Gourt > Business > Investing > Real Estate > Auctions
An auction is the process of buying and selling things by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder. In economic theory, an auction is a method for determining the value of a commodity that has an undetermined or variable price. Auctions can be with reserve or minimum, or without minimums, or absolute or no reserve. In reserve auctions, there is a minimum bid or reserve price; if the bidding does not reach the minimum, there is no sale (but the person who puts the item up for auction may still owe a fee to the auctioneer or auction company). In absolute or no reserve auctions, the sale is guaranteed, with only the price left to be determined. In the context of auctions, a bid is an offered price.
Auctions are publicly seen in several contexts and almost anything can be sold at auction. Some typical auction arenas include the following:
- the antique business, where besides being an opportunity for trade they also serve as social occasions and entertainment
- in the sale of collectibles such as stamps, coins, classic cars (by Kruse International for example), fine art, and luxury real estate
- in the sale of all types of real property including residential and commercial real estate, farms, vacant lots and land
- for the sale of second-hand goods of all kinds, particularly house clearances and online auctions
- in commodities auctions, like the fish wholesale auctions
- in thoroughbred horseracing, where yearling horses are commonly auctioned off; and
- in legal contexts where forced auctions occur, as when one's farm or house is sold at auction on the courthouse steps.
Although less publicly visible, the most economically important auctions are the commodities auctions in which the bidders are businesses even up to corporation level. Examples of this type of auction include:
- sales of businesses
- spectrum auctions, in which companies purchase licenses to use portions of the electromagnetic spectrum for communications (for cell phone networks, for example)
- timber auctions, in which companies purchase licenses to log on government land
- electricity auctions, in which large-scale generators and consumers of electricity bid on generating contracts
- environmental auctions, in which companies bid for licenses to avoid being required to decrease their environmental impact
- debt auctions, in which governments sell debt instruments, such as bonds, to investors. The auction is usually sealed and the uniform price paid by the investors is typically the best non-winning bid. In most cases, investors can also place so called non-competitive bids which indicates an interest to purchase the debt instrument at the resulting price, whatever it may be.
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A.J. Billig and Company - Full service auction firm specializing in real estate in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Meta Description: [ Auctioneers serving the Baltimore, Maryland area. Auctioneers for real estate, liquidations, equipment, land and much more. ]
Action Auctions - Company specializing in commercial, residential, and industrial property sales for New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts.
Meta Description: [ real estate auctions in New Hampshire, Maine,and Massachusettes by CAI auctioneer Walter Liff ]
Assiter and Associates Auctioneers - Represents individuals, municipalities, government agencies, public and private companies.
Meta Description: [ Our number one mission is to ensure that our clients receive the top quality results they require and deserve while making the auction process a no hassle, turn-key solution. ]
Auction Advantage - Search for foreclosures and events across the nation.
Meta Description: [ Auction Advantage is your one-stop source for Real Estate Auctions on the Information SuperHighway ]
Auctioneer - Listings of future property bidding in the Virginia, North Carolina, and West Virginia areas.
Meta Description: [ American Auction Gallery specializing in real estate, antiques, estates, land & farm sales ]
Carolina Auctions - A directory of North and South Carolina and Virginia public sales and liquidations.
Christenson-Elms Auction Company - Specializes in accelerated sales of distinctive properties worldwide.
Meta Description: [ Real Estate Auctioneers based in Palm Beach County Florida, Christenson-Elms is a leader in auctions of distinctive real estate properties worldwide. ]
Crye-Leike Auctions - Services offered in Tennessee and Mississippi. Search for an auction or auctioneer. Explanations of the auction process and formats.
Dempsey Auction Company - Licenced auctioneers serving AL, GA, NC, SC and TN. Commercial, industrial and residential real estate, machinery, farms and equipment.
Fahey Sales Agency - Listings of upcoming auctions in Minnesota as well as agent contact information.
