Can You Make Money at a Storage Auction?

If you have ever watched a show like Storage Wars, you may have questioned whether the adventures of blindly bidding on what is in a storage unit can actually lead to making money.

Thanks to these reality shows, storage auctions have become a big deal across America. Many amateurs set out hoping that their bid wins them a pile of, but for everyday people are storage auctions really profitable?

Can You Make Money from Storage Auctions

The answer to this question totally depends on what is in a storage unit and that can be hard to know. You don’t get a preview or time to leisurely walk through a unit, spotting all the wonderful things you can sell. What you do get is a quick glimpse from outside the unit right before the bidding starts.

Whether you make money from what is in a storage unit will depend on what you can quickly sum up from a quick preview.

Clues that Items in a Storage Unit Might Be Worth Something

There are some things you can do when that storage unit opens to give you a better idea if what is in a storage unit might be valuable.

Take a flashlight and look at as much as you can before bidding.

• Breathe in. You can tell by the smell of the unit if things are rotting or water damaged in a storage unit or if the owner may have been a smoker.
• Get a look at anything that is lying out in the open. If these items are valuable chances are there are other valuables hidden away.
• Look for professional moving boxes, professional movers are expensive and there is a higher chance that things in the boxes may be valuable.
• Be sure to note whether the items and boxes look well cared for or not. There is a better chance that items are in a good condition if the unit looks well cared for.

If things look good in a storage unit, take a chance, just remember to have a set budget before going into a bidding war and be sure to stick with it. Once you have access to the unit you can have items appraised to see what they are worth.

Like anything, the more units you view and bid on the more experience you gain. Our large self storage facility offers flexible storage solutions and lease terms. Contact Abba Storage today to find out more about our self storage property.

Tags: auctions in a storage unit, in a storage unit, money in a storage unit, storage unit auctions