Auction Scene #3...March, 2012

Some of those prices are just scary.  We've had a 10x20 in January that had lots of goodie type boxes showing.  Lady that won the locker said everything was in the unit.  I'm VERY skeptical of that since she is one of the dredge buyers and overpays on trash units that even I wouldn't touch.  No one that I've talked to has seen these goodies in her store either.

$93 for a trunk is just way stupid.  I'll gamble $50 all day long on 1/4 full units with totes, trunks, but I want to see a little something.  Prices in my area are still all over the place.  Small town auctions are dozen people and under $200 units.  Just not seen anything really worth my time/effort.  Main city auctions are just all over the place.  Many auctions with 30-50 people, and normally the same dozen of us bidding.  A few newbie bidders.  Think prices are staying up in my area due to those few newbies wasting money but also the store people fighting each other for inventory.  Will see how things are next month.

No flea for me Saturday since is stormy now and 50% chance Sat and Sunday.  Going to try and hit the flea to shop for a change and look for some yardsales.  Not holding my breath.  Need some new smalls and computers to get me by.  Running low on items to list on ebay.

American Auctioneers have invaded just about every storage unit auction in my area lately.  5x5s are $500 to $1000.00 and up. On Friday we had several hundred people show up and not one unit started for under $100.00 and these were the units where the auctioneer used to pay you $5 to take them......................Rant................ give it a few months till peoples tax money runs out. 

Well, took my wife to an auction yesterday hoping to change my luck. Bang, picked up 2 units. The problem is the unit I liked is not looking to good and her unit is looking real good. She saw one thing in a bag, had a "feeling", and damn she was right. She might going some more. Prices and crowd were a little better than I've seen lately and only 4 miles from the house, didn't want to go home empty again.

On Friday we had several hundred people show up and not one unit started for under $100.00 and these were the units where the auctioneer used to pay you $5 to take them......................Rant................ give it a few months till peoples tax money runs out. 

Or a YEAR and a few months ..... the end is not in sight (IMO).

Haven't got a unit in a couple of months. It's getting really crazy around here. Even at the local auction houses its getting nuts. Went to a caravan last week. Prices were through the roof. a 5x10 unit with a broke church pew, a particle board dresser, and a ripped up couch went for $525. Also a 5x10 with 2 totes, and a computer monitor went for $600.

That is great Miller - glad you got some units.  I like when my wife goes with me as she spots things I don't.  It's more "women" things but it always helps.  First two units I ever bought was due to her being with me and wanting the units.

gapajeff - ouch, there had to be something else in a unit for $600.  Or was the monitor in a box and looked brand new and people just wanted to pay retail.  Seen that a few times now.

I've come to really like units that are really crappy looking or has a ton of stuff and people don't want to do all that WORK.

Well, took my wife to an auction yesterday hoping to change my luck. Bang, picked up 2 units. The problem is the unit I liked is not looking to good and her unit is looking real good. She saw one thing in a bag, had a "feeling", and damn she was right. She might going some more. Prices and crowd were a little better than I've seen lately and only 4 miles from the house, didn't want to go home empty again.

Millertime, I think you may have just touched on something important here. Many of us have been dealing with a lot of newbies and super high prices the last couple of months and it has been discouraging. Getting in a negative mood is gonna start making all units look like "junk" for the money so we might miss some good stuff right in plane view. It's good to have some "fresh" eyes on the scene, especially from someone who is not emotionally attached to the outcome of the auctions.

Just as a point of reference - I was back in Wisconsin (for a funeral  ) - and checked out an auction in Milwaukee.  Three units (heard it was down from 6) - with prices about average with what everyone has been posting.  $150-$500 range - mostly clothes and worn furniture - only one had a washer.  Crowds were about 20, but this was a weekday.

The thing that killed me was gas was $4.26 per gallon!   My local price is about $3.62, which still makes me choke to pay $50+ to fill up.  But at that rate, it's closer to $65!  I didn't see $4.00+ in any other state than Wisconsin. (bastards)   $3.89-$3.99 at most places.  I feel for those of you with super high gas prices.  Makes the job of buying/selling a unit even harder than it has been.  And it looks like no end in sight......

