Author - Travis Lane

Are Storage Facilities Resisting the Status Quo?

Storage Auction Scams

Across the country, storage auctions are finally starting to settle down after the Storage Wars craze. Most of the newcomers quickly realized that the work wasn't nearly as glamorous as it seemed on TV, and allegations of faked units on the show have helped discourage a new wave of fans from trying. Things aren't completely back to where they were before auctions stepped into the spotlight, and they may never return to that point – but on the whole, attendance is lower and units are cheaper than they were a year or two ago.

 

For the most part, this is all good news. Overcrowded auctions were as big a headache for facilities as for auction hunters, and inflated prices meant extra paperwork and further attempts to contact the tenant. Nevertheless, a few less-than-scrupulous storage facility managers aren't so eager to go back to the good old days.

 

On the whole, most storage facilities are owned and operated by honest people looking to make a modest living. Every so often, though, someone at a facility will decide to try gaming the system for a few extra dollars. Now that auctions are smaller, this type of deceit is easier to notice. Recently, even as other parts of the business have improved, many auction hunters have discovered that a few local storage facilities are behaving badly. Here are a few things to keep an eye out for:

 

  • Proxy bidders. Occasionally, storage facilities will employ someone to make fake bids and raise up the prices. This is more commonly associated with online auctions, but it does happen in life auctions as well. Keep an eye out for any regulars who seem to attend only auctions from a single facility or anyone who seems to have deeper pockets than sense. Of course, not everybody who out-bids you at every auction is going to be a fraud, but it pays to pay attention to patterns.

     

  • Picked-over units. Some storage facilities go over units and stage them to make them more enticing before an auction. Others remove items for themselves before selling the unit, which is illegal, but most offenders figure that the odds are too unlikely that they'd ever be caught. Again, pay attention to patterns. If you see something suspicious in the way a particular facility's units always seem to be staged, you may want to avoid it or proceed with extreme caution.

     

  • Illegal sales. There are a few things that storage facilities have to do before selling a person's storage unit, such as sending letters and posting a public notice of the sale. Failure to do any of these things will make the sale invalid, and you could get wrapped up in a legal battle if the former owner files suit. It may not always be possible to know if the facility is doing everything as it should, but you should at least be able to confirm that the sale was announced publicly. If a unit comes up for bidding unannounced without having been mentioned in the ad, treat it with suspicion.

     

In some cases, a reputable auctioneer can help put your mind at ease. Most auctioneers are too professional to get involved in this sort of activity, especially as it can tank their career if they go down with the facility's ship. Since the auctioneer sees a lot of what goes on in local auctions, he can be a good barometer of how trustworthy a particular facility might be.

 

This is not to say that all auctioneers are honest, or that they can't be bought and kept in a dishonest facility owner's pocket. All the same, getting to know your auctioneers and researching whether they're generally viewed as trustworthy can help you gauge how safe an auction might be. Facilities are much more likely to try something if they're hosting the auction themselves or hired a “nobody” auctioneer.

 

It pays to be safe, and taking the time to get to know your local auction community – auctioneers, facilities and fellow bidders – will help you sidestep the occasional money-grabbing scheme.

Why Do Tenants Pay to Store Garbage?

If you spend any time at all attending storage auctions, you'll quickly discover that some units are filled with worthless junk. Not just family photo albums and old tax records; those items at least hold some value to the person storing them. No, inside a self storage unit you're likely to come across truly bizarre items: broken electronics, torn and stained couches, even bags full of regular household trash.

 

As you dig through the mess looking for anything of value, you might wonder: Why in the world was anyone bothering to store this junk?

To understand the phenomenon, it helps to look at things from the tenant's point of view. Most people who rent storage units are in a period of transition. They might be going through a divorce, lost a home to foreclosure or moved somewhere smaller than their old house. In any case, they very often don't have the time to leisurely move out or meticulously pack their items. They're often rushed and harried, and when you pack at the last minute, you make some odd choices – like gathering up every item in a room and throwing it in a box, whether or not it's actually just trash.

 

There's also the matter of landfill costs. Large items are hard to dispose of, and people moving in a hurry may find it much simpler to just store a couch along with the rest of their things rather than go through the hassle of driving it out to the dump and paying to get rid of it.

 

The original tenants may have told themselves that they'd have time to go back and tidy things up later. They might decide that they'll clean out the storage unit of its extra trash once things start to calm down at home. But, as they say, out of sight is out of mind, and it's easy to forget about things once they're no longer cluttering your home. Life gets in the way, and stored items are quickly forgotten.

 

Which is why you're so likely to find trash and treasure, often in the same unit. After the tenant starts renting it, he or she may start to forget what's inside. It's hard to recall every item you own from memory, and even harder to remember exactly where it is. Someone may have forgotten which items are in storage and which are hidden somewhere in their homes. This is especially likely in those units that were packed in a frenzied state. The tenant may remember moving in the heavy, dilapidated couch but forget all about the box of priceless antiques.

 

Storage facility rent is cheap, much cheaper than house payments or apartment rent. Most owners don't realize just how much money they've spent in storing items for several years. As time wears on, the task of dealing with the stored items can become daunting, and holding onto the unit may seem easier. So tenants end up paying thousands in rent to store items barely worth a few hundred dollars. Additionally, a unit may pass into the hands of a tenant's relative after death, and that relative may have no idea what's inside and no time or energy to find out. It's often easier to pay the deceased's bills without question when handling more complicated estate matters.

 

All of this psychology is useful for auction hunters to understand. By thinking like a tenant, you can avoid some common pitfalls that others might make when approaching a unit – such as believing that if someone paid to store a locker for years, it must have something of value in it. Learn to recognize the signs of a unit that was packed in a hurry, and go in cautiously: You may be just as likely to find trash as treasure inside.

 

Do Storage Auctions Slow Down Over the Summer?

Many industries slow down during the summer months, and resale businesses can suffer as well. On the one hand, buyers may have more time off to browse your wares, and summer is certainly flea market season. On the other hand, attending storage auctions in the summer can be hot, frustrating and often fruitless. If you're working in the auction business, it's a good idea to know what you should expect for the warm months.

 

First, understand that every storage facility handles its auctions differently. Some facilities hold auctions only as needed to clear out their delinquent units. Others hold auctions on a regular basis, either monthly or quarterly depending on its size. If your local facilities don't hold monthly auctions, you may notice that there's fewer auctions being held during the summer than in other times of the year.

 

If you do chose to keep auction-hunting throughout the summer, be smart about it. You'll be spending a lot of time in the sun, and it's easy to get sunburned and dehydrated. Bring some bottled water, wear some sunscreen and travel between auctions in a car with a nice air conditioner. If you want to avoid the heat and crowds altogether, summer might be the ideal time to try a storage auction online. That way, you can stay comfortable in your home without falling behind on bidding.

 

One thing to look out for during the summer: Student units. College students sometimes stash away their dorm room items during the summer before returning home, and it's easy for them to forget about these units or lose the ability to pay. You might not start seeing them until the end of summer or early fall, but they're often worth looking out for: electronics, mini-refrigerators, CDs and DVDs are all common dorm room finds.

 

For many sellers, summer is a time to focus on selling rather than gathering stock. Many communities shut down their flea markets during the cool winter months, so summer becomes a prime time to start selling things you stocked up all winter. There's also more people visiting flea markets during the summer. Yard sales are another popular summer pastime, and you may discover that you get more visitors during the warm months than any other time of the year. Memorial Day weekend in particular is an excellent time for a yard sale.

 

You can also maximize your sales by targeting your wares to match the season. Throughout the year, try to sort your items by seasonal interests. Just as Christmas ornaments sell best in the winter, items like tents, fishing equipment and sporting goods all sell best during the summer. If you have the space to store them, these items will fetch a higher price in a summer sale than they would in the dead of winter when buyers aren't looking for them.

 

Overall, summertime storage auctions are a mixed bag. Then again, the same can be said for any part of this business. By being smart and using the season to your advantage, you can maximize your profits without suffering too much from the summer slow-down.

 

Looking For Dallas Storage Auctions?

