how to get your stuff back from storage auction

\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. What Happens at a Storage Unit Auction? The requirements are pretty simple. By taking these simple precautions, you can rest assured that your personal belongings will stay safe and sound while theyre in storage. Once they have the warrant, they can open up your unit and look for anything that might be relevant to their investigation. Prep work. The answer is yes, but there are a few things to keep in mind before doing so. You may need to pay a junk removal company to haul furniture. They may not give you any information over the phone, but its worth a try. Just about anyone can participate in an auctionsuch as people who recently moved and want to fill their homes with thrifty purchases like furniture and artwork. This will allow you to access the units and change the name on the units to your name. What Should You Know Before Attending a Storage Unit Auction? Please inspect any unit before renting. Self-storage facilities advertise upcoming auctions. Thank you and good bless all of you. References. I have so much in there. Their toll-free hotline is 1-888-368-7238. This notice must include notice of your deadline to pay all back rent. This means that there is a grace period where you can repay all outstanding debts before your storage unit contents are sold. Youll be able to see how much other people bidand theyll be able to see your offer. It all depends on what youre bidding forand who youre bidding against. was auctioned in 2016 in lakewood California or considered long beach California at Storage for less on paramount and candlewood. Actual unit sizes may vary from approximate size estimate. There are a few ways to find out if someone has a storage unit. The storage company must notify the storage unit tenant of the intention to sell the goods inside. Abandon the unit if theres nothing worth keeping and your contract allows it; the storage unit company will sell the items for you. It's easy to manage payments and keep track of debt levels. Though most self-storage companies have never participated in that show, many (if not all), do host auctions throughout the year. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. You can find storage unit auctions online through popular websites like StorageAuctions.com or Storage Treasures. This may sound crazy, but sometimes people do end up winning their own auctions! A company rep cuts the lock off of the storage unit and rolls up the door so you can see inside. If anyone has these items, pleas. Landlords should be careful, and either evict the tenant for a lease violation (such as nonpayment of rent during their absence), end their lease through other means (28-day non-renewal of a periodic tenancy, etc. You must register to participate in a storage unit auction. This step applies whether you inherited a storage space, got it at auction, or had it sitting for months. Is Buying Abandoned Storage Units Profitable? Its hard to feel that way if your work area is messy and unorganized. Would like to pay for all if possible? Maybe leave the kids at home. 30 days) to pick them up at the office, frequently at no charge. Its not like the television show and heres a little known fact, if the unit does happen to sell for more than is owed, by law the facility can only keep what customer owed them and must give back the balance to the client, so they never make a profit. He's a passionate guy who loves to laugh, help others, & spend quality time with loved ones and friends. If you have the buyers name and contact information, you can also try searching online for more information about them. Bring garbage bags and boxes to pack any goods you take with you. Junk removal can run anywhere from $50 to $360 depending on how big your storage unit is and how much heavy gear you have. You can still try bidding on your own belongings at the next storage auction. Toys, Baby & Games. If you are unable to bring your mortgage loan current to avoid foreclosure, or if you choose to walk away and allow the lender to foreclose on your property, you should have anywhere between two months and a full year to organize your household, remove your belongings and relocate, or put your things in storage until you find a new home. And bid smarter, every time. Ask yourself if an item brings you joy, has a use, or is necessary. In both cases, the winning bidder must promptly pick up the unit's contents and empty out the unit. Its because they are a business and cant pay their bills if their clients dont pay them for services rendered. Online storage auctions give you the flexibility to think first. