2014 WAA HALL OF FAME HONOR AWARDED TO NELLIE BELAND

The temperatures outside may have been subzero, but inside an Appleton, Wis. hotel it was hot with excitement about the auction industry!

Auctioneers from throughout Wisconsin gathered at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel and Conference Center in Appleton on January 26-28 for “Spotlight on the Auctioneer” Wisconsin Auctioneers Association’s Winter Conference. The conference featured speakers, entertainment and competitions among countless other opportunities. Nationally known auctioneer Mike Brandly, CAI, presented seminars on “Baby Boomers & Demographics” as well as a very interesting seminar on “Auction Verdicts.” Another national speaker presenting at this year’s event included auctioneer David Whitley, CAI, who spoke on several auction industry- related topics. Dr. Jonathan Bock, and speech – language pathologists Carrie Katata and Caroline Ziegler presented on auctioneer voice health.

Highlights of the Winter Convention included the Monday evening Gala & Dinner where some of the Association’s most prestigious honors took place. Auctioneer Nellie Beland of Superior Auction & Appraisal LLC was inducted into the Wisconsin Auctioneer’s Association’s Hall of Fame! Beland has demonstrated her dedication through her leadership in the industry, where she has held many positions including President of the WAA in 2008. Family, friends and staff surprised Beland during the presentation as she received the award.

Beland is the Owner and Lead Auctioneer of Superior Auction & Appraisal LLC, which has been serving Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for 20 years.  Nellie's auction-related education, including degrees and certificates, includes education in the areas of appraisals, antiques, business management, estate specialization, real estate at auction for the non-broker, commercial and industrial equipment, coins, jewelry and Baby-Boomer Collections.  

Beland holds the CAI designation (Certified Auctioneer Institute), graduating in 2007 from Indiana University's 3-year program for professional auctioneers.

STILL feeling grateful:)

We are already more than half-way into the calendar year for 2014 and I am very grateful for another 'booming' year.  In the auction business, you really can't gauge how the next year will be as the buying and selling environment is so dependent on the economy, not only locally but also nationwide. 

We have been very fortunate that our local economy is pretty healthy due to the  Marinette Marine government contracts, the LE Jones & Enstrom Helicopter expansions, the award-winning Winsert Manufacturing Company, and many other local businesses that are doing well!

Although we are extremely thankful that we live in communities that have a low unemployment rate, we also recognize the need to expand the market for the merchandise that we sell through the World-Wide Internet.

Superior Auction offers 'Live Community Auctions' as well as 'Internet-Only Auctions' and have had successful buyers from many states, as well as buyers from Japan, Canada, Italy and other countries....

An obvious trend in today's market is of course, buying through the Internet.  Several of my recent educational opportunities provided interesting facts that are helpful to me in providing the best venue for selling my client's assets.  Last year, ALL of our real estate auctions were 'Internet-Only!... AND we sold all but one property that we contracted for:)  Yahoo!

We are looking forward to the second half of our 'selling year' which will start in August.  (We are trying REAL hard to take a break in July as that has always been a 'soft' month for auctions for many reasons including family vacations, etc)

We are looking forward to the fall real estate, commercial and personal property auctions that we have contracted for - GREAT FORECAST!!    SO... we REALLY won't have the month of July 'off,' but will be working on getting those auctions ready:)

We also want to note some fun summer events in the auction industry that we hope you will like:

Great friend and Oconomowoc Auctioneer Carol Miller will be competing again in the International Auctioneer's Championship Contest on Friday, July 11th and you can view the contest which will be livestreamed through http://www.auctioneers.org/.  (Some of you got to meet Carol at the Piquette Auction in Green Bay recently).  Carol was a finalist in last year's contest and would be an awesome ambassador for our industry!  

AND the 'Wisconsin State Championship Auctioneer's Contest' will be held at the State Fair Grounds in the Milwaukee area on Tuesday, August 5th.  I am extremely honored to be one of the five judges for the contest....AND am looking forward to eating some of those state fair 'heart attack' cheese curds:)!!

If you are at the Wisconsin State Fair on that Tuesday, please stop in to say hello and watch some great talented Wisconsin- Licensed Auctioneers!

FEELING GRATEFUL!

THANK YOU to our buyers, sellers, my 'retired' husband, our staff, professional service providers, food service providers, and other top-notch auctioneers that worked with us last year! It was a fantastic and very successful year for our company and we are very grateful for the solid people that we were surrounded with!!

All indications are that 2014 will be another busy year!  We have four 'live' auctions and one 'Internet-Only' auction scheduled for February, and several other auctions already contracted for in later months.

It felt good to take the month of January off and Gene and I are looking forward to a little more 'R & R' time in March also, although I'm sure we will schedule a couple of auctions that month also.

Some of the exciting merchandise in upcoming auctions include prime real estate, vehicles, antique furniture, several estates, and an excellent fishing lure collection from one owner!

If you have never attended a Superior Auction, we encourage you to give us a try!  We're known as the 'friendly' auction company and also as a pretty fun group of people to enjoy the day with!  We definitely have some fun-loving people on staff that are also very knowledgeable about the merchandise that we sell!

I am sincerely grateful to be a part of the auction industry and for all of our buyers, sellers, and co-workers!

INTERNET ONLY AUCTIONS

Internet auctions are working!!  Superior Auction is still dedicated to conducting live auctions (because they are a lot more funJ) but it is obvious to us that the future of auctions is going to be in an ‘online’ format. 

