Kiosk Contest Winner !

Grand Prize Winner Announced !  

During the past three months we ran a customer promotion featuring our 24 hour Insomniac Kiosk. Customers who paid their storage bill, updated contact information or rented a new storage unit on our electronic kiosk were entered into a drawing for a $50 Visa Card.

The touch screen machine accepts credit / debit cards as well as cash, and checks. It even dispenses locks for those needing to purchase. Kiosk customers are greeted vocally by our virtual assistant “Megan” who walks you thru every transaction. Our recent contest exposed many to this convenient, reliable method of conducting their storage business.

Tammy Kurran - Winner !

Our winner writes :   “ I’ve had a very enjoyable experience here at Everett Downtown Storage. It’s been so convenient to use the kiosk especially when I cannot make it in during business hours. This method of payment really works for me! “

Thank you Tammy for trying our new technology and we’re so happy that it works for you. Stop by and see virtual Megan or one of our real life customer service representatives today.

Click Here http://www.opentechalliance.com/demo/1.php  to check out the kiosk interface.

Giving you more room to live

Storage Auctions – Facts and Fiction

We’ve been in the storage business for over 25 years and seen our share of delinquent storage units and storage auctions. Really it is a very small percentage of our customers that are unwilling or unable to pay their storage bill. Reality TV has recently cast a very big spotlight on this very small but very real part of our storage operations.

Frankly, storage auctions are one of the worst parts of our job. We are usually aware of the story behind the story of why that customer can no longer afford to pay their storage bill. We have usually bent over backwards trying to find a way for that customer to keep their belongings. We face great legal risk if we don’t follow state laws and exhaust every effort to contact and properly notify delinquent tenants. Occasionally, someone will just fall off the face of the earth but more often than not it’s a very sad and or unfortunate circumstance that leads to the reality of the storage auction.

Recent Auctioned Unit

In the end, only one to two percent of our customers monthly find themselves in a position where a lien placed on their property is enforced in order to liquidate unit contents to generate cash which is then applied to their delinquent storage balance. Public storage auctions do happen, and if you are a reality TV junkie or a fan of SPIKE TV’s Auction Hunters or A&E’s Storage Wars, it is hard not to get caught up in all the excitement. Many see this as a great opportunity to pick up unique merchandise or generate cash as a side business by buying in bulk and reselling in a number of different ways.

ARE STORAGE AUCTIONS WORTH IT?

Our answer …it really depends.

As operators we do not stand to profit from the auction process. Law prohibits operators, employees and their families from participating in any sale of keeping any unit contents. Any monies received over and above what is currently owed on the space must be returned to the renter of the space. This very rarely occurs and it is common to get back 20 to 30 cents on the dollar on unit sale against what is owed in back due rent and associated fees.

From our viewpoint we attempt to quickly determine the probability of a customer in arrears getting caught up and moving thru the delinquency process expeditiously. This does not always happen As we are experts in providing storage solutions, the quicker we can get our non-revenue producing storage space inventory cleaned out and back on the market the better.

Here are some actual excerpts from Washington state law pertaining to storage auctions:

RCW 19.150.080
Manner of sale — Who may not acquire property — Interest on excess proceeds.

(1) After the expiration of the time given in the final notice of lien sale pursuant to RCW 19.150.060, the property, other than personal papers and personal photographs, may be sold or disposed of in a reasonable manner as provided in this section.

(2)(a) If the property has a value of three hundred dollars or more, the sale shall be conducted in a commercially reasonable manner, and, after applying the proceeds to costs of the sale and then to the amount of the lien, the owner shall retain any excess proceeds of the sale on the occupant’s behalf. The occupant, or any other person having a court order or other judicial process against the property, may claim the excess proceeds, or a portion thereof sufficient to satisfy the particular claim, at any time within six months of the date of sale. (b) If the property has a value of less than three hundred dollars, the property may be disposed of in a reasonable manner.

(3) Personal papers and personal photographs that are not reclaimed by the occupant within six months of a sale under subsection (2)(a) of this section or other disposition under subsection (2)(b) of this section may be disposed of in a reasonable manner.

(4) No employee or owner, or family member of an employee or owner, may acquire, directly or indirectly, the property sold pursuant to subsection (2)(a) of this section or disposed of pursuant to subsection (2)(b) of this section, or personal papers and personal photographs disposed of under subsection (3) of this section.