Dallas Storage Auctions

So, you're probably looking for Dallas storage auctions right? Well, you've come to the right place. In this article, I will discuss various methods of finding storage unit auctions in the DFW area. Some methods are easy while others can be quite time consuming.

If you just want to save time and get the complete storage auction schedule now, then you should subscribe to Texas Storage Auction Schedules and News by visiting AuctionsTX.com. Our service does charge a small fee but it's well worth it considering that we list over 300 storage auctions in the Dallas / Fort Worth area every month.

We put it all together in a neat little package that includes the date and time of the auction, the name address and phone number of the storage facility, how many storage units are listed for sale and special comments which list unique or valuable items that may be inside the unit. Subscribing to our service is a no brainer. It will save you time and help you find auctions that you otherwise wouldn't be able to find on your own.

If you would prefer to do the research on your own and you have plenty of time on your hands, you can make a spreadsheet of storage facilities in your area and call them every few weeks. About twenty percent of storage facilities have auctions every month, while others have auctions when needed.

You can also find upcoming storage auctions in newspapers. The problem with this method is that Dallas has lots of community newspapers and reading them all every day can be a real hassle.

Lastly, you can search for auctioneers that handle Dallas storage auctions and visit their website. This can be an easy way to find the larger caravan auctions; however, keep in mind that over half of all storage facilities don't use a licensed auctioneer, so you will be missing a lot of auctions.

I hope this article helps you. Good luck!

Historic Beach Boys Memorabilia Find Was Not a Recent Discovery, Despite Popular Belief

Admittedly, most storage units are filled with dull household items and outdated electronics – and that's if your lucky. Every so often, though, a truly stellar unit comes along to give the rest of us hope. It's these astonishing finds that fuel the treasure-hunting craze and inspire more people to start searching through abandoned storage units.

 

In the 1970s, a relative of one of the band members placed several items into storage. There they stayed, apparently forgotten, in a Miami, Florida storage unit as the band skyrocketed to its legendary status. Eventually, the unit's owner failed to make payments, and the unit went up for auction.

 

So, imagine the surprise of the storage hunter who opened some unmarked boxes and found a treasure trove of priceless Beach Boys memorabilia, including the band's first royalty check, photographs, sheet music and hand-written song lyrics. Altogether, there are over two thousand documents in the collection, appraised at around $8 million, which is slated to go up for auction on May 15.

 

That's the popular version of the story, anyway, as it buzzes around the Internet. Yet few sources covering the upcoming auction have bothered to answer important questions about this historic event: Who found these items in storage, and how did they get there in the first place? The truth of the situation is a bit more complex and much more strange than the headlines would have you expect, as shown by an article in the New York Times.

 

Although the items are only now up for sale in a sealed bid auction, the collection was actually uncovered in the 1980s by Roy A. Sciacca, a musician, collector, promoter and studio owner. He purchased the items at a warehouse liquidation auction before moving away from Los Angeles. He brought his collection with him to Florida, where he did keep it in storage – but, despite rumors to the contrary, he hasn't lost the storage unit.

 

Instead, he became embroiled in a lawsuit with the Beach Boys themselves. When that same storage warehouse was sold in 1994, the band discovered that certain items were missing, and accused Sciacca of stealing them. According to them, there was no sanctioned auction ever held in the 80s.

 

What followed was a long-fought legal battle over who had the rights to the collection. That battle has raged in the courts until now, when it was finally ruled that the items should be auctioned and the profits split between all interested parties. That auction is set to end on May 15, and it's being overseen by the London company The Fame Bureau, led by Ted Owen.

 

Of course, all of this means that there really was no abandoned storage unit auctioned away in Florida, whatever the media outlets say. Still, plenty of would-be treasure hunters are sure to use high-profile finds like this to fuel their own hopes of fame and riches. The rest of us will get back to work re-selling old electronics and furniture.

 

Storage Wars: Canada

Storage Wars Canada

Despite the controversy surrounding Storage Wars and Dave Hester's allegations against it, the show continues to be the most popular program on A&E, and it's not going anywhere. Indeed, even as rumors fly about three more stars being cut, the show continues to film new episodes – and grow into new territories.

