READY FOR YOUR OWN LIVE AUCTION?

Many times we find ourselves with a large number of items that must be "offloaded". We're pretty sure we don't want to trash them, or give them away. We also know that yard sales are a PAIN and typically just don't bring the money our stuff is worth!

There are many reasons why folks schedule auctions. The most frequent is a business that is downsizing or liquidating. If you've been in business for many years, and have a huge collection of "stuff", an auction will reduce your inventory quickly, even when items are used or obsolete. Some folks who are ready to retire are overwhelmed with the prospect of "going out of business", but an auction can streamline the process. When a loved one passes away, it's frequently necessary to convert the estate to cash. An auction is simply the BEST way to get MARKET value for the estate items. And folks who move from a large home where they raised their kids to a retriement home (or RV!) can liquidate promptly, at market value. Collectors who are divesting themselves from a special interest collection represent another major auction customer.

Ken Patrick, as a licensed Texas Auctioneer (#13322), can set up an auction for you! You can do the preparation yourself, or we can arrange for it at a reasonable cost. Our fees are very reasonable, on a sliding, stepped scale based on the total dollars volume. You need not provide any labor on auction day, but we'd surely be pleased to have you onsite to talk to buyers.

Auction Process

We'll first meet with to you review the items to be sold. At that time, we'll take a few pictures for reference and possible research. We'll also look at the auction site, and discuss initial plans and alternatives. It is not necessary to sell at your site, but that is the most economical choice. We'll also discuss alternative venues for items that may not sell well at live auction.

Once we have a good idea of the items to be sold, we'll come up with an estimated gross revenue. Of course, we cannot guarantee sales, but we can estimate, and base other consideration on that estimate. We'll provide a rate for the services requested and estimates for promotion. You should be aware that higher expected gross sales mean lower selling commissions. Once we've discussed these items with you, we'll work up an auction contract and both parties will sign.

Once you have signed the contract, we can begin with advertising (as approved by you). We can do other promotions as agreed upon, like Postal mailings, eBay item sales with promotions, and of course, update this Web Site. We can also list the auction in other web sites as appropriate.

While we're ramping up the promotions, preparation of the site can begin. Regardless of who is doing the steps, they are the same: Identify, Clean, Organize. Folks will bid more on clean items, and with more information about the items. We organize so that the flow of the auction is smooth and logical, and so that special interest items are presented properly. If items have particular value, provenance, or historical interest, we get those facts attached to the item for buyer review. Items that have little value individually may be "lotted" into "box lots" for sale near the end of the auction. Some folks attend auctions just for these bargains!

If you are doing the preparation, we'll monitor your progress, and provide tips and guidance along the way. As auction day approaches, we'll make sure you're on track and schedule, and provide alternatives if the job's looking too big to finish. We'll also work out the details for auction day, like bathroom facilities, traffic patterns thru your location, security, concessions, etc.

Auction day is your day for FUN! We'll bring our own team of folks to deal with registration, clerking, selling, cashiering, and checkout. All you'll do is observe and provide information when you think it's necessary. And you can schmooze with the bidders all day long, or sit in a lawn chair and watch from afar.

After the auction is over, folks will clear out their newfound "stuff". You don't need to lift a finger! If the auction is large, and has a number of items that require trucking or special treatment, you may need to be available at the auction site over the next day or two to facilitate pickups.

Within ten days of auction end (usually less), we will provide you with a detailed log of the items sold with selling price. We will deliver a settlement that shows the sales less commissions and approved expenses, plus a settlement check.

See? It's simple! Most auctions are completed in ONE DAY, and when it's over, your stuff is pretty much gone! Estate sales, yard sales, and other selling venues are a royal pain to get thru, and many times there's much left over. The goal was to sell it, right? At auction, it's all sold, and you can move on with your plans.

For more information, you can contact us directly:
Ken Patrick, 972-734-2392.