrap.  The next unit was filled with furniture and a box of DVDs.  None of the regulars wanted it.  Open bid was $10, I said $20, army said $30 and I was like have it.  I had to laugh when his buddy was like "WTF did you just buy...look at all that stuff".  Last unit of the day was nice.  Had a Dale Jr. cardboard cutout, tools, etc.  Was a man's locker.  It sold for $420.

Well lucky for me the property that I purchased (at auction) has 2 large shed/barn type buildings divided into 2s.  So I have 4 sheds so to speak plus and over-hang to store stuff.  I'm mostly looking for smalls and not large furniture currently.  I'm doing this as I'm still getting organized and moving stuff around.

Easiest thing for you may be to find a rental special going on for like 3 months for the price of 1 or $1 move-in specials.  That way you have another 20+ days to get stuff sold.  Also, if you have some stuff your just not sure will sell or hasn't sold do the give-away thing to get a tax credit if you need that.

Good luck to ya.

Most times the auctioneer will call out a price and if no one bites in 60 seconds or so he/she will ask for bids.  Or someone will just call out the $10 - $20 bid.  Most of the time the unit will then go up to if not beyond the initial asking price.  Most of the time it's people not sure of the price so they wait till people start to bid before they toss out theirs.  Thus, the price gets driven back up to the original.  I don't know anyone that is against this unless it's stated up front the reserve price or such is XX.

It all depends on the auctioneer.  At one equipment auction I went to the auctioneer got tired of people doing that.  So for a few items the first person that called his inital bid got "sold" and moved on.  After that people started to meet his initial opening if they were interested in the item.

Ya - thanks Miller for the info it does.  In fact the one auction I attended one of the units had some rims and such like you are talking about.  I didn't bid as I was more there to learn the get stuff.  But I've since started to keep up with prices.  Also, been pulling off anything metal from stuff I have around house that is waiting to recycle.  Old tv's, vcr players and such that don't work anymore.  Figure if it is metal it's going in my new scrap pile.  One for ferrous and another for non-ferrous.  Figure will turn it all in one day and add it to my startup cash.

Gun cases always attract my eye.  They go for 100+ new many times depending on the brand.  Also wonder if the 4 wheeler and scooter run.  If so those could be some nice money makers.  Mid week auction so may not be as much competetion.  I don't know anything about the Atlanta scene.  Just found this and figured would post it for ya'll up that way.  If prefer for me not to post such finds just lmk and I'll stop.

I'm not really looking to do this stuff for investment but for fun.  I have a laundry list of projects I would like to try from a redneck cooler to automatic wire strippers.  I was watching some of the DIY youtube videos of various foundries.  I like to tinker with stuff and love to scavenge.  Is what got me into estate auctions, and now storage auctions.  If I find the tools, parts, oddities, that I could use for other projects that is great.  Also need various stuff around the house.  So for me I suspect I may end up keeping more stuff then selling at first.  I have even been known to stop and dumpster dive at times.

It's amazing how much waste and good scrap you can find in like construction dumpsters.  When my daughter was ice skating we would put on ice shows.  A few of us parents would make all the props and such.  Well this one guy had 40 acres of stuff.  He was in construction and had just about anything you could think of.  He taught me who to talk to at construction sites to get free material.  During the housing boon when there were 4-6 large subdivisions going in at once I could fill up my trailer with 2x4s and such that the only thing wrong with them was 3 nails and some calculations.

Gratz chief - this your first or second locker?  You have any pictures?

Ya - I've looked into buying a Ryedale years ago when they first came out.  Just couldn't talk myself into it.  I'm a member of a numastic forum that talks a bunch about coin sorting and stuff.  From pennies up to half-dollars and everything else you can think of.  With my kids we do a ton of searching by hand.  Is fun and a good way to spend time with them.  I'll check out the link.  Thanks for it.

If I'm going to spend $500-$600 I'll get a smelter and ingot maker first.  That way I can make my own gold, silver, and copper bars.  Can't melt US cents but can melt everything else.  I get a fair amount of copper from my world coin lots.  Working to seperate them now by country and KM number so that I can update my collection.  The rest I'm going to re-sale or save to melt.

Since I'm in IT I save all of the power cords and stuff also.  Be surprised how many boxes of cords you can accumulate.  Trying to figure out a way to strip off the case covers and everything on some of these computers but we surplus them so can't really do it.  See a ton of metal going to surplus that I could get a few $$ for if we didn't.