Auction Scene #3...March, 2012

Well today was my 3 facility late afternoon auction.  Only 6, 2, 4 units this month.  Crowd was pretty big again (30-50 people) but just about the same "bidders".  Units were priced a little better then what is "normal".  I picked up a gamble unit for $50.  Could of had it at $5 but a newbie jumped in to $10, so I jumped to $20, him $25 and then me to $50.  Has a grill, junk cooler, 2 boxes, and 2 totes (1 looked like cloths).  Just wanted to see what all would find so rolling the dice.

Buddy got a good tool unit for $310.

Well today was my 3 facility late afternoon auction.  Only 6, 2, 4 units this month.  Crowd was pretty big again (30-50 people) but just about the same "bidders".  Units were priced a little better then what is "normal".  I picked up a gamble unit for $50.  Could of had it at $5 but a newbie jumped in to $10, so I jumped to $20, him $25 and then me to $50.  Has a grill, junk cooler, 2 boxes, and 2 totes (1 looked like cloths).  Just wanted to see what all would find so rolling the dice.

Buddy got a good tool unit for $310.

Good luck on your return on 50-bucks....let us know how it pans out!

It was a roll of the dice and I lost    The grill is one of those grill/cooler combos that came out a few years back.  Looked inside the cooler and it's trash.  Not sure if can sell the grill by itself as a "tailgate" grill or not.  Need to check it out still.  Tote only had hangers in it.  Other box is mostly ratty pillows and some personals.  Big ticket item will be the breadmaker if it works.  Then a few smalls and some scrap metal.  So figure a loss or break-even once finish testing and selling.  No biggie - even the walmart giftcard came up empty.

Today's auction saw even more people out and about.  Units today to me were poor.  Only two units interested me.  First had a 3-gallon and a 1-gallon air compressors in it and body parts of some car + seats.  I bid up to 50 max and it sold for like 180.  Can buy both of those size compressors new at Walmart for less then that.  Other unit I was interested in had lots of cloths, a window AC unit, and what looked like a old shiftrobe / chrio cabinet?  Back was turned to us.  This one went for just stupid money ($510).  Two newbies got in a bidding war.  All the regulars just sat back and shook our heads.  Last unit was a bigger unit with washer, dryer, furniture, etc.  I didn't stick around as needed to get back to work.

It was a roll of the dice and I lost    The grill is one of those grill/cooler combos that came out a few years back.  Looked inside the cooler and it's trash.  Not sure if can sell the grill by itself as a "tailgate" grill or not.  Need to check it out still.  Tote only had hangers in it.  Other box is mostly ratty pillows and some personals.  Big ticket item will be the breadmaker if it works.  Then a few smalls and some scrap metal.  So figure a loss or break-even once finish testing and selling.  No biggie - even the walmart giftcard came up empty.

Big ticket item is a breadmaker?  I can't give those things away.  I'd offer to send you any I find if you can sell 'em, but the shipping alone on those behemoths would be a bear!

LOL at the giftcard.  After reading (all the success stories) here, I started (doubly) checking any that I found and I finally found one with a balance.....Panda Express for $0.14.....that's like a bite of an eggroll......

We're heading out today on a 5 facility caravan that takes us about 60 miles south (right to the Mexico border) with one of my favorite auctioneers (he's soooo hollywood!  ).  I've never purchased a unit from him as his crowds are huge and prices go skyhigh, but I enjoy the heck outta him and he conducts a good auction.

I highly doubt it will sell.  However, as my daughter said about herself...."I've never taken one of those apart yet".  So will get the few bucks worth of scrap out of it and spend time with daughter.  Is part of the reason I do this.

Most I've found on a gift card so far was $33 or something like that to Best Buy.  Gotten a few $.40, buck here, two there, etc.  So far it's always been to a place I shop at anyways so I count that into my profit.  Is money I've not had to spend.

Good luck today - hope you have fun.

I highly doubt it will sell.  However, as my daughter said about herself...."I've never taken one of those apart yet".  So will get the few bucks worth of scrap out of it and spend time with daughter.  Is part of the reason I do this.

Good luck today - hope you have fun.

I like your daughter.  Sounds like my eldest.  She is sooo danged curious.

We did have fun today.  Bid on numerous units, but only landed one.  Small one for $185 with some profitability.  Had a blast with the auctioneer and looking forward to day 2!

Missed the auction yesterday. Unexpected appointment came up. Have none today, a few tomorrow and a hand full next week. Have to get my fix has been toooooooo long. Have conceded to just go even if we don't get one. 

I highly doubt it will sell.  However, as my daughter said about herself...."I've never taken one of those apart yet".  So will get the few bucks worth of scrap out of it and spend time with daughter.  Is part of the reason I do this.

Most I've found on a gift card so far was $33 or something like that to Best Buy.  Gotten a few $.40, buck here, two there, etc.  So far it's always been to a place I shop at anyways so I count that into my profit.  Is money I've not had to spend.

Good luck today - hope you have fun.

2 gift cards for me have been $50 sirius card and $10 coldstone card. 

Btw almost 4 months into the year and I am 0fer on lockers. Can't buy a break right now.