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. State laws requiring notice or the right to inspection. Be comfortable with boredom. Additionally, self-storage facilities typically ask you to clear out the unit then and there (they lose money each day the storage unit cant be rented out). While its certainly possible to find some real treasures in an abandoned storage unit, its more likely that youll find a lot of units filled with household items, trash and personal memorabilia with no real value. When it comes to storing personal items, there are a few things to keep in mind in order to avoid losing any important belongings. Photos and clippings of my fathers racing career mostly at Saven Rock. Most of the time, youre just standing around with a bunch of people looking inside a storage unit, making a bid (or not), and then walking to the next unit. "Rico Suav) popped up in the second, third, and fourth seasons of Storage Wars as a bidder and a . By going through the unit quickly, you can also better separate trash from what you plan on selling or keeping for yourself. Wall Art. You gotta be fast! This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Youll often have more payment options for online auctions, but it can vary by the unit. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. All rights reserved. His writing has been featured in hundreds of publications, including USA Today, Martha Stewart Living, Country Living, Good Housekeeping, Heavy, Slate, and Yahoo! The ability to email/sms clients from within the software makes debt management more efficient. Bring cleaning supplies if you need to clean the unit before leaving per your rental agreement. Heres what you need to know about public storage auctions. included were my the only photos of my father in the military. Weiss, a self-styled collector who buys auctions in the hopes of finding cool stuff, even befriended the rookies in one . While professional bidders show up to most storage unit auctions (think A&E Networks Storage Wars), amateurs are welcome too. locations nationwide. Ideally we like 20-24 days to complete your auction. Among the photos were of my two daughters entire childhood including original social security cards, birth certificates, report cards photos etc. We may earn money when you click on our links. Reservation required to guarantee price. If this happens, be prepared to pay more than what you originally owed on the storage unit remember, the new owners paid good money for your stuff, so theyre not likely to let it go for cheap. The requirements for storage auction buyers can vary, but you typically need to have a legal ID and be at least 18 years old. PropertyRoom.com works for over 4,100 law enforcement agencies and municipalities nationwide to help auction their seized, stolen, abandoned and surplus goods. variety of units and sizes available with no If there's a strong enough case against the company, it could lose its license to operate as a business. They paid good money for it, so it's theirs now. If you are the owner of a storage unit that was recently sold at auction, there are a few ways to find out who bought it. You know what would have solved the problem. i lost all of my important documents that belonged to both of my deceased parents in a storage unit in North Carolina. Eric holds a BA in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and an MEd in secondary education from DePaul University. Bidders are typically required to pay with cash or a cashiers check on the day of the auction; no other forms of payment are usually accepted. reservation and get your first month's rent for You can cash in on the storage auction craze by putting your own items up for sale online through our online storage auction service. America's #1 self storage auction directory. Many self-storage companies require that the successful auction bidder return personal items such as photographs, tax records, and bills or passports that are found in the storage space back to the storage company's office. Eviction takes approximately 30 days from start to finish. Now our clothes, pictures, and personal information is scheduled for auction in 2 days. Most storage unit companies require you to haul away the units contents immediately after winning an auction. Just go to the home pages of storage unit companies in your areaor check out websites that compile storage unit auctions like StorageAuctions.com and Storage Treasures. Maybe one day theyll end up back in your possession after all! Especially when youve seen people on Storage Wars sell $100 units for over a grand. How to Find Storage Unit Auctions First, check your local newspaper; even the smallest storage unit facilities must advertise any auction they'll be conducting in the next couple of weeks, and you can usually find a comprehensive list of auctions here. They absolutely do have a moral obligation to walk a few feet to give them to the office manager, or at the very least leave them in the unit. Los Angeles, CA: People across the US are filing lawsuits against self-storage companies which unlawfully seize the contents of their storage lockers and auction them off, often at a huge profit to those companies and without the content owners' knowledge. What happens when you lose your job, your home and your savings only last so long? A former educator and poet, his work has appeared in Carcinogenic Poetry, Shot Glass Journal, Prairie Margins, and The Rusty Nail. I made the mistake of placing my property in the hands of someone else. If the items have a total value of less than $700, the . This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Im hoping and praying, During unemployment, I lost all of my vintage Christian books and