Show Posts
16
Picker's Paradise / June 13 was AUCTION DAY
« on: June 13, 2015, 11:04:44 PM »
Spent the better part of Saturday attending several auctions/estate auctions. 
First one was a furniture store that went out of business. Over 500 individual items and over 200 buyers! One of my local big auctioneers held the sale at their warehouse. (Mind you, it was 96 degrees here today and the ventilation was non-existant) Anyway, there were several local store owners who were buying the bulk of the items. I did pick up two sets of dining room chairs (8 in all) for $10 each - and promptly sold them to another bidder for $35 each - picking up a cool $200 without even moving one thing. (He showed up late and apparently wanted these chairs!) My favorite kind of flip. (You can see the light colored, bleached chairs in the first photo). We left after about 3 hours and everything we were interested in had been sold. Wow - needed a shower after THAT!
Actually hit an estate auction that was right on the way home next. It was a piece deal and then a real estate auction after everything else sold. We walked in and the auction had just started. Kind of strange to see nearly 100 people crowded into a 1500-1600 sq foot house bidding on things. But the worst thing was the smell - it smelled like cigarettes and stale pipe tobacco.......YIKES!
We did an about-face and left. I don't smoke, and don't mind if people do, but how in the hell am I supposed to sell items that smell like something died! I would think there would've been an effort to freshen the place up before the auction. Yeah buddy!
Ended the day at a local twice-a-month consignment auction house off the beaten path. At least it normally is. Tonight was over 100 in attendance. I did get a 12-channel mixing board to $6 - I was in radio years ago and I don't think anyone else knew what it was. I have already begun to take it apart and clean. It works great and should clean up nicely. I also got a mahogany secretary desk for $70 - which I promptly sold for $180 on site. (Actually had two people who came late and wanted this piece - when they found out it was already sold they asked me about buying it.) Picked up a few little kitschy things - like a few cut glass vases for $2 each that I should be able to sell on etsy/ebay (similar styles, sizes, etc. are selling for $10-20 and I'm in no hurry).
Oh yeah, there was one storage auction also today - but when I called they had cancelled due to all renters had paid up. (Seems to be the story around here, it's like the TV shows have educated these folks.) But all-in-all a profitable day.
Good luck out there!
First one was a furniture store that went out of business. Over 500 individual items and over 200 buyers! One of my local big auctioneers held the sale at their warehouse. (Mind you, it was 96 degrees here today and the ventilation was non-existant) Anyway, there were several local store owners who were buying the bulk of the items. I did pick up two sets of dining room chairs (8 in all) for $10 each - and promptly sold them to another bidder for $35 each - picking up a cool $200 without even moving one thing. (He showed up late and apparently wanted these chairs!) My favorite kind of flip. (You can see the light colored, bleached chairs in the first photo). We left after about 3 hours and everything we were interested in had been sold. Wow - needed a shower after THAT!
Actually hit an estate auction that was right on the way home next. It was a piece deal and then a real estate auction after everything else sold. We walked in and the auction had just started. Kind of strange to see nearly 100 people crowded into a 1500-1600 sq foot house bidding on things. But the worst thing was the smell - it smelled like cigarettes and stale pipe tobacco.......YIKES!
We did an about-face and left. I don't smoke, and don't mind if people do, but how in the hell am I supposed to sell items that smell like something died! I would think there would've been an effort to freshen the place up before the auction. Yeah buddy!Ended the day at a local twice-a-month consignment auction house off the beaten path. At least it normally is. Tonight was over 100 in attendance. I did get a 12-channel mixing board to $6 - I was in radio years ago and I don't think anyone else knew what it was. I have already begun to take it apart and clean. It works great and should clean up nicely. I also got a mahogany secretary desk for $70 - which I promptly sold for $180 on site. (Actually had two people who came late and wanted this piece - when they found out it was already sold they asked me about buying it.) Picked up a few little kitschy things - like a few cut glass vases for $2 each that I should be able to sell on etsy/ebay (similar styles, sizes, etc. are selling for $10-20 and I'm in no hurry).
Oh yeah, there was one storage auction also today - but when I called they had cancelled due to all renters had paid up. (Seems to be the story around here, it's like the TV shows have educated these folks.) But all-in-all a profitable day.
Good luck out there!
