Author - Travis Lane

Houston Storage Auctions Coverage Area

March 20, 2012

Our storage auction schedule for the Houston area includes all storage facilities within the following cities, towns and communities.

Alvin, Angleton, Baytown, Beasley, Bellaire, Bellville, Brazoria, Brenham, Brookshire, Channelview, Cleveland, Clute, Columbus, Conroe, Crosby, Dayton, Deer Park, Dickinson, El Campo, Freeport, Friendswood, Fulshear, Galveston, Hempstead, Highlands, Hitchcock, Houston, Humble, Katy, Kemah, La Marque, La Porte, Lake Jackson, League City, Liberty, Magnolia, Manvel, Missouri City, Mont Belvieu, Navasota, Needville, New Caney, New Waverly, Pasadena, Pearland, Pinehurst, Pleak, Richmond, Richwood, Rosenberg, Santa Fe, Seabrook, Sealy, Shenandoah, Shepherd, South Houston, Splendora, Spring, Sugar Land, Sweeny, Texas City, Tomball, Waller, Webster, West Colombia, Wharton, Willis, Winnie.

Austin Coverage Area

March 20, 2012

Travis Lane

Our Coverage Area

Add comment

Our storage auction schedule for the Austin area includes all storage facilities within the following cities, towns and communities.

Austin, Anderson Mill, Barton Creek, Bastrop, Bear Creek, Bee Cave, Briarcliff, Brushy Creek, Buda, Cedar Creek, Cedar Park, Coupland, Creedmoor, Daffan, Dripping Springs, Elgin, Garfield, Georgetown, Hays, Hudson Bend, Hutto, Jamestown, Jollyville, Kyle, Lago Vista, Lakeway, Leander, Littig, Lost Creek, Lund, Lytton Springs, Manda, Manor, Mountain City, Mustang Ridge, Nameless, Niederwald, Pflugerville, Point Venture, Rockne, Rollingwood, Round Rock, San Marcos, Sayersville, St Johns Colony, Sunset Valley, Taylor, The Hills, Uhland, Utley, Volente, Webberville, Wells Branch, West Lake Hills, White Stone, Windermere, Wyldwood.

Dallas / Fort Worth Coverage Area

March 20, 2012

Travis Lane

Our Coverage Area

1 Comment

Our storage auction schedule for the Dallas / Fort Worth area includes all storage facilities within the following cities, towns and communities.

Addison, Aledo, Allen, Alvarado, Annetta, Annetta South, Argyle, Arlington, Aurora, Azle, Balch Springs, Bartonville, Bedford, Benbrook, Benbrook Lake, Boyd, Briar, Burleson, Carrollton, Cedar Hill, Centerville, Cockrell Hill, Colleyville, Combine, Coppell, Corinth, Cottonwood, Crandall, Cresson, Crisp, Cross Timber, Crowley, Dallas, Dalworthington Gardens, Denton, Desoto, Dish, Double Oak, Duncanville, Eagle Mountain, Edgecliff Village, Ennis, Euless, Everman, Fairview, Farmers Branch, Farmersville, Fate, Ferris, Flower Mound, Forest Hill, Forney, Fort Worth, Frisco, Garland, Garrett, Glenn Heights, Godley, Grand Prairie, Grapevine, Grapevine Lake, Grays Prairie, Hackberry, Haltom City, Haslet, Heath, Hebron, Highland Village, Hudson Oaks, Hurst, Hutchins, Ike, Irving, Joe Pool Lake, Josephine, Joshua, Justin, Kaufman, Keene, Keller, Kennedale, Kleberg, Lake Dallas, Lake Worth, Lakeside, Lancaster, Lavon, Lawson, Lewisville, Lincoln Park, Little Elm, Lowry Crossing, Lucas, Mansfield, McKinney, McLendon-Chisholm, Mesquite, Midlothian, Mobile City, Mountain Creek Lake, Murphy, Navo, Nevada, New Fairview, New Hope, Newark, North Richland Hills, Northlake, Oak Grove, Oak Leaf, Oak Point, Oak Ridge, Ovilla, Palmer, Pantego, Parker, Pecan Acres, Pecan Hill, Pelican Bay, Plano, Ponder, Post Oak Bend City, Princeton, Prosper, Red Oak, Rendon, Reno, Rhome, Richardson, River Oaks, Roanoke, Roanoke, Rockett, Rockwall, Rose Hill, Rosser, Rowlett, Royse City, Sachse, Saginaw, Sanctuary, Sansom Park, Scurry, Seagoville, Shady Shores, Shepton, Southlake, Sowers, Springtown, St Paul, Sunnyvale, Talty, Terrell, The Colony, Trophy Club, Union Valley, University Park, Venus, Watauga, Waxahachie, Weatherford, Westworth Village, White Settlement, Willow Park, Wilmer, Wylie.

