how to chase storge lockers

[scrounger d detector collector]

theres a person i met in a detector club thats always bragging about huge deals he got going to storage locker auctions. anybody here doing this? i tried to go to a couple a few yrs ago to see how its done. but there rule was u cant touch anything only look. are they all like this? how can u bid properly on boxes u cant look in.? or maybe theperson successful at this is smart enuf to know to give a little bribe to get a better look?

 

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[cyberdan]

u cant touch anything only look. are they all like this?

Never heard it that way but it makes sense to me now. A month ago I was talking to someone about this and he said he bids on boxes of things and has to throw away (or donate to goodwill) about half of what he buys. I guess he was implying that. But then he only pays a very small amount.

Good topic!

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

Re: how to chase storage lockers

i go to storage locker auctions. how the lockers are sold depends on local laws and the auctioneer.
in some areas, the entire locker is sold to highest bidder, other auctions, piece the contents out.
what we have found is if you allow people to sort through the boxes unsupervised, good things, like jewelry, are not found in that sale.(funnie how that works)

 

[Cynangyl]

I have done many storage unit auctions and how they do it here is they open the door and you can look in but not reach in or go inside the unit then the bidding starts. Yes, you do end up making dump runs and donating some of the things you find in the units and yet you end up finding a lot of great stuff as well if you continue to go. There are some things that help you have better chances of finding decent units such as looking to see how things look in the unit such as are they in decent boxes and stacked well or just kind of thrown in there. You will find this there are never any guarantees and you will typically make at least one dump run and you have to figure that into what you bid on the unit. It is actually a lot of fun going through the boxes to see what is there....kind of like a mini treasure hunt! Here are a few pics of some of the things found in storage unit auctions.

 

[Cynangyl]

and a few more

 

[Blacksheep]

That clock would look great on my mantle.

(Great finds!)

 

[Cynangyl]

lol the clock with the model ship on it is hanging in Grubby's foyer and the other is on the mantle of drywalldave last I saw it. It was a lot of fun and I still do units with some friends of mine when I am not working. After you have done units for awhile you start to recognize which are better units but you really never know for sure until you dig in. We have found gold jewelry in the bottom of trash bags full of actual trash....invest in a box of rubber gloves for sure! lol

 

[Cynangyl]

typically here they add their own lock to the unit and the person has until the time of the auction to come pay up and get the other key. I have seen units there that have not paid in over two years and the owners never bothered to auction them off....talk about DUSTY!! Most areas have laws regarding how you can go about the auctions including whether you can enter the unit and piece it out or sell it whole and some even take pictures before the auction from the doorway. I know in our area they are required to have you turn in personal items like pictures and birth certificates so they can hold them for the owner for a certain amount of time. Everywhere is probably different as far as these laws though.

 

[Blacksheep]

Never did go to one of those sales, I did get very lucky some years back though. A buddy of mine
rented out an old butcher shop, had been closed for years and another gentleman ran a five-n-dime
out of it in the late 50`s early 60`s.

Inside were cases upon cases of unopened, tin toys (pop-pop boats, battery operated secretaries typing
at a desk, wood sail boats with cloth sails , race cars) , depression glass still on shelves, so many doilies
that 15 lil old ladies could never have enough filled candy dish`s to set on top...this was the "junk" my
friend needed help clearing out.

We got a hold of the owner, i was able to buy a large amount for very little money, ever see Donald Duck
swim fins and mask? I had seven sets, silly me sold them all...and I have yet to see anymore anywhere!

I do have a couple of the race cars, pop-pop boats and one wood sail boat put away until I can display it
properly, this was 15 years or more back, the old building is gone now but i do have the memories and a
few pieces to keep that memory alive.

EDIT: here`s the type of sail boat, there were three different sizes, i had about 20 of these.
(same manufacturer)

http://cgi.ebay.com/50s-Consolidated-Toys-Wooden-FLYING-CLOUD-SAIL-BOAT-MIP_W0QQitemZ110320681348QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVintage_Toys?hash=item110320681348&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50


Heres the pop-pop boats...oh the memories!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-60s-Vintage-Tin-Plate-Toy-Pop-Pop-Boat-Japan-Mint_W0QQitemZ190271804371QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Toys_Hobbies_Vintage_Antique_Toys?hash=item190271804371&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

 

[Cynangyl]

wow...that would be a blast! Wish you had kept more of it or at the very least taken some pics for your tnet family! lol

 

[Blacksheep]

Lol, sorry, this was many years ago, i did post a couple links above.

