Author - Travis Lane

One half of a husband-and-wife team, Dan Dotson is the featured auctioneer on A&E's Storage Wars. A native of Riverside, California, Dan and his wife are co-owners of American Auctioneers and run a number of storage auctions and provide other auction services.

Dan grew up in the auction business. His grandfather worked as an auctioneer for cattle and farms in Arkansas, and he passed the trade along to his grandson during the summers when Dan wasn't in school. From the age of 11, Dan was educated in the field, and he began working his first auctions at the age of 16.

Since then, Dan has developed a successful career in the auction business. He founded American Auctioneers in 1983 as an auction house specializing in pottery, porcelain, dolls, furniture and collectibles; in 1996, he met Laura and she became his wife and business partner. They soon shifted their company's focus toward storage units, and they also started doing auctions for estates, business inventories and foreclosure auctions. Their company also handles fundraisers and appraisals.

In 2010, Dan and Laura started work on the TV show Storage Wars. Although Dan is the primary auctioneer on the show, he does sometimes stand aside to let his wife take center stage. They act as neutral parties with a friendly attitude toward all of their buyers, and they sometimes need to step in to cool down the tempers of fiercely competitive bidders on the show. When not officiating auctions, Dan is also the chief adviser of Storage Treasures, a web portal focusing on storage auctions across the country.

Using Your Android or iPhone for Storage Auction Hunting

September 29, 2012

Storage Auctions 101

It wasn't so long ago that cell phones were big, bulky things that were only good for making calls. Thanks to improvements in technology over the past few years, though, smart phones have become one of the most valuable and useful items that most people own.

From playing games to surfing the web, Androids and iPhones perform a lot of functions in our day-to-day lives, and they can even help you gain an edge when bidding at a storage auction. Here are five ways that you can use your smart phone to help with auction hunting:

Use it to map out your schedule. If you visit a lot of auctions throughout the month, you'll want to keep track of what events are happening when. Using your smart phone as a day planner, you can mark the date and times of auctions as you learn about them. You can also store important information like phone numbers and addresses. If you wish, you can set your phone to send you reminders before certain events so that you're sure to make it on time.
Use the navigation function to help you find the storage facility or other auction location. If you don't know where a facility is or are unfamiliar with the neighborhood, you may have a hard time making it to auctions. By using your smart phone to navigate, it will be easier to find your way without getting lost or wasting time. This can also make you more bold as you head out into parts of town you don't normally explore, which will give you more auction opportunities to attend.
Check prices of items at an auction. You don't have much time to examine the unit before bidding starts, but you might be able to catch a glimpse of a few interesting-looking items. Then you can use the Internet function of your phone to check eBay, Craigslist or other sites to determine how much the item could resell for. This won't always work, but it's a good tool to have in your arsenal to help you make pricing decisions when considering a unit. If the item happens to be in its original package, you can scan its bar code with your phone for the most accurate price estimate. No matter what, try to be the first person in line to look at the unit as it's opened; this will buy you a few minutes that you can use on research.
Use the camera. Cell phones often come with very nice camera and video capabilities. You can snap a few photos of items and post them for sale almost immediately after buying them. You can also email or text message the photo to potential interested buyers to pique their interests once you've obtained the item. You can also send a photo of an item you obtain to a knowledgeable friend. You may not be able to get a response in time to decide whether to bid, but you can certainly get a second opinion on whether it's worth trying to sell or if you should scrap it or send it to the dump. This sort of feedback can be extremely helpful when cleaning out a unit.
Stay in touch with your business. Many resellers like to use the Internet to communicate with clients, whether through email or a dedicated website. By using your smart phone, you can access your email, eBay shop, Etsy shop, personal website and more to check for comments, respond to questions and make sure everything is running smoothly. Since you'll be in touch with your business wherever you go, you don't need to worry about your auction-hunting taking way from the sales side of the business; you can manage both at the same time.

These are just a few of the ways that smart phones can increase your efficiency and profit at a storage auction. You can use all of these same techniques on other types of sales as well, from flea markets to garage sales, to research your purchases and communicate with buyers. By utilizing this technology, you can make the most of every auction you visit.

