Frequently Asked Questions?

If you’ve never been to an auction before, just relax and have a good time. The auction experience is informal, fun, and certainly can be a chance to find terrific furnishings for your home or office at great prices.

Here are some questions we often are asked, and what we hope are easy answers for you.

Why should I pay an annual membership, if I can still attend and not be a member? Invitations are extended only to members and homeowners within the community where the auction takes place. Builders request that BAC extend an invitation to their home buyers as an expression of gratitude. Also, while it is possible for friends to tell friends of an auction, restricting access to the website should reduce attendance and create a more comfortable outing for bidders.

How many auctions will be conducted annually in the area where I live? I would say we anticipate at least 45-50 auctions a year in Houston, 20-25 in the Dallas Ft. Worth area and at least 15 auctions annually in Atlanta, GA and Chicago. We also hold auctions regularly in San Antonio, TX; Raleigh, NC; Charlotte, NC; South Carolina; Denver, CO; Virginia and Washington DC area; Maryland; Tennessee; Ohio; Indiana; Florida; and Detroit, Mich.

Where will the auction take place? We will begin the auction Inside the model home with lot #1 and continue in numerical sequence.

Do we go room to room and how will you fit everyone in? We try to conduct the auction from the largest room in the house, bringing smaller items from other areas, and encourage people to use the catalogue and thoroughly inspect the larger items so we don't have to test our neighborliness by fitting 50 people in a smaller room.

Who starts the bidding? You do! The Auctioneer will announce an item number, and suggest opening bid, although the auction bidders are ultimately in control of the opening bid, because there are no minimum bids. However, the auctioneer does maintain control of the increments in the advancement of bids. For instance, if an auctioneer receives an opening bid of $100 for a sofa and is asking $150 for the next bid, the auctioneer has the right to refuse any bid lower than what is asked.

Who starts the bidding? You do! There are no minimum bids; however the auctioneer will ask for an opening bid which is usually lower than what a similar item sells for at an average auction. If no one bids, the auctioneer will lower the asking price. Please note, while the auction is a no-minimum bid auction, the auctioneer controls the increment of bid increases. So let’s say that the auctioneer is asking for $125 on a sofa and someone yells out a bid of $105, the bidder will probably reject or ignore your bid. By controlling the bids, the auction will move along at a quicker pace.

Are children allowed at the auction? Builders Auction Company discourages children under the age of twelve purely out of concern for their safety. The auction is crowded and no child should be left alone, unattended. No room in the model is a “game room” for children to play. We love all children, so please leave your children at home with a sitter.

How long will the auction take? We will sell about 100 lots an hour. A lot is an item or group of items sold as one.

When can I remove my purchases? As soon as you pay for them. After getting your receipt from the cashier, just go get your items and take them home. You'll be asked to show your receipt to one of our staff members. Do not remove items from the house until you have a receipt in hand.

Do the dining room chairs and table sell as one lot? It depends. If a table and chairs are a matched set, they will sell together. If the chairs are unmatched to the table, the table will sell separately and the chairs will be sold "times the money".

So what is "Times The Money"? Like every other business, the auction business has to have its own jargon. “Times the money” means that when similar or compatible items are being sold, the price for one item is multiplied by the number of items sold. For example, if the auctioneer announces that two similarly styled upholstered chairs will be sold two times the money, and you are the high bidder at $125, you will pay $250 for the chairs.

The auction terms say I can pay with cash or approved check. What is an approved check? It's a check that won't bounce. Seriously, it's a check we approve through TELECHECK, just like in most grocery or department stores.

Where do I pay? The cashier is located at the same place you registered.

How long do I have to remove my items? You will have one hour following the auction to remove purchases.

What's the 14% buyer's premium? The buyer's premium helps defray some of the auction expenses thereby making this sale possible. If you win a bid for $100, for example, your total purchase will be $114 plus, of course, sales tax.

Who or what is Builders Auction Company? We are an auction firm based in Houston, TX. Since 1996, Builders Auction Company has been selling home furnishings for home builders across the country. If you would like to be placed on the mailing list for future auctions, please submit an annual membership fee of $20.00 to the cashier.

That's about it. If you have any questions, check with one of our staff members. Otherwise, have a good time, find some good bargains, and relax.

Best Regards,

Bruce Sutter

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