Anyone have auction tips????

[Curtis B]

I am going to my first (non real estate) farm auction tomorrow. They have some items I am interested in, and I am hoping to get a good deal aka lucky. Any tips for a first timer?

[marinemomtatt]

SIT ON YOUR HANDS until the items you want come up for bid, and no matter how much you 'want' that item don't go overboard!
Been there done that...and it can be SO MUCH FUN!!!!
Good luck...oh, and make sure you are warm, have your own munchies and TP stashed in your pocket.

[Darren]

Know what things are worth. Set your price before hand and only bid that amount. It's real easy to get into a competitive bidding situation and wonder how you could have spent so much money after you get stuck with the item for an unreasonable price.

[Timberline]

Don't jump in with a bid immediately. Often they will start an item at, say $10, and then drop down to $5 if no one bids, and drop lower if no one bids at $5.

[switchman62]

As the others have said, take care to NOT make it a competition with the other bidders. The auctioneers make their money by getting people into the "game", making it fun, etc.
Dave

[Curtis B]

I have been searching for the items I am "going for" for so long, I know my limits before even seeing them in person. For some reason I have been watching alot of auction shows on TV, my big worry is that I hear the price correctly from the fast talking.

[switchman62]

some auctioneers are better than others but, if you listen to them for even just a few minutes you can usually start understanding them. If you are unsure just be close to one of the ring guys and ask them where the bid is at. they will take your bid for you and relay it.

Dave

[uncle Will in In.]

Don't bid against yourself. It's easy to get exited about getting the item you want, and bid again before it's your turn to bid. Some shaddy auctioneers will except your bid even though they know you were already the high bidder.
Get up where you can see whats going on before your item comes up, and get used to how the auctioneer takes bids. Set a maximum price you will pay in your head before you start. Even that don't stop some of us if we really want the prize for sale.

[7thswan]

The Auctioner will be easy to understand. Go early, get your number and look at everything real well. Watch people if you plan to bid on a box lot, people will often take all the goods and put them in one box leaving junk in the others. If there is more than 1 item , they will take highest bid as the winner on bidders choice, you will also get to pay same price for all or let the bidding continue. Don't worried too much about the auctioneer making a mistake and think you are bidding when not, they look at your face, they will notice your interest and body language. You will only have to make the slightest movement and they will know. Some people will use their number in their hand, others nod their head.Auctioneers also usally have helpers to watch the crowd for bids.

[marinemomtatt]

We went to an auction in Redmond a few years ago, I saw a Win.30.30 I wanted, I didn't tell my husband. The bidding started, my husband about fell out of his seat when I raised my numbered card. I stopped at $300, I was outbid, he looked to me to bid again, I declined. He was so proud of me, he was surprised I knew where to stop even though I wanted my own 30.30.
Now if he'd been bidding he would have gone on until he got the gun...~lol~...

You'll get to where you can hear the prices correctly, your brain compensates quite quickly.

I'm serious about taking TP, just about every auction I've been to has run out before the bidding had ended for the day...ladies room/outhouse as well as the men's.

[Timberline]

Know the terms: lot, choice and "times the money". Seems like every auction I go to, they end up having to resell an item because the winning bidder didn't realize how the item was being sold. Auctioneers tend to grumpy after having to do this a couple of times.

Say there's 4 cast iron pans you like. They are being sold as a lot. You win the bid for $5, so, you get all 4 pans for $5.

If they are being sold "times the money", you get all the pans, but they are $5 each.

If it's choice, you get to choose the pan you want for $5. You can take one or all. Generally, the winner takes the best one, and then the auctioneer offers the losing bidder choice for 5. Then, they see if anyone else wants one for 5. If not, they sell it again, and it usually brings a lesser amount (because you took the best one).

It's fun to watch when there's a big table of items that they sell choice. The bidding goes up and up and you're just dying to see what the winner wants so badly. Sometimes, it's predictable, most of the time it isn't.

No insult meant if you already know this, but it seems like there's always someone at the auctions who didn't know, and they get confused when they thought they got a whole bunch of items for cheap and it was actually that much for each thing.

