Absolute or “with reserve” auction?

Many homeowners seek the best way to sell their property, and auction marketing often emerges as a practical choice. When you look closely at the options, absolute auctions favor the seller. Published minimum bid auctions also place the seller in a strong position. They expand the bidder pool. They increase competitive tension. The pricing often exceeds what seller confirmation or secret reserve formats deliver. Buyers behave very differently when they know exactly how the auction will work. […]

https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2025/12/01/absolute-or-with-reserve-auction/

What is your reputation?

Your auctioneer brand is your professional reputation in motion. It is the combination of your character, competence, and consistency. It is how bidders, sellers, attorneys, and the public describe you when you are not in the room. In auctioneering, perception and performance must align. Authenticity is not a marketing tactic. It is a professional obligation. Auctioneering is a people centered business built on trust. If bidders question your fairness, or sellers question your transparency, […]

https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2025/11/30/what-is-your-reputation/

The “problem” appears later?

Many auctioneers eventually deal with consignors who bring items that look acceptable at intake. Later, these items reveal issues once cataloging begins. It is a power tool that no longer runs. It's a collectible that is not authentic. There is a vehicle missing a title that the consignor forgot to mention. These problems usually only occur once or twice in an auction. Still, even a few can disrupt bidder confidence. They also add stress to your staff. A reliable process begins at check-in […]

https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2025/11/29/the-problem-appears-later/

What exactly is selling to the highest bidder?

It is always entertaining when an auction company loudly announces that everything is being offered to the highest bidder, then immediately adds pages of legal language warning bidders not to rely on anything they just said. Bid confidently, they insist, while also explaining that every photo, description, statement, or whisper should be treated as fiction. It creates a remarkable tug of war between marketing and self-protection. The contradiction becomes even richer when these companies […]

https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2025/11/28/what-exactly-is-selling-to-the-highest-bidder/

All genuine, scarce … but clearly not?

It is always entertaining when an auction company proudly proclaims that genuineness, scarcity, and quality are what they sell, while the terms quietly suggest none of those things should actually be relied upon. Bidders are invited to chase treasures and rare finds, yet the fine print politely explains that nothing said about the items is guaranteed. The thrill comes with a subtle warning: buyer beware. The irony is thick because bidders are enticed by promises of exceptional items, yet the […]

https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2025/11/27/all-genuine-scarce-but-clearly-not/

NAA Headquarters Auction

The National Auction Association’s decision to offer its headquarters property at auction marks a significant and carefully considered step in how the organization positions itself for the future. The announcement that the headquarters building auction is officially live shows that this is not just another real estate disposition; it is a strategic choice supported by changing operational needs and long-term planning for member-focused services. Full property details are available at […]

https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2025/11/26/naa-headquarters-auction/

As if the absentee bidder were part of the audience?

For the most part, absentee and proxy (online) bidders want to bid as if they were part of the audience. For example, someone bids $7,500, and then they can bid $7,600 and be the high bidder. If someone else bids $7,700, they can bid again at $7,800 and be the high bidder again. I found an interesting auctioneer policy that tends to suggest conflicting terms in this regard. On the one hand, the absentee bidder's maximum (limit) is known, but if the live bidder bids that same amount (first), […]

https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2025/11/25/as-if-the-absentee-bidder-were-part-of-the-audience/

Sole and absolute discretion?

Auctions attract drama like bees to honey, but chaos is optional. Clear rules keep bidders confident, the auction moving, and your reputation intact. You post your terms, hope someone reads them, and pray they follow them. Then reality strikes, and suddenly, fine print is treated like optional homework. Welcome to the magical world where discretion meets human nature. This is where legal reminders like Alex Lyon & Son, Sales Managers & Auctioneers, Inc. v. Leach, 846 S.E.2d 51 (W. Va. 2020) […]

https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2025/11/24/sole-and-absolute-discretion/

Are your kids helping with the auction?

Child labor laws in the United States exist to protect minors by limiting the work they can perform, the hours they can work, and the minimum age for employment. These rules are meant to keep work from harming education or safety. Anyone in the auction industry who brings young family members to events should understand these requirements so nothing is overlooked. When minors help a parent who is a licensed auctioneer or operates an auction company, the laws still apply, even though family […]

https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2025/11/23/are-your-kids-helping-with-the-auction/

You need MLS? You don’t.

Welcome to 2026, when the MLS finally reveals itself for what it really is: a nostalgia club that loves charging dues while pretending it matters. Joining the National Association of Realtors costs about $200 a year, not terrible on its own. But local boards have perfected hidden fees, insisting you join the state association and the local board just to access the MLS. Annual dues easily top $1,000, a lot for a system buyers barely notice. Auctioneers and brokers who actually sell property […]

https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2025/11/22/you-need-mls-you-dont/