Auctions- Storage, Estate, etc.

[bilder]

The wife and I have been going to auctions for a number of years. We buy up stuff and either sell it on Ebay or have a yard sale. Sometimes we even keep some of the stuff we get. More of a seasonal business than a hobby these days.

Any of you guys ever go to auctions? We scored a couple weeks ago. We bought a box of hair products from a bankrupt salon and just cashed in. Paid 5 bucks for the box and just sold two of the items inside for $120 on Ebay. My girls claimed most of the stuff, but what little I can sell will go for good money.

Some of our better deals:

Box of brand new tennis rackets- paid $2.50 for the box and sold them for $150.
Foil hot dog bags (the kind hot dogs are in at ball parks and such)- bought 25 cases for a buck. Sold them for an average of $17 each on Ebay.
Gold watch- found in bottom of a box we bought in a lot of junk. Paid $5 for the lot and sold the watch for $300. The rest of the stuff sold in a yard sale for at least $50.

Still waiting for a nice humidor to show up at auction.

What deals have you found at auction?

 

[Fatken]

I love auctions, but I have trouble controlling myself. Are you going to auction houses or speciality auctions? I have a hard time finding the type of auctions I like, kind of everyday items, as opposed to furniture and such.

Ken

 

[bilder]

Up here there are several auction companies, most of which I avoid. Auctioneers are not state regulated up here and there are a few less than honest ones in town. One has friends and employees mixed in the audience to run up bids. Also if 4 people try and bid $20 on an item, he will run through them $20-30-40-50. He knows that most of the time folks will be too timid to balk at being suckered into a bid like that. He kicked me out one time when I refused to play the part of the sucker.

My favorite one is North Pacific Auctioneers. Chuck runs an honest business and specializes in estates and storage, which are the kind I like the most. I do not have a lot of space, so I deal in small stuff for the most part. I will buy furniture only if we are having a yard sale in a day or two. Up here furniture sells very well at yard sales.

Just set a price on an item then stick to it. Do not go over your set price no matter what. I had bidder fever at first, but now I am comfortable stopping when an item goes over the price I am willing to pay. There will always be another box of junk to bid on.

Check the local paper and try a google search to find the kind of auctions you like.