Top Ten Books About Storage Auctions

September 29, 2012

Storage Auction News, Storage Auctions 101

A few years ago, storage auctions were a relatively quiet and unknown way of making a living. Now, they've become a popular phenomenon thanks to shows like Storage Wars and auction Hunters. Many authors are eager to jump on this trend and appeal to fans by producing “get rich quick” guides about storage auctions and other types of resale businesses. While some of these books contain useful information, many paint an inaccurate picture of the trade.

There's also little need to buy most of the books on the market as the information is readily available online through this website and others. Nevertheless, if you do feel like picking up some additional reading material, here are 10 books you might consider:

Making Money With Storage Unit Auctions: Is This the Business for You? By Bryce Cranston. This slim paperback covers the basics of storage auctions without making too many exaggerated claims. A crash course for beginners, this book details advice on how to find auctions and sell items successfully. It's rated well on Amazon, with a pure five-star rating, but it may be too basic of a guide for most of our more savvy blog readers.
Picker's Bible: How To Pick Antiques Like the Pros by Joe Willard. While not about storage auctions specifically, this guide is an invaluable resource for people who need to learn more about the ins and outs of antiques. Antiques are some of the most profitable but riskiest items to look out for at sales, and this primer can help you find the best items for sale. Joe Willard himself is an established picker, and his book provides an excellent overview for anyone looking to approach that field.
The Garage Sale Millionaire: Make Money with Hidden Finds from Garage Sales to Storage Unit Auctions and Everything in Between by Aaron LaPedis. The title's a bit of a mouthful, but the book has some positive reviews on Amazon and got positive attention on Yahoo after its release. The book delivers on the promise of its title, although many of the tips may be a bit self-evident for people who aren't total newcomers to the field. Nevertheless, much of the advise is solid, and there are real, practical tips for which items will churn the best profit, which may make this worth picking up if you're eager for a few more ideas.
Making Money A-Z with Self Storage Unit Auctions 2011: The Silver Edition by Glendon Cameron. This book is pricey, so it's definitely a bit of an investment. If you're willing to put down this much money for a book, though, this is an entertaining read about storage auctions. This 246-page tome details exactly how to find, participate in and profit from storage auctions, all as related by a veteran in the field. Called “the textbook of storage auctions” by some reviewers, this book is said to be one of the most comprehensive of its kind.
Storage Auctions 101 The Beginners Guide To Storage Auction Profits by Glendon Cameron. If you're not willing to make the investment for Cameron's lengthier guide, you might want to consider picking up this smaller beginner's guide. This book comes with lots of practical tips and down-to-earth advice. As an added bonus, you can download a digital version to your Kindle, iPhone or other device, so you don't have to worry about carrying it around.
Winning Storage Auction Strategies by Dirk and Susan McFergus. Cutting through the hype from reality TV, this husband-and-wife team of Las Vegas auction-hunters detail real, useful strategies for winning auctions and making a profit on your findings. Many of these tips are aimed at amateurs, but much of the advice is equally valid for veterans as well. The book does focus more on the buying aspect than selling, however, so it can't precisely be considered a comprehensive guide.
Making Money in Storage Auctions: How to Profit from the Storage Wars and become a Storage Auction Warrior by Boston Reynolds. This book is obviously firmly rooted in the reality television trend, and it does occasionally wander more into hype than the reality of the industry. It is still a fairly comprehensive guide, though, and it touches on many relevant topics without getting too bogged down in detail.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting and Running a Thrift Store by Ravel Buckley. If you're comfortable with the basics of auction hunting and want to bring your knowledge up to the next level, this book will get you started with everything you need to know about opening up a thrift store business. Part of the well-known “Idiots Guide” books, this is an authoritative source and a good jumping-off point for anyone looking to run a full-scale resale business.
How to Invest in Self-Storage by Scott Duffy and RK Kliebenstein. This book tackles the other side of the storage industry: The people who actually own and manage storage units. Although this information may not seem immediately relevant, it can be supremely helpful to understand the industry from the other side. This will help you understand how and why certain things happen and give you a greater appreciation for the facility owners you work with on any given day.
The Porn Is Always In The DVD Player: My Life As A Storage Auction Addict by Glendon Cameron. Looking at this list, it's easy to see that Glendon Cameron is one of the biggest writers in the storage auction field. This book is quite different from his others, though, in that it's more of a memoir than a how-to guide. If you're looking for something fun and insightful to read without necessarily providing step-by-step instructions or ideas, this book might be worth buying. If nothing else, it will certainly tell a few familiar stories to storage veterans.