Can Anyone Attend A Storage Unit Auction?

March 19, 2012

Travis Lane

Storage Auctions 101

5 Comments

Recently, some of our new members were embarrassed to ask what they thought were some really dumb questions like "can anyone attend storage unit auctions?" or "do I have to pay an entry fee" or "do I need a special license to buy a storage unit?" Since everyone who uses this blog is at a different level in the learning process, I want everyone to feel comfortable to ask anything you like, no matter how basic you think it is. Remember, the only stupid question is the one you don't ask.

Basically, anyone can attend a storage unit auction. Children under 16 years of age are discouraged by some auctioneers and facilities due to the liability; although, this is rarely enforced. There are no special licenses needed. Every now and then, you may need to show valid state identification, although this is rare as well. If you are planning on reselling the items that you purchase and you have a sales tax use permit, by all means bring it. If you don’t have one, you can apply for one on the Comptroller's website or you will need to pay sales tax on any storage units that you buy.

There are no upfront fees charged to attend an auction. All you need to do is arrive before the sale begins and sign in on the sheet located in the facility manager’s office. Some facilities & auctioneers may require you to sign an acknowledgement of the rules and a waiver of liability. We were all beginners in the storage auction business at one point. Most of the facility managers, auctioneers & the other buyers at the event will be happy to answer any questions you may have, so don’t be afraid to ask.

FAQ’s About Storage Auctions

March 19, 2012

Travis Lane

Frequently Asked Questions

27 Comments

Can I make money with storage unit auctions?

If you’re new to the storage auction scene, I’m sure your number one question is “can I make money doing this?” The answer is yes, but it comes with a catch. If you’ve seen the storage auction shows and it looks really easy to turn a thousand dollars into ten thousand in a matter of days, it’s not. Although these shows are entertaining, they do not depict the storage auction business in its true light. Now, I’m not saying you cant make a good living doing this, I’m just saying that the “dream units” they show on television are quite rare. You might have to buy 50-100 units for before a really good one comes along. Most storage units contain common household items like clothing, furniture, decorations, sporting goods, electronics, appliances, lawn equipment, tools & toys. The good news is, you can make a healthy profit reselling items like these, especially in a down economy where people are looking to save money. As long as you’re bidding conservatively, you can expect to double or even triple your investment on each unit. If you’re buying several units per month, that can really add up.

How often do storage auctions occur?

A lot of people are surprised when they realize that there are multiple storage auctions occurring almost every day of the week. There are usually several auctions being conducted in a typical day. On average, each storage facility is selling the contents of 3-6 storage units, although seeing 20-30 for sale at one facility, is not at all uncommon. There is no shortage of storage units on the auction block, especially in a down economy.

Are there storage auctions on weekends?

In the cities we cover, there are usually 2-7 different storage facilities holding an auction on any given Saturday. Sunday storage auctions are very rare and when they do occur it is usually because of a misprinted date in the legal notice. A majority of the auctions do occur Monday through Friday, starting as early as 8:00 AM and sometimes lasting into the evening.

Who can attend storage auctions?

