| I love bargains. And there's no better place to find | | | | look like dirty old chairs!), and the auctioneer will |
| bargains than an auction. Andthere are no better | | | | lowerthe opening bid to $3.00, then $2.00, then $1.00, |
| auctions than government surplus auctions. My | | | | then fifty cents! Still, I am patientand wait as he |
| favoritegovernment surplus auction takes place the | | | | throws in two or three more chairs for fifty cents! |
| 3rd week of September every year in the | | | | My last trip to theauction, I netted seven chairs for |
| County Park. I won't tell you which county park as | | | | $4.00! I turned around and sold them for $25.00each! |
| this is my best-kept secret! Eventhough the auction | | | | This is just one of the examples of the deals that I |
| is advertised in the local papers (as required my law), | | | | have found at the County |
| I usuallyfind the same 20-30 people mulling around, | | | | Auction. The secret to my success is three-fold: |
| looking at all the lots. And many ofthem I know are | | | | 1. I know what is "hot" in the market by browsing |
| not high-bidders! | | | | ebay, watching HGTV, andflipping through home |
| This annual auction is the county-wide surplus auction. | | | | magazines. |
| You will find everything andanything here as the | | | | 2. I know what the going retail prices are and keep |
| county has various and departments. They have the | | | | these in mind when I ambidding. I usually arrive at the |
| typicaloffice equipment and furniture, cars, trucks, | | | | auction early with a notebook and check out all |
| law equipment, etc. But some moreunusual things | | | | thelots that will be auctioned. I jot down the lots |
| that have been auctioned off have been things like a | | | | numbers and the highest price I amwilling to pay for |
| street signmaker (for making stop signs and the like), | | | | that lot. |
| a row of metal lockers (from the oldcounty pool), | | | | 3. When the bidding starts, I wait for someone else |
| playground equipment, 5000 plastic cafeteria trays | | | | to start the bidding. I placemyself so I can "read" |
| (that sold for $8!),a stainless steel chef's cart, a | | | | how badly they want the item. I will wait to place my |
| chrome torpedo trash can, and a fully | | | | bid. Inever get caught-up in the bidding. And I always |
| operationaldump truck that went for several hundred | | | | bow out at my high price that Iwrote in my |
| dollars. | | | | notebook. This way I can avoid buyer's remorse! |
| Since I have been attending for many years, I know | | | | Using these tactics, I have successfully won many |
| what to expect and I know howmuch to pay. For | | | | items at the local auction andhave made a huge |
| example, they typically have a dozen retro office | | | | profit reselling these items. If you use these |
| chairs that sellvery well on ebay. The opening bid on | | | | techniques, you willalso be successful at your local |
| the chairs is usually $5.00 each. However, bynot | | | | auction. I just hope you never find my gem of |
| bidding, I can usually wait (and luckily no one else | | | | anauction, and never bid against me! |
| knows what a gold minethese chairs are...they just | | | | |