Can we have what is behind door #3????

Brian here....I figured Becca does almost ALL of the blogs...so I might as well MAN UP and do at least something!!!  And boy...have I got a rant...I mean story for you!!  So, we go to an auction today, and we have started to get really REALLY good at the logistics part of auctions.  Let me explain.  When we first started in this...we would arrive for a 9:30 auction at 9:15 and proceed to sign in and wait...for another half hour while the powers that be got ready!  Now...if it is a 9:30 auction...we pull up to the door at 9:29:37. (Just to make sure we are actually there BEFORE 9:30 in the off-chance that it starts at 9:30:00 on the dot!!!)

It is a slippery slope actually...the pros/cons of showing up early.  Pros are that you actually get to meet and greet with people that you like and do business with.  An obvious Con of this is that you get to sit around with the other miserable bunch of depraved souls who, for one reason or another, have decided that the entire universe, and thus YOU, are against them and it is their singular purpose in life to smile at you while they are plotting your destruction!!!  Now, in all fairness...I am not perfect!!  (I know...you are stunned right!)  But I do try to do the right thing AND make money and succeed at the same time!  But I can't stand those who live and die by the philosophy that "NOT ONLY MUST I SUCCEED...BUT EVERYONE ELSE MUST FAIL"!!!  And trust me...they are out there...and they like NOTHING more than to see someone go down and NOT get up!  But I digress...

So we get to the auction at 9:29:37 and of course wait for another 15 minutes for it too start!  Now, in the facility/auctioneers defense...they do often try to do the right thing...and get their ducks in a row!!  (This not only includes paperwork, but often allowing the tenants one last final chance and often times involves long phone calls.  In essence...they are trying to do whatever is humanly possible to help these people, and that is commendable!)  Now the auction is about to start...YAY!

We get to the first unit...which is a build-up unit.  Now, if you don't know, this means that a facility might have a bunch of different things that have been leftover from many MANY other units of abandoned items, and the facility holds it all together until they get enough to auction it off as a unit.  The door opens, and it is a bunch of Mardi Gras beads in bags, some mixed furniture, nothing big...just some end tables and such with a dresser...one of our friends who rides in a parade wants the unit for obvious reasons and it goes for $90 to her!  Awesome, but still looking for OUR unit that will make us do cartwheels in the driveway and dream of chocolate gumdrops falling from the sky!

We get to unit number 2...a bid and hold unit!  Now, this means, in case you don't know, that the facility/auctioneer has decided to give the tenant just a little more time.  So if they gave them until the end of the day at 5, they must pay before then or the unit goes to the highest bidder.  Kinda sucks because that means you CAN'T put your lock on the unit and have to wait until the time is expired to pay AND dig!  There are SO many pros/cons to this, but that is for another rant...I mean blog!  But...I digress...AGAIN!

So the door opens to the bid hold unit, and it is a lot of nice chairs in EXCELLENT shape with lots of well packed boxes all neatly organized and maintained!  Someone has taken the time to preserve these items in great shape...so of course...we are interested....and so it begins!  We bid $100...someone bids $200...and we are off to the races...before you know it...it is at $400!  Becca and I are continually in communication over this one, and we decide it is worth it...so we bid $425....someone else bids $450 and then a $475 comes out....and at that point...we both agree...we are out!  Don't get me wrong...it looked like a good unit...at 250-400 or so...but 500+, I will "gamble" some other way!  You see...we try to make a judgment call on WHAT we can see.....and I can't see inside the boxes!  I know they are nicely packed...but might be nicely packed kitchen items/glasses/dishes!  And unless it is a bunch of new Calphalon pots or Waterford crystal, or fine china plated in gold...it's just not worth it!  And the boxes were marked "glasses" and "blankets"...so that may have very well been what they were...or it could have been new Chanel purses with tags!!  (WHO KNOWS!)  Just not our day to buy....so then we are ready for the next unit when we realize....THAT'S IT!  DONE!

Only 2 doors to choose from....PERIOD.  A quick auction indeed.....and we are left pondering the question....CAN WE HAVE WHAT IS BEHIND DOOR #3???????

Storage Heroes Tip #113  Sometimes, the yellow brick road just comes to an end for the day...and you don't even get to see the man behind the curtain!  That being said,

Storage Heroes TiP#114 is always make sure to look away from the fantasy of the Emerald City every once in awhile and check precious metals prices...silver is over $32/oz. right now!  (Make sure to read our guide to gold and silver, if you haven't already.  You can do so by clicking here.)

Until next time, take it easy,

Storage Heroes