Storage unit auctions are open to the public and anyone can attend. Anyone above the age of 18 may purchase a storage unit. Children under 16 years of age are discouraged by some auctioneers and facilities due to the liability; although, this is rarely enforced. If you have children you would like to bring, it is a good idea to call the storage facility in advance to find out if they are allowed to attend.

Do I need a special license or permit to attend storage auctions?

There are no special licenses or permits needed. Every now and then, you may need to show valid state identification, although this is rare as well. If you are planning on reselling the items that you purchase and you have a sales tax use permit, by all means bring it. If you don’t have one, you will need to obtain one or pay sales tax on any storage units that you buy.

What methods of payment are accepted at storage auctions?

Most self storage auctions are cash only and you don’t have time to go to the ATM after the storage auction is over. Checks are are not accepted. Some storage facilities do accept credit cards as a method of payment at their storage auctions; However, it is a good idea to call the storage facility for the specific terms and conditions of the storage sale. I have heard others say that using a credit card to buy a storage unit at auction is a bad idea. I personally feel that if you are financially responsible and being conservative on your bids, credit cards can be a great tool for getting started in the storage auction business. If you have plenty of cash, by all means, bring it. Nothing hurts worse than missing out on a great storage unit because you didn’t bring enough money with you.

Do the storage facility employees go through the units?

Storage facilities in the state of Texas are required to provide a brief description of the contents of the storage unit in the legal notice that they have published. Some storage facilities choose to ignore this as they do some of the other requirements in Chapter 59 of the Texas Property Code, but we won’t get into that at this time. Once the storage facility has made several attempts to contact the tenant for payment, with no success, they will cut the lock and usually inventory the contents of the storage unit based on what they can see from the door. Very rarely do they ever move things or open boxes. Should you be worried about this? Not really. Most storage facility managers & owners are very honest and respectable people. I’m sure there are a few bad apples, as there is in any business, that do enter the unit and remove the valuables before the auction. However, if you are only bidding on what you can see from the door, what may have been removed from the unit will not effect you.

FAQ’s About Our Service

March 19, 2012

Travis Lane

Frequently Asked Questions

4 Comments

Steve asked: How do I know you have ALL the storage auctions in my area?

That’s a great question. We actually call over 3000 storage facilities every 2 weeks in order to provide you with the most reliable and up to date information available. We provide every storage auction listing that the newspapers do in addition to storage auctions that you cannot find on any other website. Not all newspapers publish their public notices online, especially newspapers in suburban and rural areas. Since we call the storage facilities on a regular basis, we are able to provide you with the schedule for these hard to find storage auctions.

I guarantee you that we provide the most comprehensive storage auction schedule available. None of our competitors even come close. To this date, we have had thousands of storage auction buyers join our service and I’m proud to tell you that we have never been asked for a refund.

Give us a try, if your not totally pleased with our service, I’ll refund your money.

When is the auction list updated?

The auction list is updated every Saturday evening, sometimes as late as midnight depending on the size of the auction lists. Rest assured, we have never missed our deadline.

Once I join, how do I get the auction lists and the e-book?

Once you become a member, simply click on the red login button that is in the upper right hand corner of the page. Once you enter your email address and password, you will have instant access to the auction lists and the e-book.

What is your coverage area?

Our service provides the storage auction schedule for all storage facilities within the Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin areas. Click here for more detailed information.

How does AuctionsTX.com get it's storage auction information?

Our call center directly contacts over 3000 self storage facilities, bi-monthly, in order to provide you, the storage auction buyer, with the most up to date listings of every storage auction event occurring within our coverage area. We provide the name, address & phone number of the storage facility, the time and date of the storage auction and the number of units scheduled for public sale at the time the information was collected. The storage auction information is then presented to you in an easy to read, printer friendly, spreadsheet format.

Are The National Storage Auction Lists A Waste Of Money?

March 14, 2012

Travis Lane

Storage Auction News

4 Comments

Finding storage auction listings can be a daunting task in some parts of the country. One may become so frustrated that they turn to paying a storage auction listing service for their information. Now, I'm not suggesting that all storage auction listing services are a waste of money, there are several of these service that provide listings for specific cities or states, and they do a pretty good job. As a matter of fact, our service, AuctionsTX.com provides the storage auction schedule for the Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin areas and they are extremely comprehensive. The purpose of this article is not to bash on these National auction lists, but to educate storage auction buyers on what these services actually do and don't do. One of these services makes a lot of claims which I personally find hard to believe. Let's take a look at these over exaggerations.

1. One service claims that they send out 21,330 emails and make 97,250 phone calls every month.

Okay, where do I begin? In order to provide a thorough compilation of storage auctions from across the United States, they would have to spend a fortune on labor. To have a call center capable of contacting 51,252 storage facilities twice a month, you would have to employ a full time staff of 11 people working 40 hours per week . Making 97,250 phone calls per month, would require over 1700 man hours (roughly $17,000 in monthly call center labor costs alone).

They would need an additional support staff of at least 10 people to handle facility relations, their website, customer service, & research. Even with moderate salaries, that's another thirty thousand per month in labor costs. Factor in a massive internet advertising campaign costing in excess of 15k per month and a television commercial, and I don't see how this company is making a profit. This company would need to make nearly a million dollars a year to just to stay in business. So what gives? The quality, that's what. I have seen their auction lists and from looks of it, I would guess that they only have a handful of people working for them and that they don't actually contact every facility twice per month.

If there is really a support staff like they claim, why does the CEO respond to your emails?

2. They claim that there is no possible way for an individual to obtain enough information to even come close to rivaling their list.

Most storage auction buyers don't need information on auctions outside of their immediate area, so this is irrelevant. If a storage auction buyer devotes several hours to making a list of storage facilities in their community & devotes a few hours per month to calling the facilities, they will be able to find more auctions than this national list could ever provide for their area. In major metropolitan areas, it may be more difficult to call every storage facility; however, most major metropolitan areas have newspapers, auctioneers & local auction listing services which provide a wealth of information.

3. One of these companies claims to provide the most complete & comprehensive auction list available. Their exact words are " very rarely is there an auction we miss".

This is just a blatant lie.

I recently read the following frequently asked question on their website. "How often do you update your data? I am finding auctions not on your list!"

I would imagine that since they posted this in their frequently asked questions, that they obviously are asked this question frequently. Why do you think this is? Is it because they don't do what they claim to do?

In Texas, this service claims to have 385 auctions coming up. What does coming up mean? Does it mean this month or over the next few months? Okay, lets assume the best case scenario that all 385 auctions were for this month. There are over 5000 storage facilities in Texas and they collectively have over 1500 storage auctions every month. Using their own statistics, the fail to list roughly 74% of the auctions in our state. I would imagine that these statistics are consistent in other states as well. If they are really making 97,250 phone calls every month, how can this be? Something isn't adding up.

5. One service claims that since their website covers every single facility in all 50 states, that you can pick auctions that nobody knows about.

First of all, most storage auction buyers don't travel further than 60 miles from their home to attend an auction, so 99% of a national auction list is useless to them. Second, roughly 15% or 7500 storage facilities in the United States don't even have auctions.

What this company is most likely doing is compiling a list of auctions from readily available sources; sources that the average individual could easily find by spending a few minutes on Google. These sources are advertised to the masses and the auctions are flooded with buyers. Also, since these national listing services have thousands of members, do you really think that nobody else knows about the auctions they advertise?

Their pricing plans make no sense either. They justify higher prices in larger states because they claim there is more work involved. I live in Texas, but I don't travel further than 60 miles from my home. Why should people in larger states have to pay more when they only need access to auctions in their area?

I hope this article pushes some buttons! I would really love to get a response from one of these services but, I have a feeling it's not going to happen.

Have you ever used a national storage auction listing service? If so, I would love to hear from you. Leave your interesting & creative responses below.

Headaches Facility Managers Experience With Storage Auctions

March 14, 2012

Travis Lane

Storage Auction News

Add comment

I asked the following question to our friend Zach Proser, with Storage Auctions Kings, to get his inside perspective as a former storage facility manager.