Storage Wars already has plenty of spin-off series, including Storage Wars: Texas and Storage Wars: New York. Now the series is moving to Canada, where its rights have been purchased by OLN. Storage Wars: Canada is casting right now, and developers are scouring the country looking for Canadian treasure hunters with the same amount of flair of the U.S. stars.

Rogers Media, the Canadian company that owns OLN, insists that their version will deliver all the same wisecracks and excitement of the U.S. version of the show while remaining completely authentic. Producers have already declared that units will not be salted or faked. Of course, they can hardly be expected to say otherwise, so viewers may take that with a grain of salt.

According to an interview on Huffington Post, Dan and Laura Dotson are making their way north of the border to participate in the program, which starts filming this month in Ontario. This certainly explains their disappearance from the rosters for the American series, and it should help bring fans over from one show to the other.

But what can we really expect from a Canadian Storage Wars?

According to the interview with Dan and Laura, the program will be mostly focused on the bidders themselves, with less emphasis on the auction finds. The show will follow behind-the-scenes with bidders as they prepare for and travel to auctions, in order to best capture the spirit of the Canadian setting and the colorful local cast.

To particular interest for auction hunters may be the cultural difference in treasure-hunting up north. If handled deftly, these cultural differences could make for an intriguing show indeed. Then again, it may prove to be nothing more than a money grab and tired reiteration of a successful premise. We won't know until we see it.

What Are the Top 10 Largest Self Storage Companies in the U.S.?

Self Storage Companies

Although small, independent storage companies exist across the country, a handful of major chains dominate the industry. These chains have facilities in several states and have enough room to hold a substantial amount of stored items. It pays to keep track of the “big players” in the storage business as they often have the largest auctions and the most units to choose from. Here are the top 10 storage companies in the country, ranked by overall square footage across their facilities:

1.) Public Storage Inc. This California-based company has 2,064 storage facilities in 38 states as well as locations in Europe. The company first opened its doors in 1972, and now it provides 142 million square feet of storage space to its customers. Storage units range from small lockers to 10 x 30 foot units and parking spaces for RV's and boats. In addition to offering storage spaces, it provides some basic moving supplies such as boxes and tape. Each Public Storage facility usually has an auction once a month.

2.) Extra Space Storage. This company's headquarters are in Salt Lake City, Utah. It operates in 35 states, with a total of 882 facilities containing 585,000 units altogether. The company has been in business for more than 30 years. In addition to storage units and lockers, ESS facilities include parking spaces for boats and vehicles. Extra Space Storage maintains a blog on its company website that provides information about the storage industry, including information for auction-hunters. The company's various facilities have auctions on a monthly basis.

3.) U-Haul International Inc. Perhaps better known for its truck rental service, U-Haul is a household name among people looking to move and store their personal belongings. The company's headquarters are located in Phoenix, Arizona, and it maintains 1,144 facilities across the country in all 50 states. In addition to the storage lockers housed on U-Haul premises, the company also stores “U-Pack” containers. These are customer-packed shipping containers that can be stored at the facility. Not every U-Haul location offers storage, but those that do will generally have auctions on a monthly or as-needed basis.

4.) CubeSmart. This company was founded in 2004 in Wayne, Pennsylvania and has already expanded to include 477 storage facilities in 28 states. Altogether, the company owns more than 31 million square feet of storage space across the country. CubeSmart offers different storage options for students, military personnel and more; it also provides vehicle storage and commercial storage spaces for businesses. Units range in size from 5x5' to 10x30'. The company has a storage listing on its website that provides details of upcoming storage auctions at each of its facilities.

5.) Sovran Self Storage Inc. Sovran is also known as Uncle Bob's, and the company has been in business since 1984. The company is based in Buffalo, New York and maintains 451 storage facilities across 26 states. In addition to private and commercial storage, the company also offers truck rentals and vehicle storage. Facilities hold auctions on an as-needed basis.

