The first question everyone must answer once they decide to attend a government car auction is when the next one is being held. Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple answer which is accurate for every location or type of government auction. As a result, there are a number of variables to consider and several easy ways to find out when the next government auction will be held.
Factors That Affect When Government Auctions Are Held
When looking for a local government car auction, there are three key variables you must consider.
- Type of Government Auction
The first variable to consider is what type of government auction it is. For example, fleet vehicle auctions are typically only held several times throughout the year. In many states and cities, fleet auctions are primarily held in the spring and late summer. On the other hand, government auctions dealing primarily with police impound vehicles are often held much more regularly. For example, the Tow Services Division in Kansas City holds a public vehicle auction on the third Tuesday of every month to sell the unclaimed impound vehicles. In Dallas, similar car auctions are held every Monday.
- Location of the Auction
The second variable to consider is where the auction is being held. For obvious reasons, larger cities have the ability to hold local government auctions more often. Not only do they impound a larger number of vehicles, but they also have more resources to organize auctions on a regular basis. Smaller locales opt for monthly or bimonthly auctions to ensure the listing a large enough to attract buyers on a consistent basis.
- Online, Live, or Both
The final consideration which will affect when government auctions are held is how the public can take advantage of it. Online auctions can run year-round because they allow the public to place bids over an extended period of time, ranging from a week to a month. Live government auctions rarely take place more than once a week at most because it isn’t feasible to hold them on a daily basis. Government car auctions which are held both live and simultaneously online can be held more often than live only auctions. This is because people can bid on vehicles before the auction begins, sometimes placing bids up to a month early. While the live portion of the auction may only be held on a weekly or monthly basis, the auction process as a whole can be extended much further.
How to Find Out About Upcoming Government Car Auctions
There are a variety of different ways you can find out about upcoming government car auctions. In general, the two easiest solutions are to rely on local classified ads or reputable online car auction websites.
Classified Ads
Relying solely on classified ads to find local government auctions has been the primary method people of used for a long time. Unfortunately, the classified ad section can be difficult to track on a regular basis. This is especially true if government auctions are held on regular intervals, such as weekly or monthly, because the ads will only run for a day or two before the auction.
Online Car Auction Websites
The easiest way to find out about upcoming government car auctions is by using a reputable online car auction websites. These websites not only provide you with the date of upcoming government auctions, but also a detailed listing. This allows people to not only track auction dates, but also easily sort through what vehicles will be made available. If the government auction is taking place solely online, you gain the ability to bid directly on the vehicle of your choice. If the auction is both live and online, you gain the option to either place your bid early or bid in real time via a simulcast of the auction.
Across the country, government auctions are held on a daily basis. The key to finding and tracking auctions near you is primarily based upon your location because it will affect how many auctions are held during a given month or year. By leveraging reputable online car auction websites, if you can not only discover when upcoming auctions take place but also take part in auctions across the country. Not only does this gives you a much greater selection to choose from, but also provides more opportunities to find the best possible deals.