Should i get into the attic i`ll dig it all out and snap a few pics.

 

[Cynangyl]

to the attic this instant!! lol Too much fun! I actually found one of those little boats in one of the storage units too but I can't seem to find a pic of it!

 

[scrounger d detector collector]

I USED TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS ONLY MINE RAN ON baking soda i think. u added either water or hydrogen peroxide to the baking soda and it bubbled and ran ?

 

[SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS]

Cynangyl,

some nice finds there.

have a good un.......
SHERMANVILLE

 

[cyberdan]

Re: how to chase storage lockers

in some areas, the entire locker is sold to highest bidder, other auctions, piece the contents out.

Isn't this how simpson got into trouble?

I thought I heard that he had a storage locker and never paid the bill then they were auctioned and then the contents went to Las Vegas.

and the rest is history!!!

 

[EDDE]

theres a person i met in a detector club thats always bragging about huge deals he got going to storage locker auctions. anybody here doing this? i tried to go to a couple a few yrs ago to see how its done. but there rule was u cant touch anything only look. are they all like this? how can u bid properly on boxes u cant look in.? or maybe theperson successful at this is smart enuf to know to give a little bribe to get a better look?

the owner/s (around here) will usually pick threw and get the valuable item for themselves (good stuff)
i did get a almost new/mint Marlboro hiking pack for 7 bucks got home it had 350 pennies in it

 

[scrounger d detector collector]

theres a person i met in a detector club thats always bragging about huge deals he got going to storage locker auctions. anybody here doing this? i tried to go to a couple a few yrs ago to see how its done. but there rule was u cant touch anything only look. are they all like this? how can u bid properly on boxes u cant look in.? or maybe theperson successful at this is smart enuf to know to give a little bribe to get a better look?

the owner/s (around here) will usually pick threw and get the valuable item for themselves (good stuff)
i did get a almost new/mint Marlboro hiking pack for 7 bucks got home it had 350 pennies in it

so what yur saying there ELF, is that usually the locker rental company go thru the stuff first. anything highly liquid dissappears instantly. like cash,obvious gold or silver jewelry and especially coin collections. that would make a lot of sense.unreported income for the owners.

 

[bdxample]

I have has a fair amount of success at the storage locker auctions i have been to. I have been to a half dozen or so auctions, only won twice.
the first time I paid 2.00 for the unit...was able to sell a bike for 15.00, some mcdonalds collectables for 20.00 and various odds and ends for a bit more. not a bad profit on 2 bucks.

the second time I "won" I didn't acutally win. the guy running the auction bought one of the units for 30.00 the unit had some interesting trunks in it and some neatly packed boxes. I offered the guy 10 bucks for the 2 trunks and some of the boxes...he readily accepted. Lots of nice items. As for actual profit, sold on Ebay a McCalls cookbook for 45.00, a set of poster calendars for 20.00, some other odd knick knacks for about 40.00, once again not a bad profit on my investment.
It would have been worth the ten bucks just to go through the boxes even if they had been nothing but junk.

 

[Marty-Graw]

i have bought several of these units before sometimes the owners will change the locks before you get there and open them with their key and others (the ones i like) will cut the original lock off with bolt cutters......you can look in, shine a light, and hope for the best.....some folks dont like not being able to dig before bidding but i think if nobody digs then everyone has the same chance......i bought 2 units one time for $10 and $20......took a lot of things out that i wanted and sold the rest for $170 to a woman setting up a household ...bought another one for $20 and opened a box that had nearly 200 hotwheel cars (newer ones) still in the packs....sold most of them for $1 each at the flea market......you CAN make money at this......some people make a good living doing it.....just keep an eye on the legal section of the classifieds and go have some very profitable fun

 

[Cynangyl]

I think since the owners are able to show up even right up to when the auction starts to pay on a unit and keep it around here keeps the folks at the storage units a bit more honest as far as going in and taking items before the auction. The large part of what my friends have in their second hand store is from storage auctions and they also keep a list of things folks are looking for so if they see those items in a unit then they know they have atleast a part of the unit sold already. They do very well with it and we have a great time as well!