6.) Derrel's Mini Storage Inc. This company is based in Fresno, California, where it was founded in 1963. It is a major self-storage company in California, with 53 locations between Bakersfield and Sacramento. There are no facilities currently operating outside of California, but the company does have plans to expand. The company handles all of its auctions through Whittemore Auction Service, and details about upcoming auctions can be found on the auctioneer's website.

7.) Strategic Capital Holdings LLC. More commonly known as Smart Stop Self-Storage, this company has 120 facilities in 17 states. It was founded in 2004 and is now actively expanding throughout the U.S. and Canada; it is aggressively seeking more property to acquire as it grows its business. The company offers both personal and commercial storage as well as vehicle storage. The Smart Stop website offers a listing of all upcoming storage auctions for its facilities, updated on a weekly basis.

8.) Storage Mart. Based in Columbia, Maryland, Storage Mart has 132 facilities in 15 states. It is currently working on spreading and growing its business. Storage Mart has been in business since 1974 and is an active participant in local communities and charitable causes in every state it does business in, including offering a scholarship program for students. Auctions occur on an as-needed basis and are published in local media.

9.) Simply Self Storage. This company is headquartered in Orlando, Florida, and has facilities in 16 states. Overall, there are 116 facilities owned by this company, and an additional 20 properties have recently been purchased for expansion. Storage units vary from 5x5' to 10x30', and vehicle storage spaces are available for cars, RV's and boats as well. The company's website does provide auction information for its facilities.

10.) Platinum Storage Group. Located in Laguna Hills, California, this business manages 106 facilities in 15 states. It's more commonly known by its trademark name, Storage Direct, and has been in business since 2000. In addition to both climate-controlled and non-climate-controlled storage for individuals and businesses, it also offers covered and uncovered vehicle storage. Storage Direct holds auctions at local facilities monthly or on an as-needed basis.

As you get more familiar with the storage facilities in your area, experience will teach you which are the most valuable. Until then, this list can help guide you toward the biggest and best storage companies in the country.

Public Storage Auctions

Public Storage Auctions

Public storage auctions have been going on for decades, but they were relatively unknown until the last few years. Thanks to the popularity of reality shows like Storage Wars, this once obscure industry has begun to see a tremendous surge in interest. As more people look for ways to start their own businesses, the idea of treasure-hunting among storage units becomes ever more appealing.

 

A few years ago, before the reality shows made public storage auctions a household name, the only people involved in this business were those who already had experience in resale and auctions. This meant that only a small number of people would attend these auctions, and the communities were often quite tight-knit. Now that they are more commonly known, there is an influx of newcomers. If you're new to the business, here is everything you need to know to get started:

 

Why Storage Auctions Occur

 

Public storage auctions occur when a storage facility has tenants who abandon their units or fail to pay the rent for a storage unit. In order to recover the lost income from the abandoned unit and get assistance with emptying the unit of its contents, storage facilities auction the contents of a unit to the highest bidder.

 

In keeping with a state's lien laws, the storage facility must attempt to contact the tenant several times through every known channel of communication. If this fails, the facility must then post a notice of the sale in a public newspaper and hold the auction in public. These controls are put in place to prevent unscrupulous facilities from stealing a tenant's items. By holding the auction publicly, the facility gives the proper owner of the items ample opportunity to come forward and settle the debt.

 

At the auction, the auctioneer will allow bidders to look at the unit from the entrance and get an idea for what type of items may be inside. The bidding will then start, and the highest bidder will win that unit. Bidding amounts can vary considerably depending on the contents of the unit, the location of the auction and who is in attendance. Due to the popularity of auctions during recent years, bids tend to be higher than they were several years ago.

 

Once the public storage auction has concluded, the bidder must clean out the unit within 24 to 48 hours. Any items inside the storage unit become the bidder's property, and he can attempt to sell them at a profit or simply use them in his own home. For many people, storage auctions have become one place to obtain inventory for large-scale resale businesses or internet-based shops.

