Between television shows like Storage Wars that make storage unit auctions seem like a part of everyday life and the occasional bout of buzz created when someone in the news lands an expensive item at a storage auction, you are no doubt ready to rent a truck and hit up a few auctions yourself. As cool as storage unit auctions may be, if you plan to go to one, it is best to have realistic expectations before you go. Here is a quick look at a few of the common falsehoods, assumptions, and myths about storage unit auctions and the actual facts you need to know. 

Pretty much all storage facilities hold auctions to liquidate left behind items.

Not every storage facility does hold auctions for units that are abandoned, as there are always other ways to get rid of what is left inside. Some storage facility operators simply donate the contents of the units or sell what looks valuable and toss the rest in the trash. Likewise, in smaller settings, the storage facility owner may host a sale on site of the individual items left behind. 

Storage units must be abandoned frequently by renters. 

This is really not true at all in most locations. Storage facilities that will have the most abandoned units will usually be in densely populated areas where the facility itself is quite large. However, in a regular storage facility setting, units don't get abandoned as often as the general public thinks. People don't want to lose their belongings and will usually go to great lengths to keep the payments on their storage units up. 

You can pretty much always turn a profit by buying storage units at auction. 

The magic of television makes turning a profit on storage unit auctions look easy, but this really isn't always the case. It is not at all uncommon for storage units to be left filled with hardly more than old clothing and a few sparsely filled boxes. There will always be those units filled with good things that you could sell to make a profit, but competition for these units can be fierce, so you will also probably pay a good amount just to get the unit to start with. While attending an auction and buying a unit can be a lot of fun and even profitable,it is always best to go into the event with realistic expectations. 

Call a facility, like U-Stor-It, for more help.