Auction Scene #1...January, 2012

I would of liked pictures or bit more description.  Was there a number of boxes or totes in the units?  I ask as for many people lots of dust = older age.  Lots of age = better chance of not being searched, antique furniture, etc.

Now - from what you described I would give it a 85% chance the people who purchased the lockers are newbies.  The washer & dryer would be worth about 15-20 in scrap depending on the current shred price.  I would of been looking at the wine bottles.  Were they open, sealed, or broken.

Second locker sounds like a bad bet all around.  Those normally go for $1 in my area.  I have seen more $10 and under 10x20 lockers then I have seen $1k+ lockers.  I'll even spend a $1 on a trash locker if spot 1 thing I like for around $20 just to see what else may be there.  I say $20 item I like as that is what a trailer full of trash cost me to dump in my area.

Tricky posting pics...lol

Here goes.

Went to a flea market about 40 miles away to check it out for future buying...not selling.

Found it lacking compared to another one about same distance but in slightly different direction, so ruling something out is valuable again.

Then went to Auction #1 which was nearby and was one-item at a time auction. Didn't buy a single thing. If you don't get the first $5 bid in and it ends up going for $17.50 to $25 there probably isn't money to be made unless it's a $50 to $100 item that people just aren't smart about. Since more of my cronies are buying piece items now, that isn't likely to happen.  Auction #2 was to be the same way and I decided to skip it.

I did talk to a part-time auctioneer who was selling at the flea and his report was that yes their auctions were AGAIN hitting the 100 attendee mark on a regular basis and prices were skyhigh. The trend seems to continue with new batches of tv show watchers still flowing in (and then out) like a high-water tide.

Oh well, have to pick and choose...and buy more single items with care.

Yep....2012 is off to a rip-snoring start.  3 facilities, 6 units, about 35 in attendance, with most being regulars.  I was not there, but Don reported that the trend of way overpauing, even by the regulars (myself last month included), continues. 

We start day one of U-store-it tomorrow.  I've missed the last two auctions due to obligations.  Odds increase of getting a unit as I'm a bit more aggressive than Don.  It's paid off big once and with breaking even (maybe a little meat on the bone......we'll see) on another.

All we can do is keep on keepin' on.........

Hitting 3 unit auction today. 1st time to this place. Then off to look at CL finds.

Will let you know what happens.

my first set of auctions starts thursday. i hope to finally take one home this time. the first 2 are in one of the many affluent sides of town in my city, so im hoping to get one early and use the rest of the day to sort it out. i havent really decided what my  max is. ive told my wife one thing, but will probably be taking double what i told her... just in case...

ive been lurking for the past couple of years.. pretty much since the auction shows hit tv. ive used what i learned on there (as much as you can learn on there), from what ive seen people talk about on here and my personal experience buying and reselling on craigslist and the local flea market.

my bigger scores:

goodwill - pair of paradigm v.2 atoms, mint condition. purchased for 10$, sold for 180$
goodwill - pair of bose 301 series III, mint condition (dusty as hell though). purchased 20$ sold for 200$
yardsale - cerwyn vega tower speakers, mint condition. bought 20$ sold 150$

best score - 1994 honda accord w/ jdm h22a motor swap. bought from lady who's son went to prison. he signed the title over to her to pay her back for past debts owed. she sold it to me for what he owed her: 800$. took it to my mechanic who said it needed a rear main seal. 200$ in repair, 1000$ total investment. sold for 4500$ 2 weeks later. fun car to drive. 200bhp in a lil 4banger at 9k rpm was fun.

ive been buying/reselling for around 6 years now, but since my other job lets me work the hours i want and pays a really good wage, i finally found a hobby i can spend my excess $$ on and make more $$

on a final note, its really good that i live in a house thats been converted to a 4plex. i have tons of garage space and 4 city trash cans i can use to avoid dump fees on small/medium items. im really excited to make my first purchase ever and first purchase of 2012

Well (knock on wood cross your fingers and legs) Went to Auction today and not the first NOOBIE!!!!!!

We had never been to this place. They don't have that many Auctions. Guy felt bad that it was down to only 2 units.

About 20 Regulars ( some we had not seen before but were not noobies. The other regulars knew who they were).

1st unit 10x10 3/4 full trashed sofa and love seat a mattress and totes and of course a small safe (hidden).     $200

2nd unit 10x10 AC unit 1/2 full. Nice bedroom set and a lot of those plastic drawer carts full, mainly kids stuff in side. Odds and ends. $210  We went to $200. Other bidder would have gone to 300. Not worth that much to us.