 

How to Find Storage Auctions

 

If you're interested in finding a public self storage auction to attend, there are several options:

 

  • Check the local newspapers for announcements. In addition to the main paper in your city, you may want to check the paper for outlying cities as well. Running an ad in a small local paper is often cheaper, which means many facilities will choose to advertise in these venues whenever possible.
  • Follow local auctioneers. There are usually only a few auctioneers that handle a good amount of the auctions in a city. Once you figure out which auctioneers usually handle public storage auctions, you can check their websites to get an idea for the upcoming auction schedules.
  • Call the storage facilities. You can contact storage facilities directly to figure out what their auction schedules are and which auctioneers they usually use. Many facilities run their auctions on regular schedules, so you can update your calendar accordingly. Just be aware that storage facility managers tend to be very busy and can get impatient with constant inquiries; do your best to figure out the schedules on your own before calling with questions.
  • Check an online listing. There are several websites devoted to offering schedules for public storage auctions. Some of the national listings may not be very thorough, but local listings can often give you access to more auctions than you might have found on your own. If you live in Texas, our own service at Texas Storage Auction Schedules & News can provide you with the most thorough listing of auctions for the major cities in Texas.

 

Whether you run a resale business or just want a few new items to outfit your house, public storage auctions are a great way to find low-priced second-hand goods. By knowing where and how the auctions occur and how to get more information about them, you can prepare yourself for auction-hunting success.

How Can I Find Shipping Container Auctions in Dallas, Texas?

shipping container auctions

If you've caught the new show Container Wars on TruTV, you may be wondering how these container auctions work and whether you can get in on the action in your area. Although the show takes place in a commercial ship yard, similar types of auctions may occur in any area where items are shipped, stored and abandoned. Even if you live in a land-locked city like Dallas, you can still find certain kinds of shipping container auctions in Texas.

Shipping container auctions take place when a shipping or cargo container is left unclaimed. Once these containers reach their destinations, they are unloaded and stored for a predetermined amount of time before going up for auction. The proceeds of an unclaimed container go toward reimbursement for the shipping costs and other associated expenses, like duties on international goods.

The shipping container auctions Dallas auction-goers can find will generally be for ground-shipping cargo containers. These are sometimes used for commercial purposes, but they are more commonly used by private parties as a way to ship items from one location to another as part of a move.

In many cases, the cargo companies work closely with storage units, and many cargo containers are placed in storage after arriving at their destinations. This means that some shipping container auctions Texas auctioneers host will actually occur at storage facilities. If you're a regular at storage auctions in your area, you may be able to find shipping container auctions as well just by attending auctions and talking to the auctioneer or facility owner. You can also check the Dallas auction calendar for your favorite auctioneer to see whether any auctions are scheduled in the future.

The best way to find out about upcoming auctions is to network with fellow auction hunters. You can also check an online listing service for your area for a Dallas auction calendar. If you're in the Dallas area, you can use our service to locate storage and shipping container auctions in Dallas, Fort Worth and other major Texas cities.

Dave Hester’s DUI Conviction

Dave Hester DUI

For many fans, Dave Hester was the best part of Storage Wars. From his obvious knowledge about the industry to his infectious catch-phrase, he definitely helped give the show that special “something” that makes it stand out from all the other reality shows. After his recent problems with the show's creators, however, fans are suffering from his absence.

Dave expressed his concerns about the staged aspects of the show, a maneuver that led to his dismissal from the program. That lawsuit is still working itself out, but his sudden absence from the show has led to a lot of wild speculation among fans and tabloids.

One piece of gossip that's been surfacing throughout the web has to do with a Dave Hester arrest for DUI. Unfortunately for the people looking for a juicy scoop, this is hardly fresh news. In fact, his legal history is even posted on the A&E web page because it was an important stepping stone on his current career path.

In 2005, Dave Hester was arrested for DUI. As part of his recovery, he had to do community service – a common punishment for first-time offenders in the area. Instead of picking up trash, however, he was assigned to work in a thrift store. The experience gave him the inspiration to pursue a resale business of his own, and the rest is history.

To date, it appears that no further Dave Hester arrests have been made. Although he's having problems with A&E, he seems to be staying on the right side of the law. And, unlike some of the other rumors flying around the Internet, he's in no danger of going bankrupt any time soon: Between severance pay, a pending lawsuit and a healthy business, Dave continues to be successful even outside the public eye.