(5) The owner is entitled to retain any interest earned on the excess proceeds until the excess proceeds are claimed by another person or are turned over to the state as abandoned property pursuant to RCW 63.29.165.

SO IS IT REALLY LIKE YOU SEE ON TV?

Yes and No. Some of what you do see on TV is sensationalized in our opinion but there are great finds at any storage auction. And plenty of real life “characters.”
We have had two recent storage auctions in the last two months and our average attendance is around 75 people. Successful high bids have varied from as little as $75 to over $800 per unit but the average for these two sales was approximately $325 per unit.

Treasure or Trash ??

SO HOW DID THE BUYERS REALLY DO?

We never really know but many winning bidders to return for future sales so we assume it is worth their investment of time and money.

As an auction bidder, you need to make a quick visual assessment of items you can see and in almost every case are buying many items sight unseen. Are those boxes empty or full? Is that valuable antiques or just old furniture? How much can I that patio furniture bring? Will I have to make one trip to the dump or several? How much will that cost me in time and money?

Top Tips for Making Money with Storage Auctions

• Bring a flashlight because you have got to be able to see what you are buying
• Try and get as much face time as possible studying the unit. You might have to fight for position
• Ask why did this person rent storage? What do I see that gives me insight to what cant see?
• Calculate and tally item value in your head based on only what you see
• Set rational bid limit after accounting for costs (disposal, time, hauling)
• Armed with your rational limit don’t be an emotional bidder during live auction
• Sometimes the best deals you make are the units that you do not buy
• Keep a cool head and be willing to invest the time to do it right
• Be wary and prepared to buy if you unsuccessfully attempt to bid up and bail
• Have patience. You may have to sort through 10 lousy units to get 1 good one
• Your time is money. The pros have the contacts to move the merchandise
• Turn merchandise quickly. Yard sales and swap meets do take time
• Know what to keep: unique items, items that may increase value, items that bring you personal enjoyment

Storage auction buying can be fun profitable ventures and a great way to pickup personal or “for sale” inventory at bargain prices. Like anything worthwhile it does take time, energy, patience and a plan but as we’ve seen on TV and in real life… that next storage auction find could change your life.

Sign up for our storage auction mailing list to notified of future auctions:

http://www.everettdowntownstorage.com/storage-auctions/

Welcome to Everett USS Nimitz CVM-68

Everett Downtown Storage  is excited to extend a warm welcome to one of our city’s newest resident, the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) a supercarrier in the United States Navy. The lead ship of her class, she is one of the largest warships in the world. She was laid down, launched and commissioned as CVAN-68 but was redesignated CVN 68 (nuclear-powered multimission aircraft carrier) on 30 June 1975.

Nimitz was homeported at Naval Station Norfolk until 1987, when she was relocated to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. After her Refueling and Complex Overhaul in 2001, Nimitz was relocated to NAS North Island in San Diego, California. Nimitz home port was changed to Everett,Washington, in 2010. She is expected to arrive at Naval Station Everett sometime this month.

We’re proud of our community and confident in our ability to serve the storage needs of  our nations finest young men and women as they relocate to Naval Station Everett.

Giving (USS Nimitz sailors)  more room to live ! 

Over 400 Attend Yard Sale / Auction

What's your treasure?

Thank you to all who attended our latest Storage Auction / Yard Sale Event on May 14. It was a day filled with music, food and Fun. A total of 7 storage units were auctioned off and over 40 individuals sold yard sale items directly from storage units throughout the day. In addition, we raised over $300 in raffle proceeds which were donated to Snohomish County Boys N Girls Clubs.   Special thanks to our music vendor Jeff Tipert who’s music kept us all in a great mood.

“It’s a great venue for this type of thing. Beats sitting in my driveway all day. I am pleased with the turnout. I have already sold more than I thought I would” said one seller.

Thanks for the feedback. We look forward to putting on more great events like this in the future. If you did attend and would like to provide us feedback please fill out our survey.  Click this link :  http://www.getresponse.com/survey.html?survey_id=7425

 

Cajun Joy Hotdogs mmmm..

