Belt Auction

What are some good tips for bidding on abandoned storage units.?

I want to learn how to bid on stuff left in storage units where the people quit paying the rent. Anyone experienced in this area?

Public Comments

1. I've been to a few of these auctions. Generally, the condition of the unit dictates whether I bid or not. The manager opens the door, and if everything is tossed around, all stuffed into garbage bags, I don't bid. I have found those are usually clothes, blankets, stuffed animals and other household stuff I'm not interested in because of the low value. If things are neatly stacked in boxes, or if there are some large items, I will bid. It sometimes pays to know the managers of these units. One manager knows me fairly well and will give me the history on the various units going up for auction. For instance, if it is a newer rental, someone paid their initial deposits and then never paid again, the items probably aren't worth much. But if someone paid for a year or more, then stopped, it may be things that have value. I have seen inexperienced auction goers pay big money for the contents of a unit only to haul the vast majority to the Goodwill. There can be some interesting stuff at these auctions. At one, the door rolled up and it was stuffed floor to ceiling with bicycles. I cannot imagine how someone legally accumulated so many bicycles then put them in a storage unit, there must have been over 100 of them, all shapes and sizes. One unit had a bunch of plastic totes, which turned out to have old cameras in some of them, and then every scrap of paper from an old camera and camera repair shop that was probably ever generated. Tons of old records from that business. They can be fun and very lucrative to attend.
2. Most stuff is boxed up by the employees so you are buying a mystery. One box turned out to be full of lampshades. One box was full of towels; used but clean. The reason i won't do it any more is that i am convinced that the storage employees have taken everything of value. All that is left is junk. WHich can be fun if you pay $1 but discouraging if you treat this like a real auction..