Here at StoreRight Self Storage in Lecanto, we do have Lien Sales on a regular basis. In Florida, the correct term is “Lien Sale”, not actually “Storage Auction”. It is a necessary aspect of this business. Although in an ideal world, everyone would pay their bills promptly and we would never have to sell our tenants’ belongings; that’s unfortunately not the reality.
So, if you have always been curious about what a real Self Storage Lien Sale is like, you can come watch one for yourself here at StoreRight in Lecanto. Keep in mind, you’re not going to see a film crew here, and all kinds of crazy characters! This is real life, not a “reality” show. Our next Lien Sale is scheduled for August 15 at 9 in the morning.
If you’ve never been to one, you might find it pretty interesting. Certain aspects are just like the TV show. For example: the lock on the door gets cut, the door is rolled up, and then the crowd gets to look inside the unit. No one is allowed to touch anything or move stuff around to get a better view. The auctioneer will give everyone time to see what they can, from the doorway of the unit. The people who have been coming to storage auctions on a regular basis are usually prepared with flashlights.
The bidding begins, and that part is also like the show, except the Lecanto lien sale attendees are just regular folks. The bidding ends, and then the crowd will move on to the next unit to be sold that day. At the end of the sale, all the winning bidders are required to settle up with the auctioneer, and they’re also required to give StoreRight Self Storage a cash cleaning deposit.
Then all the fun begins! Seeing what’s in all the boxes and totes and behind the furniture! Usually the winning bidders come prepared with a trailer or van to clean out the unit. Most of the time, the unit is completely cleaned out the same day as the auction. Once the unit is emptied and swept out, the winning bidder will get his or her cleaning deposit back.
Some of the misconceptions that I’ve come across since I have started managing StoreRight are that people seem to think they can bid on individual items in the units. That is not correct, it’s all or nothing. If the unit has an antique rocking chair that you want, you have to bid on the whole unit, not just the chair. Then you get everything in the unit, and you’re responsible for cleaning it out entirely.
Another area of confusion is on the number of units up for lien sale. For example, we may start out with 8 units in lien sale status, but by the time the actual Sale date arrives, some of the tenants may have paid their rent. So it might only be 5 units in the Lien Sale.
Although you may have read in the Citrus County Chronicle that StoreRight Self Storage has 8 units in their lien sale, it’s a very strong possibility that the tenants’ friends or relatives may have seen that same legal ad, and they may have decided to help out the tenants who are down on their luck.
The best thing to do is to call StoreRight at 352-527-9777 a few days before the Lien Sale and we can give you an update on how many units are going to be up for bid. We also update our Facebook page with details on the number of units up for Lien Sale. We do NOT put the names of our tenants online, only the number of units, time and date of the auction.
If you’ve never been to one, you can satisfy your curiosity by attending the next one at StoreRight Self Storage, on August 15 at 9 A.M. Come early to fill out the bidder’s registration form. Our gorgeous crape myrtles are all in bloom right now, maybe they’ll still be some flowers in August! We’ll be happy to welcome you to our facility! Call 352-527-9777 if you have any questions!
Thanks!
Nancy, Jaci & Norm