Today's auction was canceled as everyone paid up    50% chance or rain Friday and Saturday, 40% Sunday - so flea market is out this weekend.  No auctions for saturday either unless travel 90 miles or so (tempting).  Next week we have a few auctions but it's looking like I'll miss them due to work (dang meetings).  So after the 29th we are done till the 6th.  Luck has it I'm off on the 6th so hoping the one place that has auctions on the 6th doesn't pay up.

D-38: Empire Payphones, Inc. - Sevenpay phones & Parts.
R-58 L. Ware: Two beds, Sofa, Dining Table and chairs, end table, dresser and misc. boxes, pictures.
A069: C Reed: Four tool boxes, TC, Car ramps and misc. boxes.
D024: C Reed: Tool boxes, engine lift, ladders, dollies, and misc. boxes.

Flip side things are selling on CL and Ebay.

Btw almost 4 months into the year and I am 0fer on lockers. Can't buy a break right now.

Don't feel bad. The prices are crazy stupid in my area right now. We were warned it always gets bad around tax return season with the newbies and thier tax return checks but this is rediculous! Definitely worse then tax season last year without a doubt.

Going rate for a 10 x 10 half-full is now $800, 10 x 15-20 half-full is now $1000. I know some will say I need to suck it up and I have to pay to play, but I have done enough research to know that there is a 80% chance of zero profit in those size units at those prices. (based on the standard quality of the product we find in units in my area)

Oh some "Fools Gold" stories from the last week.

STORY #1: 5 x 10 unit, empty except for small plastic storage trunk. Retail price new $30. Winning bid $93.50. Of course a bunch of us gather around so the lucky gambler, I mean winner can see whats inside the trunk. Drum roll please.... EMPTY!!! YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME, HOW COULD A COMPLETELY EMPTY STORAGE UNIT WITH JUST A PLASTIC TRUNK INSIDE BE EMPTY!!! Oh well, if you can't gamble $100 on unit in this biz, then you should just stay home.

STORY #2: (not an eye witness account, so some facts might be fuzzy) 10 x 10 unit?, 2 power tool cases showing (Dewalt?), 4? gun cases showing, 2 LCD flat screen TV boxes showing, other nice nickety nacks showing. Winning bid $1700-$1870 (can't remember if the buyers premium was all ready added into the total price). Eye witness asks to see the guns, might be interested in buying them. 1st. gun case, empty. 2nd gun case, empty. 3rd gun case...you get the picture. Tool cases? Empty. LCD TV boxes? Whew! That was a close one, they're not empty, they're full of........ clothes!!! Oh well, hey if you can't gamble $1870 on a unit in this biz, then.....??

Btw almost 4 months into the year and I am 0fer on lockers. Can't buy a break right now.

Only one for us in 4 months, surviving on a box lot auction and freebies.

@Cobia that is scary.

Day two with our 'Hollywood' auctioneer brought HUGE crowds, upwards of 100 folks.  I bid on numerous units, but landed none.  There was really only one unit I 'wanted'.  10X10 full to the brim.  Could see (buried in the back) an electric guitar and amp, numerous electronics, a few pieces of furniture (but nothing exceptional).  I knew the crowd was hungry and many thought the unit would go upwards of a grand.  I set my cap at $800.  It went for $850.  Oh well.  

The next facility was down to one unit.  They opened the door and there was a microwave, one tote with garbage bags in it and that's it.  It went for $95.  I kid you not.

I bowed out to get home to my youngest daughter while Don and my eldest carried on.  The last locker of the day was in an expensive neighborhood.  10X10, 2/3 full with lots of sportsmans equipment showing including numerous gun (and archery) cases.  The auctioneer said that any guns must be turned into the facility manager.  Don figured he'd go up to a grand.  It ended at $2100 to a gal that just loves to gamble (and mostly lose).  The crowd was shocked that it went that high, but that was the trend o' the day.  One guy in the crowd told Don that bidding her (and her boyfriend) up was the most fun he had that day (insert maniacal laugh here).    

Auctions for today are cancelled, so will spend the time sorting and packing for a swap meet run manana~

acman....same story for me, haven't got a unit in 2 months
cobia......the Nashville area is supid right now, experimented at auction yesterday-I came to my reasonable value for the 3 units I liked, doubled it, and still didn't win. This included a 40% full 5x10 I couldn't get for $450.00!

Been expanding into bulk lot online auctions, yardsales etc. and picking up some stuff that way.

Replies #72, 73, 74, 75 above are super indicative of what's going on right now and it's not a pretty picture.

I am relying on picking more and more; the prices are outrageous and we have to rely on our experience
and an occasional prayer if we involve ourselves at some of the higher prices.

The $1K lkr I bought about 3/4 weeks ago is paying out and will end up making bout $600 to $800 profit, but it could have been a break-even just as easily. Oh, for the good old days of just 15 months ago.

I am relying on picking more and more;

May have to go back to that myself.  Only real issue is I live rural and the gas I spend on hitting 'decent' sales is too much.
I did hit a yard sale last Friday where I landed 5 vintage pennants for $3~just sold two on ebay for $49!  I was shocked when I got home and saw the final sale price!
Also bought (at the same sale) an antique cast iron headboard for $10.  It's in very rustic shape.  I've got it on CL for $75, but will take it to the swap meet tomorrow and see what I can do.  Don't think I'll go lower than $50 on it and at that price, it will....ok~should....sell~it's just too awesome!