Ever curious about what storage auctions actually are? We have the answers for you! Storage auctions are held when someone abandons their unit, and we auction off what was in them. Only 1-2% of all the rented storage units in the country ever go to auction.
Ever since shows like A&E’s Storage Wars and SpikeTV’s Auction Hunters have started popping up, we get a lot of calls asking about our storage auctions in Washington County. So, what are they and can you really strike it big?
Well, here is a little self storage auction background. Auctions can be fun and exciting, and if you are a treasure hunter with a few extra dollars, well, it can’t be beat. “We used to see maybe 5-10 people at our auctions, and now we get a much bigger crowd because of those shows. It is neat to see, because the more people that are there, the more the enthusiasm just skyrockets ” says District Manager, Kevin Bledsoe.
If you would like to attend any auction and do some bidding, here are some items to keep an eye out for:
Tools. Tools like saws, power cables, hammers, nails, and tool boxes are hot items. Even if they are gently used, there are always people looking for a reliable set of tools and those usually sell well if you are looking to resell.
Furniture. Keep an eye out for small cabinets or drawers with multiple containers or compartments inside. If the furniture piece itself is nice, there might be something even nicer inside one of the compartments. That is how jewelry is often found.
Electronics. Think the more specialized the better, such as espresso makers, fancy coffee presses, carbonation machines, high quality ice cream makers and the like. If you see a lot of everyday appliances such as toaster ovens and old washers, these probably don’t have a great value, but worse comes to worse can often be sold just for their parts.
Boxes Marked Fragile. Oftentimes you can find small little knickknacks that have value here.
Curious what some of the strangest items ever found in a storage unit are?
The Knightrider Car. Cars are commonly stored at facilities, but when someone drove up with a copy of Michael Knight’s K.I.T.T. at a storage facility in the UK there was some jaw dropping.
A Dinosaur Skull. Actor Nicholas Cage was actually in a bidding war with Leonardo DiCaprio over a Tarbosaurus skull that was found at a local self storage facility.
Never-released Michael Jackson Tracks. Joe Jackson owned a storage unit that was claimed by the storage facility after failure to pay rent. Inside it were unrecorded tracks, including some recordings with Tina Turner. These were from a period where Michael Jackson was between contracts, so the winning bidder was able to legally claim them.
But don’t take our word for it, visit an auction in your community for yourself and see what you find. But first, check out the shows that started it all: