How to Shop Online Auctions + My Latest Yard Sale Finds

October 12, 2020

Written by Daisy Montgomery

Yard Sale Finds: $2 Collection of terra-cotta pots to fill the porch with one day.

I know, once again, I’m posting another yard sale haul! However, I’ve shaken it up a bit this time. I have a newfound bargain-shopping love…online auctions!

Oh man. It’s like a whole new world. If you love hunting for treasures at great deals, hear me out.

It’s ironic, though, that I’ve just now fallen in love with auctions. Elijah’s family has owned an auction company in town since his grandfather first started it years & years ago. Comas Montgomery Realty and Auction Co. It’s a whole family affair! It’s in Elijah’s name, Elijah Comas Montgomery. He was raised on auctions! In high school & up until recently, it was his job to “lot the auctions.” When his dad was selling the real estate, Elijah & his buds took pictures of the personal property in the house & described it for the online auctions. Most of his Tuesday & Thursday afternoons were spent at auction pickups, where people came to pay & pick up their things.

Yard Sale Finds: $1 Stool. Going in Elijah’s shop.

When we started dating, I remember being oddly surprised when he knew the names to all of my mom’s glassware in the kitchen. I guess he knew that was my kinda thing, and it cracked me up every time. I still find it hilarious when he tests crystal or pulls out big words like “Fostoria”.

Yard Sale Finds: $2 Vintage Crock, $2 Nashville Milk Glass Bottles, $4 Glass Canister

Occasionally, I accompanied him on a Sunday “open house” while people came to see the lots in person before the bidding ended. I typically found myself shopping whatever room I was assigned to. Funny thing was, I was always too intimidated to bid. It’s literally the easiest thing ever, and I laugh at myself now for never bidding.

Yard Sale Finds: $3 Black Marble Slab. I see charcuterie boards in our future!

They’re constantly lotting the property from the neatest houses…dozens of old farmhouses & houses on Main Streets.

What made me get into auctions most recently was our need for furniture! During classes these days, I find myself constantly scrolling & searching…

Yard Sale Finds: Brass Bowl, Wooden Bowl, Woven Bowl (Can’t remember prices!)

Yard Sale Finds: Mini Brass Duck $1…Elijah gets the credit for finding this at a yard sale!

Lately, I’ve been on the search for an old wardrobe, so that we can have some more closet space to hang our clothes in. I’m realizing that two tiny closest is just not gonna cut it with both of our clothes, ha! I’m also searching for a lantern to hang over our door on the front porch. I have something in mind, and I’m eagerly waiting for the right one to come along.

Yard Sale Finds: $1 Pair of Mini Frames & $2 Basket

Yard Sale Finds: Battery powered candles….25 cents each!

Here’s how I shop online auctions…

How to shop online auctions:

Visit auction sites & start scrolling through the Personal Property Online Catalogs. Though I may be a tad bit biased, my favorite site is most definitely Comas Montgomery! 🙂 However, I’m a slight traitor on occasion (which they give me a hard time about) & shop Bob Parks, Maples, and Pink Flamingo. I also found HiBid Auctions, where you can shop multiple auctions across TN at once by searching for specific items in the search bar.
Register to bid on the site! It’ll walk you through the steps to create an account.
Once you have an account, add items to your “watch list” to remember your favorites.
Attend the open house if you want to see the items in person before bidding closes. A lot of times, I don’t go when I’m bidding on a smaller item!
Stay updated on when the auction closes, and consistently check the bid. You can set what you want your high bid to be and it will bid in increments for you until it reaches your high bid. After that, you will receive texts or emails to let you know that you have been outbid, so you can easily stay in the loop & increase your bid when you want to! Confession, I’m awful at this & have lost out on some pieces of furniture that I’m still mourning. Pay attention to those texts and emails letting you know that you have been outbid!
Also, most auctions have “buyers premium,” which means a percentage (most likely around 10%) will be added to the sale price, so be on the lookout for that!
They will email you if you win the bid, and you’ll schedule a time to get your item on pick-up day!

Elijah’s cousin loves to decorate mid-century modern, so I sent her the link to this amazing dresser that was going for one heck-of-a-deal! The picture on the right is a super fun example of how to decorate with mid-century pieces. Just an example of the finds you can snag. I think the key to shopping online auctions is being able to picture the items in your space.