How to estimate a storage unit from photos
Start with items you can identify, not boxes you hope are valuable. Use recent sold prices for visible goods, reduce those prices for condition and completeness, and count sealed or obstructed containers as unknown. The visible resale estimate is the optimistic ceiling—not the revenue forecast.
Then apply a recoverable-value percentage. This single haircut absorbs the risk that furniture is damaged, electronics are untested, boxes contain low-value household goods, or desirable items are incomplete. When photos are poor, the haircut should be severe.
Costs that storage auction bidders miss
- Buyer’s premium and tax: the hammer bid is rarely the amount charged at checkout.
- Truck and travel: include fuel, trailer or box-truck rental, mileage, and tolls.
- Cleanout: price dump fees, bulky-item disposal, bags, gloves, and required sweep-out.
- Labor: include paid helpers. Treat your own unpaid hours as an additional hurdle when judging the result.
- Selling friction: marketplace fees, payment processing, supplies, returns, and discounting reduce gross resale value.
How the maximum storage unit bid works
The calculator starts with recoverable resale revenue, subtracts selling costs, hauling, cleanout, labor, other nonrefundable costs, and your target profit, then backs premium and tax out of the remaining amount. If the result is below the live bid, the unit no longer supports your target under the assumptions entered.
When upfront costs are financed, the calculator reduces profit and the maximum bid for a simple carrying-cost estimate: financed upfront cost × APR × hold days ÷ 365. Actual credit-card charges can differ.
Run a downside case before bidding
Re-run the unit with a lower visible resale estimate and a lower recoverable percentage. A unit that only works when every recognizable item sells near the top comp is not conservatively underwritten. The safest bid is the one that survives ordinary disappointment.
Frequently asked questions
What recoverable percentage should I use?
There is no universal percentage. Photo quality, access, category mix, condition, season, local demand, and your sales channels all matter. Use your own results when available and lower the percentage when uncertainty rises.
Should I include my own labor?
The calculator includes paid labor as cash cost. If you do the work yourself, compare expected profit with the hours required and reject units that do not pay an acceptable effective rate.
Does the calculator value hidden boxes?
No. Treat hidden contents as unknown. Speculating about an unseen collectible is not a reliable basis for a bid.
Are storage auction rules the same everywhere?
No. Facility terms, payment methods, taxes, buyer’s premiums, deposits, pickup windows, and cleanout rules vary. Read the listing and facility terms before bidding.