These are just a few of the books available on the subject, but there are many more available online or from your local library. If you've read one of these books or have another that you found particularly helpful, post your suggestions or reviews in the comments section below!

Storage Auction Parking

September 29, 2012

Storage Auction Laws & Rules, Storage Auctions 101

As storage auctions become more popular, you have to be prepared to deal with crowds. Most storage facilities are not very well-equipped to deal with the large turnout that often arrives at auctions. Needless to say, this can be a logistical nightmare for the storage facility's staff and make parking especially difficult for the buyers. Fortunately, there are a few tips that can help make navigating the crowd easier:

Find a space near the exit so you can leave easily. At the end of the auction, everyone will crowd the exit and it can be difficult to get out. Be sure to leave enough space around you to prevent your car from being blocked, and make sure that there's a clear path between your car and the gate. Try to park facing the right direction as turning around might not be easy. Arriving at the facility early will help you secure a good spot.

Since most storage facilities only have a few parking spaces near the office, most people will end up parking near the storage units themselves. If you do park in front of a unit, be sure that the unit doesn't have a red lock or tag. This is used to designate a unit that will go up for auction, and you'll need to move your car if it's parked in front of one of these units. Save yourself the trouble and park in a more out-of-the-way spot instead.

Whenever possible, consider parking further away and walking to the auction. When you win a unit and start cleaning, you can always retrieve your vehicle to start loading up merchandise. If you do park on the street or a neighboring parking lot, be sure to obey any traffic laws or parking lot rules. If you have a friend interested in auctions, you can car-pool and save on gas and parking space.

Make sure you're not blocking anyone from entering or exiting the storage unit or their cars. Be careful about leaving too much room, though, as that might invite people to squeeze in next to you and make it impossible to get out later.

Some auctions will be more crowded than others, and you may not be able to employ every strategy. Nevertheless, following these tips will help prevent some of the major hassles that come up while parking at a storage facility. As you get more experience with a particular facility, it will become easier to identify the best spots.

Is Storage Wars Texas Disrupting DFW Area Storage Auctions?

September 27, 2012

Storage Auction News, Storage Auction Reality

7 Comments

Back in September, we asked readers to weigh in on whether Storage Wars: Texas was disrupting the regular storage auctions in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Readers weighed in with their comments and insight, and here are the results:

Auctions take longer. Whenever the film crew is present, a 30 minute auction can take several hours to complete. The crew will film lots of extra footage of bidding, and they may request that some people stay behind to reenact bids for the show as well. Being present at a filmed auction nearly always seems to result in long, hot hours in the sun.
Auctions are much more crowded. People are eager to be involved in a television production, even if it just means watching one get filled. Normally quiet auctions can easily be swarmed with 100 or more people, and people bring their whole families to the auctions, so children are often present and may not be watched very closely by their parents.
Bids are higher. Whether this is due to the number of novices who don't know better or the amount of people trying to get some air time for the show, it's not clear. Many people have reported that bids are nearly double what they'd normally be during filmed auctions, though, so professionals often try to steer clear.
The cast and crew are generally quite easy-going and easy to get along with, but some people definitely sense a “scripted” vibe from them and that can be a bit awkward for bidders. The people you hang out with on the set may not act exactly like you'd expect them to from watching the show.

The good news is that these changes seem to primarily affect the auctions that are being filmed, and local businesspeople are able to make a decent profit on the regular auctions. By avoiding the overcrowded taped auctions and sticking to the quieter, less-public affairs, auction-hunters are able to make a decent profit on the items they find without getting swept up into the hype. Some novices are still paying way more for units than they're worth, but good deals are still available to those who know where to look – and are patient enough to wait for them.