Remember, Memorial Day is coming!!  

Well Don did it again~consignment locker....  Major differences~prominent auctioneer that informed everybody via an announcement and explained the situation.  A local construction contractor was now outta business (something too common in Southern AZ) and the 8 units were all his.  Don bought one for $130.  Will easily double to triple our $$$ on it.  

No surprises, no treasures, just a dusty unit with a profit~

I was at a single facility with another auctioneer and many of our 'regulars' were there, choosing not to go (on a caravan) with the more 'popular' auctioneer Don was with.  They all kept asking how the crowds were 'over there'.  Amazingly enough crowds were minimal (under 40) and prices stayed 'reasonable' at both auctions.

Heading out for PS in a bit.......

Nice Rockin - that sounds great.  I missed yesterday and today's auctions due to work.  Somehow they are starting to schedule meetings just before, during, or after an auction where I don't have time to attend.  Thursday is PS and the same thing.  So my next auction isn't unitl April 6.  Hope the crowds and prices will be the same here.  Would be nice to get some new inventory in.  Just paid the $45 for a military post spring flea.  It supports the families of troops so I didn't blink at the cost.  Would still love to make some money.

Rotflmao at today.

Went to a auction down in Benbrook TX today to show my aunt and uncle what a real auction is like, and was entertained with a jaw jacking fest/mini fight with a previous tenant.  So apparently I need to drive 1300 miles to witness something like this.

It was fun getting to check the scene in a different city.  It was also fun knowing I could have been a Whale for a day(uncle is loaded and he wanted me to get both units, but I refused to bid).

Then went to moe's place, interesting but everything was way overpriced, but when I talked to Moe's helper he said they overprice purposely knowing they will get undercut in negotiations. Like the teak bar he got from Lesa sold for $2200 but was in the store for 5 months. I guess he is an avid estate sale guy more then a storage guy.

If you guys ever get a chance, he has some nice stuff in his store, but you need to check out the whole area as the stores around are really something to look at.

Today was a bust.  Couldn't make the first two auctions of a small caravan so figured would try the third.  They were 30 mins late getting it started for 1 unit.  Unit was a 10x10 with a black leather couch (missing leather on armrest), cloths on couch, particle board entertainment center with some VHS tapes and a few dvds.  Also was a particle board dresser I think and a few boxes.  What caught the eye of everyone I'm sure were the 3 swords in the corner behind the dresser.  You know those long Japan style swords that fantasy people love.  Unit went for $300 I think.  Crowd was small - only a dozen or so people.  Only 2 regulars and they said about 1/2 the crowd didn't show up here from the other 2 auctions.

That is it for the month of March.  Next auction isn't until April 6th.

Started off on the Public Storage caravan.....first stop had one locker with mostly junk, old bed, china hutch......just mostly old dirty crap, and it went for $400.00.   Moved on to the next facility.....17 lockers, I stayed for 10 but except for one small locker that had a front load washer and dryer ($575.00), they were literally garbage.......most going in the $200.00 price range. 

I took off for another smaller facility that I usually do well at......but not today!  Way too many people, and only three lockers.  All new people, bidding stupid amounts.  So, I headed off to another facility, again, one that usually just has a few bidders, even in these depressing times....and they had 30-40 bidders for one small unit. 

Back to Public.....they were moving so slow that I didn't even miss a facility!  Even more people than earlier, prices outta sight, I was wet, it was lunch time, to heck with this!  I left and went home, changed clothes and got something to eat.......my friend has called me a couple of times telling me how many people and how many crappy lockers he's been dealing with today.  I made the right choice!

Re:  making the right choice by leaving the auction trail....boy, did yo ever!

Madness !

Better watch out StorMe - pretty soon he will start out-selling you.  My oldest helps me buy and sell units.  She works her tail off at the flea greeting people, answering questions, etc.  Is a great learning exp.  Some days I think she sells more stuff then I do.