Meta Description: [ Fahey Sales Agency, Inc. was founded by Joe Fahey, Sr. (1919-2002), in 1947. Since then we have grown to know and serve hundreds of people, like yourself, throughout Minnesota. After closing many Real Estate transactions, conducting thousands of Auctions & providing clients with accurate Appraisa... ]
Fuchs Auction and Realty - Specializing in real estate brokerage, auctions and appraisals.
Meta Description: [ Fuchs Auction & Realty - The Nationally Recognized Award Winning Real Estate And Auction Company ]
Great Estates Auction Company - Buy or sell luxury homes and prestige estates across the US.
Meta Description: [ Grand Estates Auction Company specializes in luxury real estate auctions throughout North America and the Caribbean. ]
Higgenbotham Auctioneers International - Residential, commercial, and industrial real estate, fine antiques, estates, business liquidations, equipment, intangible, and other assets.
Meta Description: [ Higgenbotham - Industry innovators and leaders for 46 years. Specializing in Real Estate Auctions. Our experience is your safety net. ]
Hilbrands Auctioneers - Bid for properties in different prices ranges, including farm land listings in Minnesota.
Meta Description: [ Hilbrands Real Estate and Auction Co located in Willmar Minnesota specializes in ]
Hudson and Marshall - National real estate firm, based in Georgia.
Meta Description: [ Hudson and Marshall auctions assemble the greatest number of buyers in an open market for an immediate sale at the highest possible price. ]
Land Disposition Company - Raw property sales company for lots throughout the US.
Meta Description: [ Find land for sale from land auctions across the country brought to you by Land Auction. ]
Louis Boyleston Realty and Auction - Real estate bidding for Florida and Alabama.
Meta Description: [ Real Estate Auctions & Auction Marketing for Florida and Alabama Real Estate auctions. Louis Boyleston Realty & Auction Inc. is a family-owned-and-operated, full-time professional auction company specializing in the sale of real estate and personal property at auctions. ]
Manning Auctioneers - Full service web site serving the Northeast since nineteen seventy six.
Meta Description: [ Real Estate Auctions at jjManning.com, an online real estate auctioneer selling all types of real estate in the Northeast! Contact us at http://www.jjmanning.com or call 800.521.0111 ]
Mozingo Auctions - Company selling properties in Mississippi. Includes real estate listings.
Progressive Auction Exchange - Bid online or in person for real property nationwide.
Meta Description: [ Progressive Auction Exchange PAX AUCTIONS, auctioneers of real estate for institutional and government sellers utilizing a hybrid live / internet auction system providing fair market value prices to sellers and bargains to buyers ]
Progressive Auctions, Inc. - A real estate auction company.
Property Auction - Provides sellers a free and convenient method to efficiently liquidate their investment properties for fair market value.
Meta Description: [ PropertyAuction.com The on-line destination for the
real estate auction community. ]
Property Auction House Malaysia. - Property auction house Malaysia. Licensed property auctions. Private auctions session available.
Meta Description: [ Malaysia Property Auction Portal. Information on malaysia auction properties, real estate, land, bungalow, condominium, apartments for auction. ]
Property Auctions - Database of properties available in the UK.
Meta Description: [ Gateway to the UK property auction market. Database of properties available at auction with guide prices, results, and catalogue request facilities ]
Robert Deiro and Associates - Services include liquidations of property as well as land and home bidding.
Meta Description: [ Deiro & Associates - Real Estate Brokers and Auctioneers - Las Vegas - Auction - Foreclosure ]
USA Land Sale - Properties and land in all fifty states.
Meta Description: [ Find land for sale from land auctions across the nation, as well as online with eBay Live Auction. (Land in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, California and more). ]
Woltz and Associates - Specializes in large land tracts, farms, timber and mountain land, commercial, investment and industrial properties across the US.
Meta Description: [ Woltz & Associates, Inc. Real Estate Brokers & Auctioneers is one of the Mid-Atlantic region's largest real estate auction companies and is licensed in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Minnesota, Louisiana, Alabama and Colorado. ]
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