About Colonel Walt Cade and Storage Units
Colonel Walt Cade is the Leader in storage Unit Liquidations. Keep watching our main page here for a list of our upcoming storage units. Please remember only the best call us. When they have the GOOD units, they call Walt. It may seem you pay a few dollars more, but its not true, you get better quality finds, More often! More value!Our Auctions are with preformed with class, not as junk dealers. You will find our auctions to be a step above the rest. We perform Millions of Dollars in Storage Unit Liquidations, each year, so you will get experience and value.
We will even do 1 single unit, We feel if its good enough for our Unit Managers and Owners to call us in, We owe it to our bidders and buyers offer it to them via auction. So 1 unit is worth coming out to bid.
We are always ready to assist new buyers along the way. We do have a large following and many very experienced buyers, but we feel their experience can only enhance a new comers skill, and our buyers are more than happy to help you along the way, it seems they are actually very anxious to share their knowledge.
Walt has been referred to as the Busiest Auctioneer in East Texas, So come on out and see what we are all about, or at least email us to get on our email notification system so we can email you when we have auctions coming up.
GETTING READY TO BUY AT A STORAGE AUCTION
* Normally a member storage unit is affiliated with the state association. In Texas it's the TSSA (Texas Self Storage Association). By this association they bind themselves to a certain logic in the forclosure process. If this concerns you just call the TSSA and they will tell you what the standards are. In short, the Facility has an obligation to follow law and procedures leading up to the lockout, and eventually an auction announcement in the local paper. Usually, they open the unit, Take pics, then advertise it in the paper, usually also setting the auction date, by name and a brief description of the contents. They do not enter the unit. Then on auction day they remove the facility lock, or their over lock and or cut the lock, if they just placed a seal on it. This process may vary a bit but is so the facility will know if the unit may have been tampered since advertised. This is all a very delicate and detailed operation as the facility will want to protect them selves from the original owner from ever coming back on them.
Before you ask, No they do not go in them, They have to open them and inventory, they photograph the contents and then advertise them, If they didnt do this they would advertise 40 lockers, and you would go from locker to locker only to find 1 that had anything in it and a waste of your day. The renter has the right to redeem their unit right up until Auction, If anything were to be removed, the renter might very well have a claim of theft, and the facility wants no part of this activity.
If a licensed auctioneer is in charge, he too will ascertain that the letter of the law has been followed, else he will leave or refuse to work for that facility, So in short, if there is no licensed auctioneer there, you might have cause for concern!
Be sure and listen to your auctioneer's opening announcements at the beginning of the Auction, for storage unit auctions he will tell you (and the most ads they put out too) will make it clear what type of auction it is. For example, most Texas Storage auctions fall under Chapter 59 of the Texas Property code. There are others too, he will announce them. If for any reason the sale is NOT a Chapter 59 sale, like one that belongs to a an individual being sold as a personal favor, the auctioneer SHOULD clearly announce it as NOT a Chapter 59 sale and will identify it as a private party sale, if and when this happens, most auctioneer's repeat this information over and over and over, so as not to confuse anyone during the sale.
* Look for storage auctions that use a Licensed Auctioneer, not a storage unit employee.
* A Licensed Auctioneer is bound by state regulations & laws, in addition to all the Storage unit Laws, Standards, and Requirements. He will announce his license number, & answer any questions at the "Auctioneer's Opening Announcements".
* Usually you will be issued a Bidder number to bid with.
* Don't think you get a lower price without an auctioneer, it may seem lower, but that's because the units have little value, have been pilfered, or there may be other reasons, be wary of such auctions.
* Experienced Storage Unit Auctioneers, use a different pace than a normal auction, they should be very patient. The facility wants as much as they can get, so they want him to do a good job.
* Pay attention to the overlock or seal process, you will feel better about bidding. Licensed Auctioneers will help hold the unit management responsible for legal requirements for you.
* Show up with a truck or trailer big enough to haul what you might buy, you save by removing in one trip.
* Bring cash, some facilities, will take a debit card, credit card, check etc, but don't count on it.
* We recommend you bring Locks, Gloves, Flashlight, Broom, & Umbrella or rain gear.
* Normally you will not enter & you will bid from outside the doors.
* Be sure & leave the unit broom swept, & clean. The facility is in the rental business, not the auction business, they want them empty & rented. If you fail to leave a unit clean, deposit or not, you may be denied future bidding, even at other locations, or even billed for clean-up.
* Some storage units will require a deposit for cleanup, be prepared to pay it. Many auctioneers work an arrangement to forgo cleanup deposits all together.
* As soon as you win your bid, YOU OWN IT, just pay at the office, & do so right away!
* Please remember, the Storage units are not fond of auctions, it costs them valuable time and resources, they would much rather get their rent, so on auction day, they want you to take care of business quickly professionally. The staff and crew are probably waiting to leave until you pay out, please do so before moving your merchandise.
* Be sure & turn in, to the storage office, Family Photos, Tax returns, personal items, you dont want them anyway. Not Required, but, If you would please, take a moment to package it well, and mark it with the date and unit number you bought.
-------------------------Recent Amazing Storage Unit Finds at Walt Cade Auctions----------------------
Here is a list of the most unusual finds this year in storage units we sold. Remember, Walt Cade Auctions gets called for the very best Storage Auctions. These are the only ones we have had reported to us.
Paid $7500, bombardier boat with only a few hours on it. Value $12,500
Paid $250 for Unit; Matching 30 year old moped, Yep They ran! Value $2500
Paid $450 for Unit; Found a safe, with Gold, Silver, Diamonds, and Pearls, and Cash. Total Haul over $9500
Paid $950 for Unit; Over $10,000 in Comics all sealed in plastic many over 60 yers old
Paid $200 for the Storage unit; Found 5 year old Honda Gold Wing after putting a battery on it, it cranked right up.
Paid $10 for the Storage unit; Found $3500 in Jewelry in it.
Paid $200 for the Storage Unit; 1972 Convertable Ford Mustang, (Parts Car).
Paid $950 for the Storage Unit; $8200 in Cornwell, Craftsman and other Name Brand Tools.
Paid $200 for the storage Unit; several thousand dollars in collectable sports cards
Paid $250 for the Storage Unit; 1965 fully restored immaculate 2 door Cadillac.
Paid $1500 for the Storage Unit; over 10,000 worth of Staging, Guitars, Lighting, Mixers, and Electric Pianos, belonging to a well known band, along with autographed memorbilia for resale.
Paid $80 for the Storage Unit; Found $800 in cash, $1500 in Gift Cards, and a 2 Carot Diamond ring, all in a dresser. Viewing showed only a ragged dresser and 1 black Bag.
Paid $300 for the Storage Unit; Found 2 Rolex Watches his and hers.
Paid $500 for the Storage Unit; Jewelry box with over 100 pieces of unknown jewelry that looked nice, buyer not reporting details.
Paid $250 for the Storage Unit; Discovered $62,000
Paid $1800 for the Storage Unit; Full of antiques, Last count was buyer had sold most for over $21,500.
Paid $700 for the Storage Unit; over 50 coin albums in various conditions, Buyer did not sell but got an apprasial, all he told us was in the 5 figures.
Paid $5100 for unit; 2006 Ninja motorcycle, and a Seedoo mini boat, total value $13,500
Paid $3500 for Unit; 2001 Kawasaki Ninja Motorcycle with 1566 miles on it.
-----------------------------------Forum for Storage Buyers--------------------------------
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Walt Cade, Ats, Bas, Ces, TxLic# 16645 LaLic#1726
305 D K Ellis Rd, Longview, Tx 75602, Phone: 903-738-7821