 

Lots of Sellers A day of FUN

Storage Auction & Giant Indoor Yard Sale

Sale Location just east of 37th & Broadway

 SATURDAY    MAY 14, 2011             10am – 2pm      

Storage Wars Auction      12 NOON     

Are you a Fan of reality TV’s  “Storage Wars” or “Auction Hunters” ? Come and experience first hand our next storage auction. You never know what hidden treasures you may find?  Auction bidders please arrive early for registration.     

Yard Sale   10am – 2pm     

• Be a Seller    We do the advertising and bring the crowd so you can do the selling. Our Current storage customers can sell FREE right from their own storage  space!  We welcome all other sellers with day of sale space rentals for $10 (Access your selling space up to one week ahead of time for sale setup). Sign up by May 1, 2011. Proceeds from stall rentals will go to Boys N Girls Clubs of Snohomish County.

•  Be a BUYER     Have nothing to sell? Come Shop. Bring your friends and family to this enormous sale. We’re expecting a good turnout of eager sellers looking to unload    all kinds of items.

RAFFLE PRIZES !   MUSIC !   FOOD (Hot Dogs & Soda) ! FUN for KIDS !      

Heated Storage – Grizzly comes out of hibernation

Heated Storage Den

 Heated Storage – Grizzly comes out of hibernation 

After a long cold winter in heated storage den hibernation, recent sightings have placed these local bears in front of Brown Bear Car Wash at 36^th and Broadway just one block from our newest Everett Downtown Storage location.

Besides being a warm and cozy place to make your winter den, Everett Downtown Storage provides hundreds of private and commercial user’s heated / climate controlled space to store their valuables. 

 

                     Brown Bear Grizzly

What is Heated Storage or Climate Controlled Storage and is it really necessary? 

 The world of self storage offers customers many options, including climate control. Anything other than storing outdoors will provide a basic level of protection against the elements, but blocking the wind and rain is not always enough. Customers with certain types of stored goods will require more protection, particularly when the storage facility resides in an area that experiences extremely high or low temperatures or high humidity. A non-heated, non-insulated space is subjecting contents to these extremes which will have its effect on stored contents over time. The longer you rent a unit, the more likely you are to need to control the unit’s climate with heat.  

Here in the damp Northwest, moisture in the air can have an affect on sensitive stored items such as:  

 books, paper goods, photographs, wood, musical instruments, electronics, artwork, clothing, fine furniture, leather goods  

 Packing your items well will help, but for these types of items your best bet is a heated storage space. Consistent temperature ranges and airflow circulation systems help minimize the potential for damage to your goods due to moisture. Almost all of our storage space is insulated and heated with a temperature range of 50-70 degrees. Air circulation fans maintain constant air movement, a critical component to an effective system.  

Ok so I need it, but will I have to pay more for my heated space?  

Often the answer is NO, so be sure to ask exactly what you are getting when you do your price shopping. With today’s modern and efficient heated storage systems, good storage operators are learning that they must deliver more to their customers. After all we are in the business of storing and protecting your belongings. Ensuring you renting Heated Storage is one way you can minimize risk of damage to your belongings.   

Storage Auctions – Finding Hidden Treasures

Not all treasures are found in a department store or antique boutique, sometimes the best finds can be found through storage auctions. The great thing about these auctions is that often you can find a variety of items that you would not usually find through convential means and get them at a discount price by buying the lot. Some of the storage unit contents are vintage, some related to specific collectables while other items like furniture may seem outdated or used but have great potential once reconditioned.  

What Are Storage Auctions?

Storage Auctions

Personal and sometime business possessions are stored in these storage spaces like antiques, sports equipments, furniture, clothing, electronics, office furniture or excess inventory. Often, these items are no longer used daily by the owners and to free up some space in their homes, they take these household items into a storage facility. The storage unit is being rented out to families and individuals who would like to get some free space in their homes but at the same time have the option to retrieve these items in the future. In the case of a business perhaps they have outgrown their current office space or look to storage as lower cost alternative to making their business more efficient.  The recent economy has had its effect on some peoples ability to keep their storage bills current.  As a result of non payment, a lien is placed against the contents and renters who have been restricted access to the space during the deliquency process, are given legal notice that their property will then be auctioned to the highest bidder. And that is exactly what happens next.  

