Federal Government Auction Challenges - The Hard Facts
By Buzz Clem, Auction Expert
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The federal government gets the most attention from those promoting auctions.
Yes, the federal government holds regular auctions. In fact, several different agencies may auction off items to the public at one sale.
However, these aren't all ideal.
There are some things that limit the appeal of Federal government auctions. For example, let's take a brief look at the three major limitations.
Location
This statement may seem obvious, but... where an auction is held, is where it is held.
An auction being held in Boulder, Colorado may be difficult for someone in Chicago to participate in. Where you live doesn't bar you from taking part in any auction but it can make it less than worthwhile.
Travel expenses, or finding someone to bid on your behalf can add to expenses. This doesn't make sense for people trying to get great deals on merchandise. If you are bidding on a home in an area you would like to relocate to, or are bidding on very expensive items, then travel may be a comparatively negligible cost.
On the other hand, the Internet has leveled the playing field and it is now easier than ever before to land the deals you are looking for from anywhere in the world.
Inability To Inspect Items
Automobiles, homes, and electronics sometimes need to be seen first hand before any bids are made.
Other items may benefit from inspection too, but to a lesser extent for the most part. There may also be a certain time when bidders are allowed to inspect items. If these items are too far away, the gamble may not be worth it.
Here is an example:
A lot of about 200 various chairs were seized due to tax delinquency.
As usual, all such items are sold as is. There was a brief description, and two photographs of these chairs in the back of a semi trailer.
You could not tell what more than maybe a dozen looked, and there was no way to determine how sturdy or comfortable they were. Obviously, before making a bid you would want to know this kind of information to make sure you would be getting a good deal.
On individual items, the descriptions are often much more explicit and therefore not such a problem when you're wanting to win.
More Competition
Even with the limitations mentioned above, federal auctions are among the most popular.
They are the best known, and the ones where the greatest amount of information is on. Because of this, with the number of people aware of them, the bidding competition can be very high.
There are people who make their living purchasing items from the government and reselling them. These individuals have learned exactly how to bid, how much to bid, and are able to research the items more readily. Don't let this scare you, but do keep in mind that federal auctions tend to have more participants.
So, there are three of the major limitations of national auctions. While these challenges can make things difficult, the Internet has made it much easier to find great deals.
With all of the good deals out there to be had, it is definitely worth trying federal auctions. Now that you know what to look out for.
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