So Zach, while you were a storage facility manager, what type of problems did you go through in preparation for a storage unit auction. What type of headaches did you go through on auction day? Was their ever a particular person or event that got you really frustrated?

Great question, Travis.

Preparing for a storage auction involves about 3 and a half months of work. At the very bleeding edge minimum, we cannot sell anyone’s unit before 48 days have passed in which they have not made any payment of any amount. This means we are trying to get in touch with our tenants by phone, e-mail, SMS text, and snail mail. Speaking of snail mail, we have to send out, by law, delinquency notices by mail and document them and keep time-stamped copies in our tenant’s files.

I think what is lost on a lot of our tenants is the fact that we are trying to help them. As managers, we gain nothing from selling their belongings besides an angry previous tenant (or family of tenants!) and a headache. The lengths that I, and other managers I have worked with, have gone to in order to help a delinquent tenant try to hold onto their things border on the ridiculous.

Amazingly enough, it’s these same people that you go so far out of your way to help that end up burning you the worst and causing you the most problems . Bad attitudes, misplaced blame, nasty phone calls, downright juvenile games of phone tag…I’ve seen em’ all.

In terms of the auction day itself – usually I’m feeling relieved by the actual sale date rolls around. It’s almost over. You get a rush of phone calls, e-mails and impatient strangers in your office and parking lot, but most of them are in a genial enough mood because half of them are just along to see a show. The one guy that had all three of our facilities in the same region venting to one another on the phone was a guy that managers of yore had actually warned us about by name.

Because we had three facilities in a relatively close area, we would stagger the auctions and run them all on the same day, so that our same group of motivated bidders could hit all three. Well, this guy starts at our first facility in the early morning, and takes advantage of the manager there because it was his first time running an auction. He says he needs to race down into town to catch our next company auction, and that he’ll be right back to finish cleaning out the two outdoor 10×10?s he just bought there. Well, our new manager didn’t get a security deposit off him because he took him at his word.

Next, he comes down to my facility. He and his partner are obnoxious and have to continually be asked to step back out of the units whenever the doors are rolled up. He’s violating the thresholds and even poking his mitts around in the luggage inside. Finally he ends up buying two more units at my facility, but when it comes time to settle the bill in the office 10 minutes later, he needs to run across the street to get cash out of the ATM. Well, we’re trying to close up now!

He and his partner go AWOL. We wait 30 minutes. We get irritated. We ask if anyone else present has his cell number because if he’s not back in 10 minutes we’re going to give the units to the next highest bidder. They finally show back up, loaded drunk and they leave their truck in the middle of the parking lot. I wasn’t a happy camper and he got a stern warning.

Ultimately, he came back to the first facility after hours and used his buyer’s gate code to get in. Then, after he got everything he wanted out of his units, he left our manager two truckloads of trash, dirty tape and muddy streaks throughout the halls. Suffice it to say he’s banned from our future auctions.

Otherwise, auctions, from our perspective, are always just distant possibilities humming along in the background. As most people get into the last stages of delinquency, a couple of strategically worded e-mails usually persuade them to come in and settle their bills.

One Person’s Forgotten Storage Unit Is Another Person’s Fortune

March 14, 2012

Travis Lane

Storage Auctions 101

Add comment

The following article is a guest column.

Are you one of those people who thoroughly enjoy treasure hunting? Well, you are definitely going to love the newest trend in making money: storage locker auctions. This new fad has sparked numerous reality TV shows and is spreading throughout the United States like you wouldn’t believe.

On one reality show the storage locker contained a collector’s all-chrome 1976 Harley Davidson Liberty Edition motorcycle, along with several boxes of never before opened Sarah Coventry jewelry, and an assortment of Avon products including jewelry, perfume and brand new make-up. So, needless to say, the buyer had a great day after paying a mere $130.00 for everything in that unit. Most of the “treasures” sold immediately at a flea market and on E-bay. Result: $55,000 from an investment of just over a hundred bucks.