Shopping Storage Auctions

This is music to the ears of some fervent shoppers. Storage auctions now become another venue to find rare and valuable items that they wouldn’t ordinarily find in the mall. Just to give you an idea of some treasures you can find in these auctions, here are some categories of items for sale but are always sold in whole lots, the good and the bad: Valuable Antiques
There are many antique collectors who go to these storage auctions just to find interesting items to add to their existing collection. You can find a variety of items; from vases, to little ornaments, paintings and even old electronics. 

 Great Bargains
The good thing about these storage auctions is that you can find signature clothes, valuable jewelry, hard-to-find comic books and other utilities for a fraction of their actual cost. It is especially good to buy in bulk when you go to storage auctions, that way you get more value for your purchases and take home loads of new items to make your trip all the more worth it. 

Products with Potential
You can also find some old furniture, sports equipments, appliances and electronics. The great thing about this is that some of these things need only a little repair and refurbishing. You don’t have to pay a full price unlike when you buy a new product. 

 Unique Gift Ideas
Sometimes it is very hard to find unique gifts for your loved ones. Going to storage auctions may just do the trick for you. There are toys, clothing, sports cards, books and music records for sale. You may even find that perfect gift item for a special occasion through these auctions. 

This might come as a surprise to you, but storage auctions really can have a lot to offer. If you’d like to be notified of when we have storage auctions, sign-up here => storage auctions mailing list.

2010 Year in Review

The year 2010 is behind us, 2011 is upon us. We thought you might enjoy this short video capturing highs and lows. We are greatful for all our customers past, present and future. If you or someone you know is in transition or in need of some extra storage space this coming year, please send them our way …….we would love to help.

All our best to you in the NEW YEAR !

Grand Prize IPOD winner announced

 Congratulations to our Grand Prize Winner !

Cindi Wunders - Repeat Customer

  Cindi received multiple drawing entries by : signing up for account access online, email billing statements, subscribing to our newsletter and registering for monthly Autopay direct from her checking account. 

For several months our “ WIN AN iPOD touch “ promotion focused on our technological investments in an effort to make our customers lives easier. Thanks to all those who participated in our drawing. For all those who didn’t win, we hope we succeeded in making your storage experience just a little bit better !

Stay tuned in for details on our next drawing opportunity.

Giving you more room to live !

Storage Wars on A&E TV

Are you a fan of any of these reality shows ?

American Pickers, Antiques Roadshow, Auction Kings, Pawn Stars ……

Well get ready for A&E’s newest series called STORAGE WARS premiering Wednesday,  December 1 on A&E at 10 pm. Evidence that storage auctions have now gone mainstream.

Sign up here for our => Storage Auction Mailing List

So now you know what happens to those who fail to pay their storage bills.

The Washington State self storage statue allows for the execution of a lien sale of all personal property for non payment of rent, fees and other charges incurred. The sale of personal property must be done in a commercially reasonable manner and a live bidding process is most typically the manner in which the sale is carried out. The process is not taken lightly by operators who face substantial legal risk if procedures are not followed strictly and requires numerous attempts and extended efforts to reach those who are contractually liable for renting the storage space. The whole process takes 60-90 days but ultimately these public auctions do happen.

From a storage operator’s perspective a tremendous amount of time and resources are dedicated toward trying to collect on delinquent accounts. With no idea of the storage unit’s contents or its “value” to the renter of the space, we cut our losses and endure the legal risk of executing the lien and sale of the property in order to get the unit cleaned out and back in to inventory. As operators we typically receive 20 to 30 cents on the dollar at auction.  

Sign up here for our => Storage Auction Mailing List

So it is these auction winners who are making a killing right?

There are those in the business who occasionally strike it rich but often times there is a good reason our customers have failed to respond to our numerous efforts to pay their outstanding balance. Quite simply, they owe more that the value of the contents and are less than straightforward about making good on their rental agreement commitment.

Remember these realities of playing the game

• Bidders buy everything in the unit, including the garbage.  Veterans say: “Bid based on what you see, the rest is profit.”
• Bids have ranged from as little as $1 to several hundred dollars or more.  
• Look but don’t touch: Every bidder gets a chance to look in from the door, but no
  one can enter a unit.
• Bidders pay the storage company by credit card or cash and must remove all contents immediately.
• Some say the best items usually are stored in the back.

Do you have what it takes to play this high stakes game of cat and mouse?  If you’d like to be placed on our email auction bidder list please sign up here => Storage Auction Mailing List