As a consumer-oriented society in the richest country on earth, Americans have an abundance of possessions. In our mobile society, as we move from home to home, overflow possessions often end up in a self-storage unit. When Ma and Pa finally give up their house many lovely heirlooms and antiques may end up in a rental unit. No garage space to store the off-season barbecue grills, lawn mowers, or motorcycles? Rent a self-storage space for it! Just too much stuff cluttering up the house? Stuff it in a storage unit! Self-storage facilities are springing up everywhere to accommodate our storage needs.
Participating in abandoned self-storage unit auctions is an excellent way to find a huge variety of secondhand (and sometimes new) inventory for flea markets, yard sales, online auction sales, secondhand stores, thrift shops, and auction houses.
What Can I Expect To Find?
Anything and everything! Antiques, collectibles, appliances, kitchenware, linens, baby supplies, sofas, chairs, desks, dressers, dining room sets, home decor, clothing, toys, games, bicycles, vacuum cleaners, motorcycles, power tools, lawn mowers, barbecue grills, hobby supplies, hunting supplies, camping gear, sports equipment, seasonal decorations, books, DVDs and CDs, jewelry, business inventories, money, patio sets, televisions, stereo equipment, cameras...I could go on, but you get the idea.
Why Do These Units Become Available?
Sometimes people fall on hard times and just can pay the rent, but quite often renters just get tired of paying to store possessions they don't really need and abandon their self-storage units. When the rent is in arrears, the owners of the self-storage facility may foreclose on the unit and any possessions within become the property of the company. The contents of these unit are often sold at public auctions. The highest bidder owns the contents of the unit and is free to dispose of them as they wish.
How Do I Find Abandoned Self-Storage Unit Auctions?
It's as easy as contacting all the self-storage facilities in your area and asking if they hold public auctions of abandoned units. Most facilities hold live auctions. The door of the unit is opened and bidders are allowed a few minutes to look inside before the bidding begins, so you must base your bid on what you can see from the doorway. Other facilities hold silent auctions, where written bids are submitted and the highest bidder wins the unit.
What Else Do I Need To Know?
To build a successful secondhand business from abandoned self-storage unit auctions, you need to know how to bid while keeping profit in mind. Live auctions, especially, can create an excitement that can result in overbidding. Often you won't be able to see everything in the unit, so base your bid on what you see and how much you think you can sell the items for. Limit your bid to about half that amount.
Once you have won a bid, the contents of the self-storage unit are yours to do with as you wish! You'll find furnishings and other items your family can use, saving you big bucks over buying new merchandise! You'll find collectible items, designer clothing, vintage housewares, and more items that are great sellers for online auction sales. It's not unusual to be able to sell one item at a price which equals what you paid for the entire unit.!
Create Your Own Profitable Business!
As the number of self-storage facilities grows, the number of abandoned self-storage units will surely increase also. There are sure to be self-storage facilities in your area that hold public auctions at regular intervals. Get in on this rapidly-growing field now, and create your own profitable home-based business!
Ms. Davidson is self-employed as a secondhand goods merchant and free lance writer and has self-published Abandoned Treasures: A Guide To Self-Storage Auctions, which contains all her tips for building a successful home-based business with abandoned self-storage unit auctions.
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