Liability insurance can be expensive for like a store, million dollar policy, etc.  It also depends on the state you are in and what the min requirements are.

As for a flea requiring a resale permit and insurance....ok - I'll pass.  We don't need either in order to sell at a flea market.  I don't know if the regular vendors do but I doubt it.  Is one of the reasons if I get to the point of wanting to open a store I'd do a perm flea market booth before doing a real store. 

Well today found me at U-haul and once again walking away with all my money.  First location - 2 units, about 40 people.  Both units sold at $400.  Second location - downtown, normally pretty low end stuff, rats, etc - 13 units up for auction.  Prices were all over the board.  Had a good 30 registered bidders and 60+ people. 

Talking with the auctioneer as he does all the U-hauls in the region he said the crowds have increased all over.  I thought winter would keep many of these people in, watching storage wars.  Not out in the cold trying to be the neck Brandon and Jarrod.

Anyways, crap units that myself and few other new-regulars would buy at $50 or less were going for 125 and up.  One unit looked old, was stacked to the top, but was all trash bags, and smelled like something or more died in there went for $200.  I just started to sit back and watch.  Did have one surprise.  One of the upstairs units had furniture and all in it.  We figured 150-200 or so with what all the others were going for.  It went for $10 to one of the regualrs.  Guess the new people got scared off at the work or already had blown their cash.

I still remember being new but I hope like hell I was never so raw and stupid as a few we had today.  Talking with two of the older guys before the auction.  We was mostly BSing and talking about the show some for the benefit of the new people.  Had a pair of what I consider kids (prob 18-20) come up and ask a few questions.  We try to answer them and disabuse them of riches like seen on TV.  They kept inching closer and closer to "listen in" on our talk.  So we get to the first locker and open it up.  Kid takes one look and is -- that is all junk - $25.  I'm sitting there just laughing to myself.  Was an older locker, with old style plastic Santa, boxes, old TV, many boxes.  Is one that I'd normally pick up as it had alot of mystery.  I thought the kid was going to choke when the old cally regular opened up at $75.  I had to stop myself from laughing.  Unit sold for $175.

Last newbie of the day story - We finally get to a sparse but neatly packed unit.  Nothing out of this world but sellable things and not too much work other then the stairs.  People start to bid in $5 increments from $10 opening.  Unit finally sells for $180.  The couple that purchased it sort of had a blank look on their face.  He tells the auctioneer his name and such and then just stands there.  He doesn't even remember what unit he bought or what was inside of it.  I sort of nudge him and tell him "you can put your lock on the door now".  He was like "Oh, thanks".  I just sighed and watched one of the guys I hang with alot roll his eyes.

For me most of my family and a few co-workers know I do storage auctions.  For the most part when dealers mostly ask me where I keep getting this stuff I tell them at auction, stuff I've had in my 2 barns, and such.  I am very open with people if they ask a direct question.  Or if they are looking at something like my ring I tell them up front that it's gold plated.  Or the 2 purses I have are knock-offs.  People seem surprised by it but is what I do.  Not everything I sale comes from a storage auction as I still have a number of things from estate sales, my general collecting, etc.

I try and keep a record of what unit numbers go up for sale, where, how much, and who buys them (regular or noob).  Don't always do it but I do try and my major venues.

As for the regulars - they may not be bidding for several reasons, depending on what they are doing auctions for.  In my area 1 regular mostly bids on furniture as he has a store.  If he's not bidding it's either due to no interest as there isn't any furniture, he already has bought a number of units, or the furniture in the locker sucks.  Now - most of the other regulars are hobbiest, and much older then I am.  So they don't bid on stuff with "heavy looking" items in it most of the time.  This could be furniture, boxes of books, etc.  They sometimes will surprise you.  Most of the time they are out doing this for the excercise, friendship, etc.

You can post things like this in the Looky Loo thread we have each month.  Of course it will be called something else starting in Jan.  It's a good place to post crowds, prices, etc.

Now that you attended your first auction -- what did you learn?

Hmm - didn't catch it on TV last night so waiting for A&E to post it up on the site.  Or for hulu to get it.  Guess I'll try and sit through it all.  I just watch them when I can.  Not even looked at auction hunters in months.

Sounds like good days for both of you.  I have my 7 facility caravan Thursday but I'm not holding out too much hope.  I normally get a locker or two on this run but I expect the crowd to be a 100 strong.  With Monday being about 50 people with new people bidding like mad it just doesn't bode well.

On top of that I was listening to the radio station this morning and they were talking about Storage Wars and Storage Wars texas.  Sort of glad they made fun of the show and how prices seem to be way overflated.  Still will not stop the stupid people.  Will just have to wait and see.

U-haul is on the 9th.  Will hit the 2nd facility at lunch but most of their units are low-income, trash filled units most times.  The second facility normally has an issue with rats also.