7 Red Flags to Watch for When Analyzing Storage Unit Photos
Summary: In the world of online storage unit auctions, photos are the primary resource for deciding whether to bid. Experienced bidders scrutinize every photo, looking for clues that can be red flags or open invitations to bid.
If you have a thing for treasure hunting, buying storage units online might be right up your alley. It is a form of digital treasure hunting that is always full of surprises. A single photo on a storage auction site can spark visions of highly profitable items like valuable antiques and high-end electronics. But watch out. Photos can be misleading.
Seasoned storage auction pros know that bidding based solely on photographs and text-based descriptions comes with a certain amount of risk. Without the ability to actually step into a unit and check it out yourself, your only protection is what you see on your screen. There is always the chance that a storage unit you hoped would be a gold mine is actually a landfill in disguise.
Photo browsing is part of the deal when using storage auction sites to find units. To help you avoid bidding on duds, we have compiled a list of seven critical red flags to watch for as you browse photos.
1. The Big Box Wall
A wall of boxes stacked neatly against the door line is a big red flag. They completely block your view into a unit, so you have no idea what is behind that wall. It could be anything. And remember, winning a bid means taking ownership of everything in the storage unit, whether it is good or bad. You could arrive to clean out the unit and find:
- Piles of worthless trash
- Broken furniture and electronics you will have to pay to dispose of
- Complete emptiness (there may be nothing else but the boxes)
When a photo shows a wall of boxes and nothing else, look for any slivers of open space between the top row and the ceiling. Complete darkness or shading that indicates a sudden drop-off behind the wall suggests that the boxes are just a facade. Be careful about bidding.
2. Signs of Water Damage
Water is essential to life. It is not essential to storage unit contents. In fact, water is the biggest value killer in the storage auction game. Even the most expensive electronics and antiques quickly become worthless when exposed to water. So if you see any signs of water damage in a photo, be cautious. Look for sagging cardboard, rust rings, waterlines, and that telltale white powder that water leaves behind on concrete walls.
3. A Perfect Staging
Most states require storage unit owners to photograph units exactly as they were found. Unfortunately, there are loopholes unscrupulous managers can take advantage of, loopholes that allow them to stage storage units before photographing them. Look closely at the photos. If a unit looks too perfect in terms of organization and cleanliness, it might have been staged.
Unit staging is a red flag because it presents a storage unit as too good to be true. Common staging techniques include placing high-end items or prominent brands at the center of the frame in order to drive up bids. Is it worth bidding a lot on a unit that might have only one or two valuable items? That is your choice to make. But consider why a property owner or manager would go to the trouble of staging when it is deliberately misleading.
4. Excess Low-Value Filler
Next up is excess low-value filler. Filler comes with the storage auction environment. What is it? It is that collection of goods that may be in perfectly fine condition but still do not have any resale value. It's stuff that you will have to sort through and get rid of one way or another. Filler wastes your time and saps your profit.
If you see a lot of filler in a storage auction photo, you might want to move on. Note that it takes time and experience to identify filler on sight. But you will get the hang of it.
5. Dust and Other Disturbance Clues
Although there are exceptions to the rule, most storage units put up for sale haven't been visited in a while. The owner has neither been around nor paid rent. Under normal conditions, this means that photos should show a lack of disturbance.
Take dust, for example. There should be an even layer of dust across the entire unit. If you see clues of disturbance, like dust in one area but not another, there is a good chance someone has been rifling through the unit recently. That could mean the most valuable items have already been removed by the tenant prior to stopping payment, leaving you with the junk.
6. Random Packing
Organized people pack their storage units logically. Careless people are more likely to pack chaotically. Why does it matter? Because heavier items packed on top of lighter items could mean irreparable damage at the bottom of the stack. Plus, valuable items are never just "thrown into" a storage unit on top of a pile.
A photo depicting a storage unit that looks like items were simply thrown in randomly indicates carelessness that could mean plenty of hidden damage you won't discover until clean-out day.
7. A Single Photo
Finally, be wary of single photos on storage auction sites. In the digital world, photos tell the story. So if a manager takes only a single photo from a distance, they may not want you to see what is really in the unit. It is an immediate red flag. If you cannot tell what you're buying, you are better off not buying it.
A good way to conclude this discussion is with a bit of sage advice from storage auction experts: when in doubt, don't bid. Anything that gives you pause is sufficient motivation to move on to new storage units and their photos. You will never lose money on a storage unit you don't bid on. In the end, your instincts will probably protect you from bad decisions more often than they cause you to miss good opportunities.
FAQs
Should I bid on a unit that appears to have been staged?
That depends on your risk tolerance. A general rule is to bid based only on what you can actually see. But always be cautious about staged units. There is a reason someone went to so much effort to make a unit look so perfect.
Should I be concerned about a large volume of plastic totes?
Plastic totes represent a gamble because you cannot see what's inside them. But you can't see what's inside closed cardboard boxes either. Look for other clues in the photo that might help you determine whether an excessive number of totes is a risk worth taking.
How much filler is too much?
The best way to understand filler's impact is to estimate your disposal costs. Unfortunately, you'll need to win and clean out at least a few units before you develop a feel for it. Experience is the best teacher.
Should I look for specific brands?
Yes. Boxes from companies like Home Depot and U-Haul suggest an owner who was organized and prepared when the unit was packed. Also look for recognizable brands on items stored outside of boxes. Well-known brands generally have higher resale value.
