With the introduction of new reality television shows about people who buy and sell stuff from self-storage unit auction, more and more people are getting interested in trying their hand at it. If you are one of these people, here are a few ways you can find auctions near you.
Newspapers
In most states, storage owners are required by law to publish an announcement a certain number of days before holding an auction. This requirement is primarily in place to give a final notice to their renter, but it also works as a good way for buyers to learn of the sale. Newspapers generally have a legal category in their classified section to list these. If your area has more than one local newspaper, check them all out for a while to get a feel for which one gets the majority of the listings.
Internet
You can find anything on the Internet if you know where to look, and storage unit auctions are no exception. Most auction houses will have a website that lists their upcoming schedule, and there are also sites that catalog various auctions that are occurring around the country. Auctionzip is one of these sites, and it allows free searches of their database. When using this tool however, keep in mind that online listings are not required like newspaper announcements usually are. Your best course of action to finding the most auctions in your area is to use these resources in addition to the newspapers, not as a replacement.
Phone Calls
If you just can’t seem to find an auction near you, or if you know of a self-storage business but just can’t find any auctions for them, there is one final option. Simply give the business a call and ask them directly. This option should only be used as a last resort though, as the auctioning off of their clients’ possessions is the dirty part of their business, and one they generally don’t look forward to getting too involved with.
More than likely, you will not receive any specific details from the managers, but they may be willing to tell you what company runs their auctions, or where and when the publish their announcements. If you do decide to resort to making this phone call, be polite and friendly. Remember, they have no obligation to share any information with you, and also they have nothing to gain by your attendance. Also, this phone call should only be made once, whether they give you helpful information or not. Do not make multiple calls to check back at a later date.