Find Self-Storage Auctions

Tennessee Self Storage Association Partners with findselfstorageauctions.com as the Official Listing Source for Self Storage Auctions in the State of Tennessee

The Tennessee Self Storage Association (TNSSA / www.tnssa.net) is proud to be the first state to partner with Find Self Storage Auctions; bringing Tennessee one step closer to aggregating their state’s auction listings into a single, official database. Find Self Storage Auctions (http://www.findselfstorageauctions.com) is a Self Storage Auction Listing Directory showcasing up-coming Self Storage Auctions in All 50 States; Visitors can find Storage Lien Auctions in any city across the country.

Find Self Storage Auctions is a next-generation, dynamic, online Self Storage Auction listing directory developed by Self Storage industry insiders. Used as a tool by self-storage associations, it becomes a tangible benefit to their membership and a service to the public. By creating the official source of storage auctions in the state, free to the public to search, it helps to guarantee the accuracy and integrity of the listed information. By using this listing directory as the primary source, the amount of time it takes the public to find a storage auction is significantly reduced, as well as the need to search multiple websites or advertising mediums to find listings.

Dee Sharp (William Knight Insurance Agency), the Tennessee Self Storage Association 2010 and 2011 Board President, commented:

“Our Board immediately saw the value of this partnership and the benefits it would bring to our members. Find Self Storage Auctions provides our owners an additional, and very affordable, venue to advertise their lien sales. This partnership will allow the association to be the ‘official’ source of auction listings in Tennessee. It is important that the public know where to get trusted information.”

The process of taking a self-storage unit to auction requires a tremendous amount of time and financial resources, and almost never results in the recovery of the facility’s investment in either. The auction process is cumbersome enough without advertising limitations. In an information-driven world, the key to the Self Storage Auction process is in helping the public find accurate listings.

Lien law modernization is sweeping through state associations, subsidized in part by the national Self Storage Association via a legislative matching funds initiative. With lien law changes comes an opportunity to modernize the entire listing process, and expand upon the boundless value the internet provides. By using Find Self Storage Auction's search engine friendly dynamic database, facilities can maximize online exposure, and update auction listings as they see fit. Furthermore, there isn’t a time limit imposed on a listing. Operators are free to list as far in advance as they see fit; the longer the better from an internet search perspective.

Due in part to the popularity of the recent storage auction reality shows, it is critical that accurate information be available to the searching public. Find Self Storage Auctions assists members in reaching auction attendees by making State, City, Facility, # of Units, Contents of Units, and even Auctioneer, searchable.

Tennessee's Association President, Dee Sharp, further commented,

“While any Tennessee self-storage facility may list an auction on the site, association members will receive a substantial discount in the listing price. The Board of Directors views its partnership with Find Self Storage Auctions as an additional member benefit. We anticipate the TNSSA conversion to be complete no later than March 4th, 2011.”

FindSelfStorageAuctions.com was created in 2009 by Richard Marmor, member of the board of directors of the Arizona Self Storage Association and noted self-storage lien law author, and James Appleton, Technology & Communications Chair of the Arizona Association, and technical expert in website design/development and search engine optimization (SEO).

Spare Foot

Sparefoot.com a start-up website connecting tenants with storage facilities reached an additional $1.5 million in series B funding this week.  The company was founded in 2008 by Chuck Gordon and is based in Austin, Texas.

The site allows potential tenants to comparison shop by price, unit size, and other amenities for more than 5000 storage facilities nationwide.  The service is free for consumers to search and make reservations.  Facilities gain new tenants through a pay for performance revenue model, based on a referral fee for every customers sent to their business. 

The parent company Classified Ventures, Inc. also operates the websites apartments.com and selfstorage.com.   Since the addition of Sparefoot.com, the company is now the largest advertising network for self-storage in the United States.

Elephant Art

How much would you bid for a one of a kind electric guitar hand painted by an African elephant?  Wendy Dio, the widow of Black Sabbath guitarist and front man of Dio Ronnie James Dio hopes you will open your heart and your pocketbook.  She is working in collaboration with the foundation set-up in her husband’s honor Stand Up and Shout Cancer fund and the Asian Elephant conservation project to raise funding and awareness.

 
Three trunk painted guitars and 100 other celebrity signed instruments will be sold in an auction this fall.  See more of the elephant artwork on The Asian Elephant Art and Conservation Project website

Painted Rocks

Gracie Zenz an artful 10 year old was inspired to create her own version of street art after watching the quasi Banksy documentary “Exit Through The Gift Shop”. 

She wanted to create something that was artsy, stealthy and public but not damage public or private property.   

The idea of painting rocks bright colors, with funny faces was born. 

The artist enlisted the help of her dad, a children’s book author and her siblings to paint and decorate the stones.  A total of 48 stones were placed in fun places around town. 

See more pictures of where the stones ended up on the family’s blog Chicken Nugget Lemon Tooty.

Watching Our Figures

Relocation Insurance Group's  innovative online reporting system has compiled a year-end report of market trends and statistics for our moving insurance program. We are excited to share with you our first annual Relocation Insurance Group Facts and Figures Newsletter. Did you know we insured 11 urns last year? I guess people are dying to get moving insurance. Enough with the bad jokes, lets talk statistics. It may come as surprise (or maybe not) that customers wait until the last minute to purchase coverage; the average is four days prior to the move. The majority of our monthly policies (39%) are purchased at the end of the month between the dates of 22-31, while only 18% are purchased at the beginning of the month, from 1-7. The beginning of the week is our busiest time to purchase moving insurance. The majority of customers  purchase coverage  on Monday and Tuesday. Our customers take the weekends off too, Saturday and Sunday are the slowest times of the week for purchasing policies. Relocation Insurance Group's customers are not early birds, as only 1% purchase coverage between 4am - 6am EST. Most policies are purchased in the afternoon between 12pm - 2pm. On an interesting note, Relocation Insurance Group  insured 7 vinyl records, 6 Victrolas, 4 banjos and 3 doll houses in 2010 and 700% more Christmas china, 80% more tuxedos and 60% more cuckoo clocks than in 2009.

What are the most interesting items you have moved?  How many days in advance  do your customers schedule a move?  Share your thoughts on our blog.