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When somebody stops paying for their storage unit and the company forecloses, they MUST do a complete inventory of the unit, and send it to the renters with details that they are going to sell it at auction.
They know everything that's in the unit, and the former owners will almost always likely come back to remove anything they feel has enough value to bother with. Unless maybe the former owners are dead, etc.
California law appears to only require a general description of the goods, not a detailed inventory. In this case, that would mean the description would include "safe". The storage facility isn't going to open the safe. I think it's also safe to assume that many of the units are described as "many boxes full of stuff". The unit in the story wasn't part of a Storage Wars episode, it was sold in an auction conducted by the Dotsons, who are the most frequent auctioneers in the show. Not every auction they do is on the show.
My (friendly) ex has a storage unit, and I've repeatedly urged him to write down somewhere (where we can find it), the location, locker number, etc. Because if he doesn't, we have no idea where it is, and he's getting up in years and needs to start thinking about making things easier for my son and the other relatives when he passes on.
However, from what he told me last time we discussed it a few months ago, there isn't much of anything of value in there, and he regrets having paid the rent on it for over 15 years. So I'm hoping he might just clean it out and stop paying to rent it. If not, and we can't find where it is, someone is getting a lot of orchid potting medium and some other fairly low-value items if it goes to auction.
So I do understand how these things happen. Lack of communication with family members --> sudden death --> unclaimed locker.
I did notice once that tv show became somewhat popular (storage wars), I would see storage unit auctions in the newspaper a lot more often, I knew a few people that attended, they said nearly everything was all junk, but I guess that can vary greatly, depending on the area.
Seems like that show has been good the storage locker people, auctioning off the contents makes them some extra profit, and more importantly they do not have to empty the unit out, people go to the auctions thinking they are going to hit the jackpot, but do not realize, its similar odds to winning the powerball.
I am one to doubt any truth on a reality TV show. But for fun I'll pretend this story is true. My first thought was why would the person feel the need to settle? It's that person's property now. But if it were me who discovered the money I'd instantly be concerned. What law abiding person keeps that much cash? No I would assume it's drug money and the owner could be in prison. He could also find me very easily and have his boys pay me a visit. Like finding a bag of money under a bridge this would make me nervous.
I am one to doubt any truth on a reality TV show. But for fun I'll pretend this story is true. My first thought was why would the person feel the need to settle? It's that person's property now. But if it were me who discovered the money I'd instantly be concerned. What law abiding person keeps that much cash? No I would assume it's drug money and the owner could be in prison. He could also find me very easily and have his boys pay me a visit. Like finding a bag of money under a bridge this would make me nervous.
Yeah kind of agree unless this is a publicity stunt it would be strange to just come across that much cash and not wonder where it came from since most people keep that large of an amount in the bank.
Good point, but there is a reality show involved? Perhaps that had something to do with it. Maybe the show paid them, it's hard to tell about these things sometime. I also seem to remember that "Storage Wars" came under fire for being staged, which, if true, must have been egregious, because all reality shows are staged, to some degree.
"To Some Degree" ? I stopped watching TV a long time ago, they are produced "just like any other show." Even the Court shows are "staged" .. it's real Judges/"Arbitrators" but the show itself is "Take 1," "Take 2," ....
Storage Wars, Parking Wars, "Oh they are filming something today"
Yeah kind of agree unless this is a publicity stunt it would be strange to just come across that much cash and not wonder where it came from since most people keep that large of an amount in the bank.
Drug dealers ain't most people
(I only have a shoebox with $125 in it now. Twice, have I had north of $500. All tips from the gas station. Get that money...)
I am one to doubt any truth on a reality TV show. But for fun I'll pretend this story is true. My first thought was why would the person feel the need to settle? It's that person's property now. But if it were me who discovered the money I'd instantly be concerned. What law abiding person keeps that much cash? No I would assume it's drug money and the owner could be in prison. He could also find me very easily and have his boys pay me a visit. Like finding a bag of money under a bridge this would make me nervous.
Would not the drug dealer have had eyes on the unit, he wouldn't have let that unit go into auction to begin with. Someone would have claimed it for him long before at the very least moved the money to another unit. If anyone says maybe the dealer was worried about law enforcement/feds watching then someone would still be watching when they came forward to claim the money.
I am one to doubt any truth on a reality TV show. But for fun I'll pretend this story is true. My first thought was why would the person feel the need to settle? It's that person's property now. But if it were me who discovered the money I'd instantly be concerned. What law abiding person keeps that much cash? No I would assume it's drug money and the owner could be in prison. He could also find me very easily and have his boys pay me a visit. Like finding a bag of money under a bridge this would make me nervous.
This is a great point to bring up about these kinds of shows...I very much doubt they are real, like they claim.
I remember the times when everyone thought 'To catch a predator' was real....turns out though, none of it was real, they were all actors and everything was scripted.
I did notice once that tv show became somewhat popular (storage wars), I would see storage unit auctions in the newspaper a lot more often, I knew a few people that attended, they said nearly everything was all junk, but I guess that can vary greatly, depending on the area.
Most of the time, it's just old furniture and boxes and boxes of old clothes and neglected paraphernalia. Nothing you or me would likely choose to bother with, especially at auction.
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