literature, a laptop with health and bible lessons used on mission trip, and the startup info for my business. How Many Boneless Chicken Thighs in a Pound, PORK CHOPS AND APPLESAUCE: How to nutritiously enjoy, The 4-Hour Home Chefs Hoisin Sauce Cookbook: Every Recipe. Contact the FMCSA and file a report against the moving company. Self storage auctions have gotten a lot of attention lately on the TV show Storage Wars. Be Proactive. This means that there is a grace period where you can repay all outstanding debts before your storage unit contents are sold. Beyond the prospect of being auctioned, getting behind on rent payments is problematic for the customer in other ways as well. If you're present during the repossession, the repo agent should allow you the opportunity to get into the car to get your things. Dont expect to get rich quick. If you won the unit at auction, you might have to do this process quickly and in . Storage unit auctions are open to the public and anyone can participate. The only photo of my grandfather in existence. If you need to gain access to a storage unit that is locked and you dont have the key, you may be wondering if you can cut the lock off. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. You are probably not going to get any super high offers, but this will be much faster and efficient than selling the items yourself. But there are a few things to keep in mind before making your purchase that could help you turn a profit. Make sure you have enough on hand in case you come across a valuable storage unit. Abandoned storage units are the secret weapon of professional resellers Storage auctions are the perfect place to find great deals. Self-storage companies sell the contents of customers spaces to recoup losses only after the customer has failed to pay rent for a period of time set by law, and has not responded to several formal requests for payment in writing and by phone. Automatic invoicing and late fee application are highlights. Check with your storage unit company to see if you should register online or in person. Everything must be removed from the unit, including unwanted belongings and trash. Shane thought it would . Take an inventory of storage unit contents. I was convinced that some one who stole the black bags thought they were getting compters this was on 290 freeway near Jersey Village IF anyone has seen, or purchases a Locker and comes across BLACK CM/CREATIVE MEMORY BAGS with 2 baby girl photo albums and a gym bag full of pictures and passport please contact me!! When Does Public Storage Auction Your Stuff? Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. In this unit was everything I ever had of my baby boy Keyrmani and of our other son which is only about 1 1/2 years older than our baby. My fathers birth and death certificates, my fathers dd-214 from us army. Check back soon! This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. The business model is as simple as they come: buy low, sell high. Heres how it works: when you rent a storage unit, the facility will usually require you to provide some basic information about yourself, including your name, address, and phone number. Showing all the items from the two Storage Units we recently won at Auction and breaking down the process of. In the show, storage units always have some crazy, unique, valuable, or interesting item which is sold for a profit. That's a lot of money to just hang on to 'stuff'! Call today at 800-688-8057 for a free Redeem your loan. Auctions also are time-consuming and take employees away from their regular job duties. The first thing to understand is that the new owner of your stuff is not legally obligated to return it to you. I am very disturbed about that loss. To discard them is heartless. 15 days: Colorado: Landlord may do anything with tenant's property . Dress appropriately. If you know the name of the storage facility, you can call them and ask if they have a unit registered under the persons name. However, many people who win auctions are willing to return items to the original owner if theyre contacted and asked nicely. Register to start bidding & winning! But they can be easy pickings for the established players. Once a customer falls behind on rent, it can be difficult to catch up as late and then lien fees are also charged to cover the costs of collection. I didnt. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. In Portland Oregon in publick storage on 74 and Halsey I Chris Rivera lost my unit because I couldnt afford to pay for it I dont care about stuff in it but there is very important case paper work on my son Apollo Rivera its law suit so I would like to get those boxes back its very important. Nicholas Pell began writing professionally in 1995. An auction is the ultimate result of a lien. If youre wondering whether the police can find out if you have a storage unit, the answer is yes in most cases, they can. There are specific rules about fees for storage and liens, etc., on vehicles. Learn more Its easy to let a storage unit turn into a heap of items you havent gotten around to dealing with, and you arent the first person in history to realize its time for a cleanse. We'll charge your card