Today's net haul from the auction: 4 properties.  Just housing lots, no houses on them and mostly cleared land.  

It was amazing to see these people at the auction bidding up junk properties, like they hadn't done any research at all. A very small, dilapidated old house that was falling apart? 11k.  Another old house where the roof had caved in and the walls were buckling? 2k.  The house I wanted went up to 15k. I was only able to go up to 10k before I had to bow out of that one.

The 5 acre property that would have made a nice RV park? Bid up to 15.5k, out of my reach.  And a bunch of these lake properties that I wanted nothing to do with.  A lady bought up a bunch of them cheap - but I think she's going to regret that decision.  All of the properties are on a lake, yes, but they are also in an HOA and there are numerous restrictions on them.  It was too risky, IMO, not knowing if there are back payments on all of those properties with the HOA. I was tempted to buy one of them, but I decided it wasn't worth the risk.

Okay, I did impulse buy a 2 acre lot.  It went cheap, I hope I'm not in for a nightmare.  The property has no address attached to it and looking it up online there is no info except the property value at 24k.  Good risk or bad? I'll find out soon enough. I put a call into the tax appraisal district and am awaiting a return call.  

Deeds are sent out in the next several weeks, they informed us, but you can't do anything with those properties for at least 6 months.  

Oh and mobile homes! A giant one, starting bid was $30. Lol. No idea what  condition and not at all interested in buying one without first having a place to put it. The property description plainly stated that it is to be moved, yet these people who were doing "lower bids" were bidding on everything.  

Ahh and I found out what I have. 2 acres - in undivided interest, a 1/6 interest in 12 acres of land.  That means no one person owns the 12 acres and it is divided up between 6 different parties. Sounds like trouble.  More information needed, will be researching that particular subject, never actually heard of it.  

So, that consumed most of the day. It was 37 degrees out there. They don't hold those auctions indoors, they are held outside, in front of the county courthouse.  Rain, shine, snow, hot, cold they do it.  Anyway, I'm going to have to save up much more money to get the property I need if I'm going to do it at one of these lien auctions.  Ok I could have had 7 acres today for 5 grand, but I had already checked that place. Just barren property, no trees, out of the way and not a good location for an rv park. I guess I need about 15 grand to get the size property I need, judging from today's sales and the last time I went.  

Meanwhile I'll be researching what kind of housing I can put on the vacant lots. If I could put a mobile home on any or all of them, that would turn out to be a nice little cash cow eventually.  Rent them out, have a nice steady flow of income.  I don't have money to be building houses on any of these properties. There are those mini-houses, again, I'll have to check zoning in this town, 3 of the properties are within city limites, the undivided one is out in the county, it's all covered with woods, I have no idea if anyone has built anything on it but I bet it's a great hunting area.  Deer, hog and who knows what else.  I was given a phone number for a lady that owns a part of that interest, I will be calling her - after I get my copy of the title. Want that in hand.

One thing today has done. Even tho I didn't get anything I really wanted, I did end up with several properties and paid very little money for them.  I quit at 4, figured I better find out what might happen. The dude that is rich? And buys all of the good ones? He was talking with another man who also knows nothing about this stuff and says it's usually a money making proposition.  Did he get that kind of wealth just doing this? buying and selling these properties?  I figured he spent minimum 150k on dozens of them.  

So I'm a bit enthused about all of this.  Perhaps the beginning of a lucrative new journey? Time will tell. Oh I forgot to throw into this mix: You have to pay right after the auction, lol. And they don't take personal checks or credit or debit cards. You have to either get a money order or get a cashier's check. They give you an hour to do so!  That little tidbit of info isn't stated in the pamphlet they give out to everyone, would be helpful.  For I had thoughts of buying property beyond what I have in the bank and simply taking out a small personal loan to cover it.  Good thing I found out this information, that takes a couple of days to get the money in your bank.  For the right property, yes a small loan of 4 or 5 grand would be worth it.  Pay it off in 3 years - that's what the terms of those loans are I have 2 of them now paying off old credit card debt.  The payments aren't too high.  

Meanwhile, my manager texts me yesterday, strike that: he texts both of us yesterday, the 2 of us that went to Vermont 2 or 3 months ago: any chance you guys would go up there again?  I dunno, it's getting cold up there. And it snows, I do believe.  Beautiful summer retreat, I'm sure. But winters?  Icy and/or snow covered roads.  Not the greatest driving conditions.  

I'm thinking about it tho. Work has slowed considerably.  I asked my manager for a concession tho if I decide to do it:  I need a kitchennette, not a regular hotel room.  I do not want to eat out for weeks at a time. That wastes a lot of time and it gets old.  Sure, eat out here and there but every day?  Go to the local supermarket, buy what I need and cook for myself.  The Marriott Residence Inn in that area would work nicely, thank you.  They had me staying at a Marriott last time, just not a kitchenette type of thing and frankly, I far prefer the Residence Inn.

I guess I'm going to have to make up my mind on that - like tomorrow.  Ugh.  I'll sleep on it.