We didn’t start off with all these items when we began doing auctions, but we’ve added things as we’ve come into it and as time went on, with learning experience.

Masks, disposable gloves, and work gloves are a must if you need to do any hard work on site. Notepads and pens if you need to write down notes for anyone on site and bug spray (especially in the summer). Flashlights are crucial – a lot of these properties won’t have power and since it’s dark, you can hold the flashlight against the window to see inside. It’s really helpful when you try to take a picture of the interior of a home, because if you try to take a photo with your cell phone, the flash will flash back at you and you won’t get any image. But if you hold a flashlight against the window, the flashlight will light up the room so you can turn off the flash, take a photo and get a clear photo image.

Umbrellas, headlamps, safety glasses, snacks, water, wood screws can be used if you go to a property and it’s amazing, use these and nobody else is getting into it! We can also take a good look inside a house, put up a few boards and then we’re the only ones who have gotten a good look inside the house.

Hand sanitizer will be used constantly; after every house, in your car, during your evaluation, more than you realize. Some of the individuals still living in these properties are sick too, you will be shaking their hands, interacting with them, so you always must watch out for your own health and be super careful. This makes a big difference and should be part of your routine after every inspecting every property.

We also keep a lockbox in our auction kits, as well. If you do a pre-auction deal or we buy a house during the weekend, it makes it very easy to gain access to gain entry or secure the house. You can keep the contract in there too so your contractors can get in and out without you having to be at the location at all times. Most constables or sheriffs in different cities across the country don’t want you changing locks on a house until you have the deed or until you’ve done a proper eviction, so we mostly use lock boxes for vacant homes.

You should also have power packs with USB chargers so you can always keep your cell phones, laptops, and equipment charged at all times. You will also want to have a drill, a universal tool with pliers, screwdrivers, knife, and a razor which is great for pulling up a corner of the carpet so you can quickly see what’s really going on underneath.

These are just a few of the helpful tips, but see more during a recent live auction trip to Philadelphia we took with some of our TAI students! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO3P8yePJw0

Thanks again for reading and being a part of our TAI Community!

– Dutch