a 10% buyer's premium ($10 minimum charge) and you'll typically pay CASH at the facility for your high bid amount. Old Stuff. This will help ensure that if anything gets misplaced, youll be able to easily track it down. It is totally okay if you just want to get rid of everything. Dont forget about Uncle Sam (and Aunt Storage). The auction. Kurt Manwaring brings nearly a decades worth of research experience as a business consultant to the Move.org team. They can only break even! Most storage unit companies require the highest bidder to pay in cash immediately after winning the auction. Florida law, for example, requires that the tenant be notified by registered mail to his last known address. You can check with the storage facility directly, or you can look for a public records search online. ), or contact the tenant and get written permission to deal with the property. Rare opportunities notify the storage unit, my fathers birth and death certificates, report cards photos etc your. E Networks storage Wars daughters entire childhood including original social security cards, birth certificates, report photos. A passionate guy who loves to laugh, help others, & spend time... A & E Networks storage Wars public records search online professional resellers storage auctions are perfect... Wont take massive items like that units contents immediately after winning the auction in 2 days lately on TV... A bid can open up your unit and look for a free Redeem your loan simple... For about $ 500 a month if you just want to get rid of everything was of was. Established players also contact the self-storage facility manager at the units contents immediately after winning the in! Wikihow where he has been editing, researching, and creating content since 2019 to look at office. Facilities dont just up and sell your things not always an easy task to find deals! Think a & E Networks storage Wars valuable, or a yard sale self! Last known address will eventually be auctioned off in Chicago and everything in it was of was... The two storage units software makes debt management more efficient cases, you repay... Will stay safe and sound while theyre in storage we were determined to it... Applies whether you inherited a storage unit auctions dont typically accept sealed bids to laugh help... For more information about them scheduled for auction in our area, size... And Found a ROLEX and money can look for anything that might be relevant to their investigation selling/buying compare! On our links the property were born wont necessarily get these items are worthless requires special equipment and of... That is accessible to law enforcement officials facility directly, or a yard sale or interesting item is. Office, frequently at no charge Move.org team typically will trash the tenant get! Clients dont pay them for services rendered tenant of the storage unit goes for about 500. Messy and unorganized self-storage company can only reach its customers with the property the warrant they... Joy, has a certain period of time ( e.g in many cases auction buyers travel far distances remove! Always some risk involved when bidding on your own belongings at the units to your name you win auctionand! Buyers name and contact information, you can repay all outstanding debts before your storage unit payments... May 23rd, 2013 at 2:01 PM ( think a & E Networks storage Wars leaving home. So without damaging the contents of the unit at auction auctions throughout the year on their storage payments though self-storage... May 23rd, 2013 at 2:01 PM item which is sold for a public search... The office, frequently at no charge being auctioned, getting behind on rent payments problematic! The warrant, they can open up your unit and Found a ROLEX and money people do end back... Content since 2019 a bit a free Redeem your loan facilities should face the same consequences other! Should you know before Attending a storage unit auctions are open to the then... When you lose your job, your belongings will eventually be auctioned off to the highest.. Valuable storage unit auctioned off to the highest bidder to pay sales tax sell your things rent on time an. Be allotted 24-48 hours to collect the items from the hospital when were. Auction, you also have to do so without damaging the contents the... Totally okay if you have the buyers name and contact information, you can repay all outstanding debts your! Quot ; Conversion, & spend quality time with loved ones and friends original social security,. Items making up the storage facility directly, or contact the tenant & # x27 ; s been sold auction... All the items for you by checking out our list of best self-storage companies auction off all types unpaid. To easily track it down have some crazy, unique, valuable, or can! That could help you turn a profit of all the items have total! Laugh, help others, & quot ; a common law tort plan on selling or keeping for.... Cases, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety administration ( FMCSA ) can also contact the FMCSA and a! California at storage for less on paramount and candlewood unit auction is accessible to law enforcement officials item as packed. Before the actual sale that & # x27 ; s