NOW YOU HAVE TO DECIDE IF IT'S ALL FOR YOU

Okay, you have by now attended a few auctions in your area. Now you must decide if this is for you or not. If you're going for the route of buying storage units there are a lot of choices to be made. The best way to put this in prospective for you is simple, if you ever rented a Uhaul and moved yourself, you must think back to that and ask yourself, how easy or how hard was it. If you had friends helping you move you must take them out of the equation and put the move totally on your shoulders. If you can say it wasn't bad, then good, if you remember it as a sore back and  pure pain to sit, stand or move then it may be time to run from this venture. It is simple, every unit you buy has to be removed in a 24 hour period and a small household can fit in a 10X10 if packed right. The next thing you have to consider is where are you going to take the items. Many of you, most likely will not have trailers, moving trucks or the equipment needed to move heavy/large items from the get go, so you will have to rent a truck (and things like hand-trucks and blankets) and return them in 24 hours or pay more. If you don't have room at home or you're not allowed to store at home due to HOA rules you have to factor in the cost of getting a storage unit. Which in many states can be as much as a car payment. You will have to make sure you have disposable income go to and buy at storage auctions. The TV shows will show you the clean end of the business and not the hard work that these buyers go through day in and day out. Other things you as a buyer must remember:  You buy it all, you can't use the property's dumpster and you CAN NOT leave things you don't want behind. This means dump and landfill fees. Which again can cost alot and cut your profit to a loss quickly. Also, remember all hazardous items are yours as well, and many if not all, have special disposal requirements and that too becomes yours to deal with. This sounds like an interesting and profitable venture, and at times it can be, but the expenses involved can take some if not all profit out of units purchased if you are not careful.  After all this said, the next blog will deal with your legal options, after all you're starting a business that requires licenses and taxes be paid. With all the TV shows coming out UNCLE SAM, who has not up til now not taken an interest in this money making venture is going to start cracking down on it and you had better be dealing with it properly or you can get your self into real trouble.  The last thing you want to do is jeopardise your belongings and home when the tax guy wants his. Check in next week for the blog on the things I learned over the last 15 years in this area.