Finally a nice Auction 

To: The Jerk

Sounds like you are well under way. Getting the locker may be your first stumble as things don't always go according to plan.

Other than that my only word of advice to someone who calls himself "The Jerk" is...."Stay away from the oil cans!"

Well....got a unit.  Wish like heck we hadn't.  Crowds were pretty normal for around here.  About 45, 2/3 regulars.  prices stayed semi-reasonable too.  5 facility caravan with about 25 units total.

The one we bought had fishing gear, a compressor, some furniture and tools visible.  Don and I agreed on $200 MAX.  Well thought I had it at $150 then a yahoo came in at $175.  I went ahead and hit our $200.  The guy says $210 (increments were a steady $25 on this and most other units).  I walked away and my husband leans over towards the guy and said firmly $220.  He countered with $222.  I kid you not.  The auctioneer was PISSED.  She said "I don't play that game.  Any other REAL bids."  I think he realized he had just made an ass out of himself.  I almost wish she would have accepted it, as it looks like a break-even or even slight loss unit.  Most everything is either broken, incomplete or FILTHY!  Funny the cleanest and most resalable items are the baby clothes of which there is a lot.
Oh well.....we were (over) due for a loss.

Only one other unit of interest.  She opened it up and it was full of sports paraphernalia, including tons of Steelers (the auctioneer is a fan as is my husband) stuff.  I took it up to $700.  Ended up going for over $1100.

Tomorrow I hope is a better day with 3 different caravans going on.

ugh....I've got to go launder icky clothes.....

To: The Jerk

Sounds like you are well under way. Getting the locker may be your first stumble as things don't always go according to plan.

Other than that my only word of advice to someone who calls himself "The Jerk" is...."Stay away from the oil cans!"

oil cans and older stuff are not my thing. electronics, furniture.. these are items i like to deal in that i can move rather fast in the area i live in.

oil cans and older stuff are not my thing. electronics, furniture.. these are items i like to deal in that i can move rather fast in the area i live in.

You must be fairly young 

http://youtu.be/vFWZ37ziMag

You must be fairly young 

http://youtu.be/vFWZ37ziMag

Classic!!

Auction today. Well crossing my fingers did not work. 

Two facility caravan. Oh and our three day 14 facility caravan cancelled this month. So expected more people at the auctions still going on but good grief.

Over 100 people 10 regulars 2 units.

10x10 1/4 full kids toys, riding worm some bags of clothes $30. We went to $20, Was not worth $40 (and that was what the auctioneer wanted.)

5 x 10   6 metal dinning room chairs table, small sitting chair, 2 tail lights (think to a Honda) a basket with a breather for something. $23.23 we bought it.

Next stop 2 lockers  more people

5 x 5  1/4 full looked like business papers in boxes, paper shredder.  $310   One of the whales

20 x 20  Van, truck with roof cut off, second level of storage built in, fibreglass finders for cars, a ton of stuff. $510.  One of the Whales

So even with the crowd prices were not bad. May be they are getting smarter.    Or what came up nobody wanted except for the regulars. 

You must be fairly young 

http://youtu.be/vFWZ37ziMag

just past my 3rd decade in this thing we call a world

Day 3 of our busy week.  Don and I split up....and no.....not because he made me wash all those truly disgusting clothes~

He went to day two of a local caravan.  I went to day one of another with a Phoenix auctioneer.  They hold these every other month and are generally busy, due to more units.

My auction started 40 minutes later than projected due to a large # at the first facility which is an hour or so north of us.  By the time the auctioneer arrived we were over 100 in attendance.  All units went way too high and frankly.......I didn't find any worth bidding on.

Don had about 10 people.  All regulars.  He picked up a 10X20 3/4 full for $250.  He is now on his way over to begin the clean out.  I am at home getting kids to do homework, showers and dinner.

He said there is a very nice sofa & loveseat, washer/dryer (we crank those out here), a really cool antique table, a cedar chest  and a very vintage 'locker'.  Oh please let there be more in there than the wheat penny from our 'write our own reality show' thread.
One of our 'regular' buddies told him he got the locker of the day.  I hope he was right!

Don promised he would not open a single box or 'dig' until I was able to 'help'.  Last decent unit he bought he found all the goodies and left me with the laundry.  

Hopefully I get a call in the next half hour saying "You're not gonna believe this........"  but I'm just grateful we got a decent locker at a decent price.  Our tables (and craigslist account) were looking a bit bare.

I'll update later when I know more and/or we finish the clean-out tomorrow.  We are arranging it so we do that after attending the bigger facilities on day two of the one caravan.