Why Pay For A Government Auction Site |
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Kevin Rogers
10 October 2012
Hi, I have been a Government contractor for many years and one of my favorite things to do has been to attend Government auctions and see what cheap or valuable items I can pick up for myself or to resell. Now in doing this I have undoubtedly and repeatedly run into the questions from friends of what I thought about the many Government Auction Sites on the internet.
Aren't Government auctions free? Why would I use a government auction website that cost money?
Yes, and because it saves time. Government auctions can be free to research if you have the time and patience. Sites like treasury.gov list many items the US Government wants to auction off. The problem is their information is hard to research, and when you can find the right place to search a lot of times their data is old or just not fully up to date. This is the US Government we are talking about, they are not know for being the best in interdepartmental communications and public relations. You may spend a few hours finding a house or car you want to try and purchase proceed to set bids or travel to a auction only to find out the house or car is either no longer available or has been held up by legal battling from the previous owner.
This is where a paid Government Auction site comes into play. You are not paying for the free auctions; you are paying for correct and up to date easy to find and understand information. Some of these sites have a flat fee and some have a subscription. Whichever government auction site you decide to go with you are paying for the ease of finding the information on the auctions and items you are interested in. This is what these sites are good at; this is what they are for.
Scams.
Yes there are a few Government auction sites that are scams, but it is rarer than you would think. I believe the biggest problem is they promise you the world when they don't have to. You've probably seen the adds "GOVERNMENT AUCTION: 2011 MUSTANG only $500"… Yeah that's not going to happen. Will you be able to get a good deal if you attend a Government or State auction, yes most likely but you have to do your research. This is kind of a added bonus to the better Government auction websites. Not only will they provide listings , auction locations and entry requirements, they help you know what you're walking into, they might have videos from previous auctions, they will have articles and tips on how recognize good deals and how to research auctioned items. These can be extremely valuable attributes for the new comer and experienced auction veteran alike. I believe the information put together by the government auction sites I have reviewed do a very good job of keeping me informed and helping me save money and time. That's really what it's all about saving money.
If you decide to use any of the Government auction sites listed on my blog please I invite you to come back and tell me about your experience, what you like and what was of no help what so ever.
Good luck and happy hunting.