[Danaus29]

Don't take my dh. He bids on stuff no one else wants. I can't tell you the number of dollar boxes of junk he's brought home. But he's hit the jackpot too. He ends up with a number of valuable and rare old tools that no one else wanted because they didn't know what they were.

Know what you want to bid on and your maximum price before you raise your hand. And auctions are a different as the people who attend them. What you might pick up for a couple bucks at one auction will go at higher than retail pricing at another auction.

My uncle has one big tip, watch out for the retired farmers who view auctions as entertainment. They have the money to spend and some of them are out to beat other bidders. Doesn't matter that the item is practically worthless, if they get top bid they win.

If you bought something with a misunderstanding let the auctioneer know immediately. They might restart the bidding (but you better not bid on it) or they'll sell it to the next lowest bidder. It's happened at every auction I've been to, even the produce auction. Auctions are noisy busy places, both confusing and fun. Many people do go just for the entertainment and gossip.

[kimmom2five]

Have a lawn chair in your car just in case the auction doesn't have any place to sit.
Watch the people around the edges of the crowd. If some of them bid on everything, but don't ever win, they might be driving the bids upward for the auctioneer, illegal but done.
If you stay until the very end you can get some good deals sometimes.

[Cheribelle]

I always position myself so that I can catch the auctioneers eye. I have even been known to wave wildly while running back from the bathroom!

[grandmajo]

If at all possible, IMMEDIATELY take the items that you've won to your car and lock them inside. I've seen too many people at auctions who left their winnings set until the auction, only to come back and find them gone.

And if you see someone that you know in the crowd, don't wave or nod to them. It's a good way to bid on something that you don't realize that you're bidding on, lol.

[Ed Norman]

Don't act like a big shot. At a gun auction once, there were 5 new in the box Winchester 410s, made in the 1930s. The first 4 went for $15-2000. The rest of the crowd was amazed at the serious collectors. The 5th came up for bid and auctioneer said who will give me $1000 to open? An old guy in overalls with his grandkids smiled and said he would. And that was the only bid. He had that watery grin like you get right before you lose your lunch.

Most of all, set your price beforehand and don't ever go over. You will lose some stuff but that's fine.

And if somebody is getting a real steal on something, you can toss in a bid if you are feeling mean.

[Nature Man]

Here in this part of Michigan, at farm auctions, the auctioneer will put smaller items and box loads of items on a hay wagon called a honey wagon or jewel wagon, for the auction. They usually start the auction at this site and work their way around the farm yard with the bigger items like furniture, machinery, tractors and etcetera before selling the farm last. If its a big auction two auctioneers may be working at different locations on the property.

Just before starting the auction the auctioneer will set the terms of the auction like local checks only and credit cards. He will also tell the crowd where he will start selling and in what direction he will go around the property. A good auctioneer will usually know about what time he will be at the tractors or whatever part of the auction.

Many times the farmer will be at the auction and the auctioneer will point him out so you can ask him about an items working condition. But remember once you buy it its yours so inspect the item carefully before you bid on it.

Bill

[foxtrapper]

Originally Posted by Curtis B

I am going to my first...farm auction tomorrow....Any tips for a first timer?

The ONLY way to win and get something is to pay more for it than anyone else there thinks it worth.

[Yvonne's hubby]

keep your hands in your pockets unless you are sure you want to buy.

[plowjockey]

Don't be discouraged, if you find, there are not really that many "bargains", to be had, at auctions any more.

New stuff is getting more expensive daily (sales tax too), which is pushing up the prices paid for used items - big time. People want what they want at auctions and will pay accordingly, especially if they plan to resell on eBay, fflea markets, or elsewhere.

Plenty of farmers and retirees out there, with pockets full of money, does not help either. Sometime it seems like rich Socialites, bid-fighting over a Van Gogh, at a Sotheby New York auction. You just shake your head, on what is paid for some items.

Have fun as it is always interesting and yes, you may still find a great bargain, while you are there.