We have kept pace with the auction industry in learning about the best venues to sell our client’s merchandise, and often that venue is selling on the Internet.  This is especially true when selling real estate and we have had several bidders successfully close on real estate offered by online bidding only.  In fact, in two instances, the buyers bid AND CLOSED on property that they only viewed on the Internet!

Our most recent success was in selling 4 out of 5 parcels on Big Manistique Lake in Upper Michigan!  Another great opportunity in the Upper Peninsula is a stick-built (I should say log and stone built) year round residence in Arnold, Michigan.  This has been a year-round residence for the Christnagel family since Mr. Christnagel built it in 1988.  The outbuildings are all field stone and include a garage/workshop AND an outstanding stone building that could be a great hunting lodge – fireplace included!

The main log cabin has two bedrooms and a 20x20 sleeping loft, as well as an‘open-concept’ living and kitchen area.  The full bath on the first floor also has room for the washer and dryer.  AND, the home comes totally furnished – appliances, furniture, riding lawn tractor, golf cart, tools, and MORE!!  This property is ready for your family, OR for your hunting buddies!!

You can view many photos on our website at www.superiorauction.net and feel free to call our office for a private showing!  Remember that this Internet Only Auction ends SOON- Tuesday, September 10^th! 

Other Internet-Only Auctions through Superior Auction include a great ‘country living’ opportunity which is only a few miles north of the Menominee city limits on Elmwood Road.  The ranch-style home features three bedrooms, new flooring, updated kitchen with new cabinets, attached garage, apple orchard, and a full basement!  The starting bid on this property is an extremely low $45,000 bid!  (This is an estate situation and the family just wants to move on).  Call us if you would like to view this prior to

September 24^th!

We also just contracted for a very nice single residence home at the corner of Currie and Dakota Streets in Marinette.  This is another great buying opportunity as the seller would just like to satisfy the mortgage!  Opening bid on this property will be only $49,000!

Information and photos on this property will be available soon – the Open House will be held on Thursday, September 19^th from 4 to 6 pm.

Check our website as we also have ‘Antique Toy’, and ‘Elvis Memorabilia’ Internet-Only Auctions scheduled!

You can view our LIVE and INTERNET-ONLY Auction schedule on our website – check back frequently as we still have many 2013 auctions that are not posted as of this date!!

Looking Forward!

WOW!!!  Check our website frequently as we have some really GREAT AUCTIONS for 2013 contracted for that are not posted yet on our website!

This is a GREAT YEAR for auctions - AND a great buying opportunity for our customers!!

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GOOD PEOPLE

After a very long stretch of auction preparation, auction appointments, auctions both near and far, appraisals, and office work, I am looking forward to A DAY OFF - YAHOO!

But as I am anticipating spending the day at home with a pot of coffee and a book, I would like to share my thanks and appreciation!

Our company would not have had almost 20 successful years in the auction industry without the 'good people' that work with us!  Our staff ranges in age from 16 to 81 - isn't that amazing??  Most of the 'young ones' come from St. Thomas Aquinas Academy in Marinette, where we have a few connections and former staff that are currently in college and recommend their younger siblings....

Most of our other co-workers have been with our company for years, and some have worked with me in former businesses.  Many have full-time jobs elsewhere, but work with us on a part-time or occasional basis.  They include teachers, trucking company owners, insurance company specialists,  information technology specialists, artists, retail workers, title company employees, farmers, antique dealers, mechanics, newspaper editors, administrative assistant professionals, social workers, and several retired people.  Their expertise is vast and includes everything from coins to jewelry to industrial and commercial equipment to antique/classic automobiles to Internet marketing to Native American artifacts to real estate and MORE! We are so grateful...

Thanks is especially due to Jennifer, our office manage of almost 10 years!  She 'tells me where I am going,' pays the bills, places our advertising, spends hours doing Internet Marketing, schedules our staff, and has wonderful customer service skills!  Our regular contract auctioneers, Larry (Bucky) Schultz, and Joe Cicero, are a LOT of fun and are very skilled auctioneers!  We are also very appreciative of Auctioneer Carol Miller, who we love to 'surround ourselves with' whenever we can get her away from her own auction business!

And by far, the best person that I 'surround myself with' is my husband Gene...I'm pretty sure that he is much busier working for Superior Auction than he ever was in his 40 plus years at Enstrom Helicopter BUT I am also pretty sure that he's having a LOT more fun!  

Thank you Gene, and to all of the 'Good People That We Surround Ourselves With'!  You are all much appreciated!!

(It will be interesting to see by the comments how many of our staff read our blogs)....
Does ANYBODY read these???  

2013 SUPERIOR AUCTION SCHEDULE!!

Our 19th year in the auction industry started out with a BANG!!  The Hamilton Scientific Auction in Two Rivers was incredible!!  Read the previous post for more information!

Our first live, 'on-site' auction for the Medina's attracted well over 200 bidders, and we had a very eclectic array of merchandise to offer!  The 'weather gods' were in our favor, and it turned out to be a beautiful day in a very beautiful setting, at one of Marinette's largest historical homes!  Major attractions were the Ford Model A, a vintage 1974 Volkswagon Beetle, military collectibles, and a hanglider....but there were some really special architectural items sold also!

Check our website often, as we have some very desirable real estate already contracted for...and in the works...as well as contracted auctions for Estates, 'Internet-Only Auctions' of special collections, and coin and antique jewelry auctions.   Check back for more information as we begin work on a very special project!

If you are considering an auction this year, please contact us soon!  We are great organizers and planners, and we will make sure that we have the time and dedication to conduct your auction!  Our office is open every weekday except Thursdays from 8:00 until 4:00 and if we miss your call, we will be sure to call you back quickly!  Our toll-free number is 877-864-2942.