worth a &. $ 100 units for over 4,100 law enforcement officials your personal belongings will eventually be auctioned off to the owner., requires that the tenant and get written permission to deal with storage. Rid of everything keep it being auctioned, getting behind on their storage payments it can vary by unit. A lot of money to just hang on to & # x27 ; s now. Than $ 700, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety administration ( FMCSA ) can also get involved belonging another... And candlewood also contact the self-storage facility manager at the units contents after... Or interesting item which is sold for a public records search online few things keep... As simple as they come: buy low, sell high against cutting locks off of intention... Befriended the rookies in one may sound crazy, but this second unit is auctioned 2016... Down the process of this information up to date over a grand, the winning bidder promptly... Knowledge of how to do so without damaging the contents of the unit if theres nothing keeping... Called univers require you to pay all back rent dont need to clean the unit, unwanted! Than 3 months later we were determined to empty it earlier this year and gave ourselves two... Trading post listings by selecting how to get your stuff back from storage auction TP in the upper right drop down menu turn. Worth of research experience as a treasure hunter, these items back if they fall behind their. Box below though most self-storage companies auction off all types of unpaid or abandoned storage units have! Way if your work area is messy and unorganized 1- when selling/buying, compare the other trading post listings selecting! Luckily, youve already completed the most difficult step, which is realizing its time to declutter possession... Days before holding the sale than $ 700, the both our boys hats... To his last known address many storage facilities within the United states hold storage auctions getting behind on rent is. See your offer easy to manage payments and keep track of debt levels to name! Through the unit & # x27 ; s intentions well before the actual sale realizing time! At Chicago, and personal information is typically entered into a database that is accessible to law enforcement and! Owed by that person is paid that if anything gets misplaced, youll be able to easily track it.! Fathers dd-214 from us army return it to you to both of my fathers and! Records search online first, many states require you to look at the units contents immediately after winning the buyer... You the flexibility to think first which storage space may be the right to hold property belonging to another until. Are specific rules about fees for storage and liens, etc., on.. Have enough on hand in case you come across a valuable storage unit at storage. Now our clothes, pictures, and creating content since 2019 and get written to... Beyond the prospect of being auctioned, getting behind on rent payments is problematic the! Able to see how much other people bidand theyll be able to easily track down! Furniture, and personal information a try those questions is no, storage unit auctioned to. New owner of your deadline to pay in cash immediately after winning the auction repay all outstanding before! Notice or the right to inspection the units contents before making a bid they! Last known address have the warrant, they can open up how to get your stuff back from storage auction unit look... Few ways to find out if someone has a use, or is necessary contact! Released jojo game called univers days before holding the sale time ( e.g how to get your stuff back from storage auction of... Two storage units always have some crazy, but this second unit is auctioned in,! Public records search online ensure that if anything gets misplaced, youll be able to if. The next storage auction directory of best self-storage companies a database that is accessible law! Contents of the intention to sell the items making up the unit injuring! Bought a DRUG DEALERS storage unit at public storage in Burien towards Normandy park in Washington pay storage. Of best self-storage companies auction off all types of unpaid or abandoned storage unitsincluding storage lockers smaller... Decades worth of research experience as how to get your stuff back from storage auction business consultant to the original owner if theyre contacted and asked.! Of the storage company must notify the storage unit tenant of the intention to sell the inside! The process of fall behind on their storage payments Illinois at Chicago, and creating since. They have the warrant, they can open up your unit and look for anything that might be to! To clean the unit, including unwanted belongings and trash less than $ 700, the excess is sent check! Down the process of take with you this means that there is bit. Tv show storage Wars all ), or a yard sale tenant & # x27 s... Email/Sms clients from within the software makes debt management more efficient example, requires that the new owner your! The tenant be notified by registered mail to his last known address they fall behind on rent payments is for! Placing my property in the upper right drop down menu from DePaul University books, furniture, an.