Another success story was of first time buyer who knew very little about storage auctions, but decided to try it out. After shelling out $800 for two units ($300 for one and $500 for the other) she was ecstatic to find a camera with four different lenses and all of its accessories, an antique pistol, and a 1950s-style Coca Cola vending machine, and a pair of Italian leather boots, all of which were not visible until entering the units after the bidding. Result: $7,500.

Featured on other episodes, buyers have found a Superman comic book collection (that totaled a $1 million value), collectable cars, baseball cards, Fender Stratocaster guitars, gold watches, antique coins, vintage furniture and expensive jewelry…just to name a few.

So who leaves this stuff in storage units?

Many people living in apartments or who have downsized from a large home to an apartment find it necessary to get a storage unit to house the things that won’t fit in the limited space. Sometimes, for reasons unspecified, these storage units go unnoticed and left for years. Explanations may vary: maybe they couldn’t pay the rent; maybe they move frequently like military personnel and have no way to transport the items; maybe the owner passed away or is serving time in prison; or maybe they just forgot. But many times, the content owners have rented the units to store large items while they find an apartment.

Storage unit auctions are growing more and more popular every day. Whether you attend an auction held by the owner or try your luck online, there are hundreds—maybe even thousands—of unclaimed units just waiting for the highest bid. But with the online auctions, you may not always hit as big as if you attend in person; before the bidding begins you may take a few minutes to assess what’s inside without actually entering the unit. You’ll want to bring flashlights since most of these units have little or no light. Once all bidders have glanced into the unit, the bidding wars begin. Afterward, experts of this trade usually divide the contents of their units into piles for trash, items to donate, items to keep and items to sell.

It's a Business

Storage unit auctions have taken off with reality TV and people are getting interested, forming strategies for how to approach the units. For example, the ones who found the Harley—they were first-time bidders, no less—have since traveled to suburban storage auctions in search of tractors, snowmobiles and saddles; they’ve learned to line up certain items for interested buyers and then hold their own auctions. Pretty innovative, right?

No matter where you live or what kind of business you’re in, this ever-growing new hobby is a great way to make money. If you choose to begin attending storage auctions, make sure to do your homework first to learn as much as possible before you jump in with both feet. Know the laws and rules as they apply to the auctions. Make a list of the items you are interested in and stay organized, because before you know it, you could be swimming in a river of rags or enjoying your new found riches

How To Tell If Storage Units Are Worth Your Bid

March 14, 2012

Travis Lane

Storage Auctions 101

1 Comment

The following article is a guest column.

Television shows like Auction Hunters and Storage Wars have turned the masses on to the money-making potential held within storage auctions. By attending these auctions, people can bid on the units and re-sell the contents for a profit. If you’re looking to maximize your profits but are wondering how to tell if a unit is worth your time, here are a few tips.

Educate Yourself

Many regulars at storage auctions have backgrounds in antiquing and furniture resale. They have an eye for goodies that can only come with years and years of experience. If you’re like many of us, you don’t have that background. But don’t let that get you down. There are many television shows, web sites and magazines that teach all about antiquing and how to discern a priceless artifact from a hunk of junk.

Let There Be Light

At storage auctions, you are allowed to stand outside of the unit and look in. Most of the time, the storage units are not lit so you will want to bring a flashlight to make sure you can get an idea of what is inside each unit. This will let you get at least a decent view of the items held within, which will help you determine if the unit is worth your bid.

Old Doesn’t Mean Valuable

When you’re looking in at the unit and you see a lot of old items, that doesn’t necessarily guarantee that there will be anything valuable amongst the other old items. It might just mean that someone had to clean out grandma’s house and this was the best place to dump her old junk. Instead, look at quality. Are the items held within in good shape? Also, quality of the containers can be an indicator of value. If there is a safe that appears to be locked, that should be a good indicator that there might be something interesting in the unit. If everything is in crushed cardboard boxes, you probably shouldn’t waste your time.