Does this match with your experience? Leave a comment to let us know whether you've noticed any differences in the way auctions are being handled in your area now that Storage Wars: Texas is filming there.

Roy Williams Makes a Guest Appearance on Storage Wars TX

September 24, 2012

A former NFL player, Roy Williams was a defensive back for the Dallas Cowboys for seven years, then finished his career with two years for the Cincinnati Bengals. He made his first appearance on Storage Wars: Texas when Ricky and Bubba found some memorabilia bearing Roy's autograph. After talking with him, they convinced him to come out and participate in his first storage auction in Season 2 of the show.

In 2011, Roy had some down-time while his agent was looking for the right team to pick him up. This left him with plenty of free time to explore the auction world and connect with fans through the show. His presence on Storage Wars: Texas undoubtedly helped lure in more eager fans for the program.

Roy hasn't returned for Season 3. Now officially retired from football, Roy works as a sidelines reporter for the Oklahoma Sooners, bringing him closer to his college roots as a player at University of Oklahoma. Whether he still attends storage auctions in his free time is unknown, but it's always a possibility.

Barry Weiss Bio

September 24, 2012

44 Comments

A life-long collector, Barry Weiss has been attending auctions since he was 15 to satiate his need for collectibles. Now in his 60s, Barry has a lot of experience to draw from and a keen eye for the unusual. Though he has more money to spend than most of his competitors, he still loses his temper frequently when he loses money on an auction. This sort of intensity is one of the things that's propelled him through his career and certainly endears him to fans.

Unlike others on the show, Barry doesn't have a long history with storage unit auctions. Indeed, he only began frequenting these auctions after being invited by the producers of Storage Wars. He is, however, a lifelong antiques collector, and many of the items he buys go toward his own private collections. Everything he doesn't want to keep gets sold or donated. As a wealthy retiree, Barry is more interested in the thrill of the hunt than making a profit on his findings.

Prior to his retirement, Barry and his brother actually made a fortune in agriculture as an importer and exporter of exotic produce. His business, Northern Produce, is located in Commerce, California and is still operating, though Barry has since retired. His brother is still the CEO of the company. Barry's 25 years of owning a business has given him plenty of money to spend on his passions, which include collecting antiques and traveling the world. He's estimated to be worth about $7 million, but much of that money is tied up in antiques and collector's cars.

Barry's known among other auction-hunters as a bit of an odd-ball. Some of his tactics are certainly unorthodox, from consulting psychics to wearing night vision goggles to peer into a dark storage unit. He also tends to wear outlandish and flamboyant clothing, especially his signature skeleton-patterned gloves, and certainly stands out in a crowd.

Of course, some of these tactics may simply be a way to put his competitors off, and he certainly succeeds with that quite often. Either way, he as a lot of fun doing what he does, and his energy is a breath of fresh air in an often tense industry.

Brandi Passante Bio

September 24, 2012

9 Comments

The long-time girlfriend of Jarrod Schulz, Brandi Passante was a stay-at-home mom for several years before getting involved in Jarrod's thrift store business. Now she's the other half of the duo appearing on Storage Wars. She's the more level-headed of the two, frequently talking sense into her partner before he spends more than they can afford on a unit.

While Jarrod's often enthusiastic and aggressive in his bidding, Brandi is more reserved and looks at things shrewdly and carefully, bidding only for items that she knows will fit in with the needs of their store. This does sometimes lead her to be too conservative and miss out on potentially great finds, but they've still managed to put together an impressive business from what they get. Fans love the dynamic between the couple, although some have criticized Brandi as being shrewish or overbearing. Some interviews suggest that these elements of their relationship may be played up for he show.

Though not officially married, Brandi and Jarrod have been together for 12 years and have two children together. Aside from her time on the show, Brandi leads a fairly private life. Aside from information some eager fans have gleaned from her public Twitter and Facebook pages, little is known about her private life beyond what's seen in the show.

Jarrod Schulz Bio

September 24, 2012