Oh, Now I Get It!

I’m in the market for a “new” used car, so naturally I’m noticing all of the commercials for new cars. It’s funny because I don’t remember there being so many car commercials on television. It’s only now that I’m in the market to buy a car that I am noticing and listening to all of the commercials.

The same is true when you finally realize you may need to sell things for any number of reasons and you’re looking for a venue to sell these things. Perhaps you’re at a stage in life where you’re trying to downsize, perhaps you have an elderly parent moving into assisted living, or perhaps you have lost a relative and you are now an Executor or Executrix needing to liquidate an estate.  Hiring an auctioneer to handle this for you may seem very foreign because you certainly don’t see a lot of commercials for auctioneers, so how do you find a qualified auctioneer? That’s where I come in.

Liquidating an entire estate can seem like a daunting task, but auctioneers are quite used to working with these situations. It’s actually what we do best! You’ve probably noticed auction signs from time to time but didn’t pay much attention unless you were in the market for hiring an auctioneer. Then, you noticed all of those signs and you also started noticing all of the other auction advertisements.

I’m going to share a little inside information with you…there’s a strategy to putting up auction signs and it’s all about timing. We don’t like to post auction signs onsite too far out from the auction date and we don’t like to post signs too close to the auction date either. Here’s why: you will typically drive by an auction sign for a few days before you actually notice the sign. Then, you will look at that sign every single day until auction day. If an auctioneer puts that sign up too far in advance the sign will become invisible after a couple of weeks and you will stop looking. You’ll forget about the auction until you notice the sign is gone. If an auctioneer puts up the auction sign too close to the auction date, you may not feel like you have time to prepare and just think to yourself, “well never-mind”.

So how do you hire the right Auctioneer for your particular need? Research. More than likely, you may not have even thought about hiring an auctioneer to help you with your particular “sale” need. Start with professional organizations like the Tennessee Auctioneers Association (TAA). There, you’ll find a listing of all of the members of the TAA. Or, simply ask around. Word of mouth is still the best advertising.

We are a professionally regulated and licensed industry, and we answer to an Auction Commission under the Department of Commerce and Insurance for the State of Tennessee. Since we are a licensed and regulated industry, we’re continually updating our education to reflect new market trends and new ways to simply be better and more efficient at what we do.

From contract to close, a professional auctioneer can assist you with whatever you are selling, whether it’s real estate, personal property or business equipment. There are also many different auction sales platforms to consider; live, online only and even simulcast auctions. There is a huge buying market nationwide, and marketing your assets to the right buyer group is vital.

So, the next time you have something to sell, or know of someone who is handling an estate or real estate and needs to sell, think of hiring a professional auctioneer. It’s probably going to be the best decision you make. Now do you get it?