WELCOME TO

HOUSER AUCTIONEERS.com

CATCH THE AUCTION FEVER!

Deciding to hire an auctioneer and conduct a public auction is something that requires a great deal of consideration.  Whether you are relocating, changing occupations, going out of business, handling an estate, or just getting rid of some old items, public auctions offer you many advantages.     

These benefits include:

    Everything being sold for cash

    All goods sold in a single day

    Prices are determined by competitive bidding which in turn creates the fair  market  value or "what a willing buyer will pay a willing seller." 

    NO buyers premium...EVER!

Once your decision is made to conduct a public auction, hiring a fair, honest, and hardworking auctioneer becomes your prime concern.  This is important because the things you will be selling are your personal goods.  In some cases, these goods may have been collected and cherished throughout a loved-one's or your own life.  We treat these goods as a extension of your financial future and therefore obtaining top dollar is essential.  What sets Houser Auctioneers above the rest is very simply what we can provide you the seller. 

Houser Auctioneers provides you not only three generations worth of experience, but also a variety of services many other auctioneers do not provide. Here are just a few of those services:

Personal pre-auction consultations

Inventory lists for advertising

Projected advertising budget

Auction set-up and preparation

Showcases and display tables

A 300 person tent

Mobile auction office

Computer files and individual item receipts

Option to move off-site or conduct on-site

Credit Card use

Video filming 

Liability insurance

Web Exposure for your sale

    Houser Auctioneers is your best choice when getting the maximum return on your goods.  We are Licensed and Bonded within the state of PA and serve Schuylkill, Northampton, Carbon, Lehigh, Berks, Monroe, and Luzerne counties.  Also, Houser Auctioneers has been approved by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. 

"BUYER'S PREMIUM" - NOT WITH HOUSER AUCTIONEERS

Finally, Doug and Tim would like to ensure our customers that Houser Auctioneers does not charge a "Buyer's Premium" to your buyers.  Why is this important? Houser Auctioneers is dedicated to getting you top-dollar for your goods.  Doug & Tim feel that by adding a buyer's premium you artificially lower the price of your goods.  Customers may not bid as high knowing they have to pay a fee on top of their bid.  We want you to know that we have truly brought you top dollar for your valuable items.

In 2007, we added a section to those of you who are new to the auction experience.  Often times, I take it for granted that everyone knows how an auction works, but from the many e-mails I receive, I have learned my assumptions may be incorrect.  Houser Auctioneers looks forward to welcoming new auction fans and this section will list the most common questions/answers I receive. Please understand that some sales may be slightly different than others but these answers should get you in the ballpark.  If there is ever a question, please e-mail or call and I will return your question as quickly as possible.  Also, I have broken this into two separate sections; one for standard personal property auctions and the second for real estate auctions.

Personal Property Questions:

1)  How do I buy at a Public Auction:  If you want to purchase items at auction, you will be required to register BEFORE buying.  All that is required is a visit to our auction clerk with a valid photo identification.  They will ask for a name, address, and phone number.  In return you will be given a buyer's number that acts very much like a credit card.  When you bid/buy, just show the auctioneer your number.  If you are the successful bidder, that number is recorded and sent to the clerk.  When you are ready to go home, simply go back to the clerk and pay your bill.  It's that simple.  Please note, out of state buyers may be asked to provide two forms of ID including a Credit Card.

2)  When can I preview the items:  Unless specifically mentioned in the newspaper or on the web site, preview of auction goods usually occurs 1-2 hours prior to the start of an auction.  For real estates, we often have an open house the week prior, however, viewing is for the real estate only - NOT personal property.

3)  What forms of payment are accepted:  Right now, we accept cash or personal check.  For high end sales, you may see bank letter of certification required.  That simply means a letter from your bank guaranteeing funds available to the amount you are willing to spend.  If you are an out of state buyer, you will be asked to provide multiple forms of ID with a credit card number if you are not paying cash.  In addition, you will be required to talk with the auctioneer should your purchases be significant.

4)  When can I remove items:  After the sale of property, the buyer holds sole responsibility for the safety of the goods purchased.  Often times, goods may be held until a certain point in the auction when they may be removed.  If you have purchased larger items, you will be able to talk with the auctioneer about making arrangements for pick-up.  Please note that at our Mahoning Fire House Auctions, all goods usually need to be removed the day of sale.

5)  Do you have reserves at you auctions?  Very, very rarely do we have reserves on personal property.  If you ask our regular crowd, they will tell you we are the most honest guys in the business.  If we sell items, you will not see them a few weeks later on another auction.  You will not see items being bid up and you will not see many items being held back.  Our normal auctions have no reserve prices.  On occasion, we do have large ticket items (real estates & large machinery) where the seller may want to protect the item.  Again, we do not even bother offering the piece if the seller wants an unattainable goal.  In addition, there are no hidden reserves...on the rare occasion there is a reserve, we will state that there is a reserve and when/if the price has been met.

6)  Can I reserve seats:  If you have a disability or require special assistance, please e-mail or give us a call.  We will be more than happy to help out and do whatever we can.  If you do require help, we will most likely ask you arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the auction.  After that, our helpers are usually getting ready for the the start of the auction.

Real Estate Questions:

1)  What is the opening bid?  There is very rarely a minimum opening bid at one of our auctions.  We like to say it is not where you start but where you finish that counts.  That being said, Houser Auctioneers prides itself on successful real estate sales.  We do not take auctions where the seller is looking for an outrageous or unattainable price.  Instead, we consult with the seller on what is a reasonable ball park amount.  Often times, the price will start low, however, real estate is real estate and in the end, the price almost inevitably finds its way into the ball park figure.  That is one reason why we are so successful with real estate.  Honesty in the value of a property gives realistic expectations to the seller.

2)  Can you tell me what the reserve is?  With any real estate auction, the seller almost always retains the right of reserve.  In other words, the seller can reject the purchase price and declare a no sale if they deem an insufficient bid.  Again, Houser Auctioneers does not take a sale outside the realm of probability.  Although we cannot reveal the reserve price, we will be more than happy to discuss the ball park range we feel the property should reach.

3)  How do I buy a real estate at auction?  Buying a real estate is just like buying anything else...but it's usually a bit more expensive.  Often times there will be an open house the week prior to sale.  There you can ask specific questions.  If you miss the open house you can always walk through/ask questions right up the sale of the property.  On the day of sale, you will register with a valid ID.  Next, the property will be offered (usually around noon at most sales).  The auctioneer will start by reading the terms and conditions of sale.  This usually takes 5-10 minutes.  The terms and conditions generally state properties are being sold free and clear of all liens/debts.  In addition, they state the terms for payment and settlement.  Finally, they emphasize you are buying as is.  It is very important to note that if you bid at an auction, your final bid is a binding contract witnessed by the entire crowd.  It is often video taped and backing out can be extremely costly.  Also, when you bid, you are guaranteeing you can obtain financing for the final sale price.  Failure to have financing pre-approved, would result in forfeiture of the down money (usually 5-10% depending on the sale price).  Immediately following the sale of the property, the winning bidder will sign contract papers for the purchase price and provide down money.  From there, all you need to do is wait until the closing proceedings which usually occur 15-45 days later.

4)  Are there any guarantees:  In short, usually not.  We will always do our best to answer any questions you have about the property.  If we don't know the answer, we can usually find out.

Send mail to Houserauctionnews@Houserauctioneers.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 06/23/08