Where is the Best Place to Find Government Auctions? If you're a thrifting fan or love getting more for less, auctions might be the pastime for you. Government auctions, specifically, are public sales events where the government (federal, state, or local) sells property that has been forfeited or seized. Unlike other types of auctions (like an auto auction), which tend to be more specific to particular items of interest, government auctions offer tons of different items. Some of these include real estate, vehicles, electronics, boats, clothing, heirlooms, and more. You can also find government auctions that offer surplus items from the government entities themselves, like office equipment or even buildings that are no longer needed for government work.
Best Option
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All Surplus is a large online government auction site where you can find surplus items from a variety of government sellers, from vehicles and furniture to real estate and even airplanes. It offers thousands of listings with flexible buying options like bidding-style or fixed prices, and All Surplus is easy to search by category or seller. With top ratings from the BBB, All Surplus earns a full 5 stars in our review, and a top recommendation for auction fans of any level.
Government Auction is a great place to find affordable land, fine jewelry, and unique collectibles through daily online auctions. Each auction features over 100 lots, and while the overall selection is smaller than some other sites, the deals can be impressive. With excellent customer service, strong ratings, and a solid reputation, Government Auction is a reliable choice for anyone looking for land at low costs or a fun new jewelry item with rare or otherwise costly gemstones.
Very Good
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Gov Deals is a government-only auction site where you can bid on everything from vehicles to real estate, with over 23,000 active listings. It has flexible buying options like no-reserve auctions and fixed-price purchases, and the prices range from less than a dollar to over two million. While the selection is huge, this government auction site may be better for those who are more experienced with auctions, but Gov Deals remains a competitive choice all around.
Good
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Police Auctions is a mix of government auctions and public ones, with listings from police departments and sheriff's offices as well as regular sellers. It's free to join and has fun $1 no-reserve auctions, but some listings, especially from the government side, can only be seen after signing up. While Police Auctions has an "A" rating from the BBB, mixed reviews about product quality and a somewhat confusing layout keep it from ranking higher.
Average
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US Auction Online is a government auction site that specializes in art, collectibles, and jewelry, with most items starting at just $1. It offers both reserve and no-reserve auctions, along with a satisfaction guarantee if an item doesn't match its description. While US Auction Online doesn't list which government agencies the items come from and has little online buzz, it's still an interesting option for those interested in gems, vintage pieces, or fine art.
Fair
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Property Room is an online auction site that features seized and unclaimed items from police departments, along with products from private sellers to expand the selection. Most auctions start at just $1 with no reserve, and you'll find a mix of jewelry, electronics, and vehicles, though not much real estate. While Property Room is a fun site for casual bidding, high shipping costs and mixed customer reviews make it better suited for bargain hunters than serious government auction shoppers.
Subpar
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GSA Auctions offers a wide range of government surplus items like vehicles, equipment, and manufactured housing, with over 800 auctions available at the time of review. Most auctions have hidden reserve prices and require careful attention to pickup or shipping details, making it less beginner-friendly than some other sites. While there are good deals to be found, poor ratings and reports of item condition issues make GSA Auctions less ideal for beginners or those hoping for usable items.
Weak
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Public Surplus is a government auction site where you can bid on items from schools, agencies, and city departments across the US, including real estate, vehicles, and equipment. It offers thousands of live auctions with prices starting as low as $1, but most items have reserve prices, and buyers are often responsible for pickup. While the site has a large selection, its low customer ratings, hard-to-use interface, and reports of fake bids and poor item quality make Public Surplus a less preferred choice compared to better-rated platforms.
Poor
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Gov Planet specializes in military surplus and government equipment, with over 22,000 auctions and the option to bid, make offers, or buy items right away. Most listings include an inspection report through its IronClad Assurance, which helps buyers understand what they're getting from this government auction site. However, Gov Planet has major issues with customer service and reports of undelivered items, making it a risky choice.
Flawed
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Government Auctions is a membership-based site that requires a credit card just to start a 3-day trial, and full access costs $19.95 per month after that. While it advertises auctions for cars, homes, and more, the listings are often outdated, and details are hidden unless you subscribe. With low ratings, missing reviews, and better free options available elsewhere, Government Auctions gets our lowest ranking.
Continued from above...
If you're a thrifting fan or love getting more for less, auctions might be the pastime for you. Government auctions, specifically, are public sales events where the government (federal, state, or local) sells property that has been forfeited or seized. Unlike other types of auctions (like an auto auction), which tend to be more specific to particular items of interest, government auctions offer tons of different items. Some of these include real estate, vehicles, electronics, boats, clothing, heirlooms, and more. You can also find government auctions that offer surplus items from the government entities themselves, like office equipment or even buildings that are no longer needed for government work.
The best thing about government auctions in the modern age is that you can choose how you want to attend them. While in years past, finding a local government auction was the only way to get some of these goods at great prices, you can now attend many auctions online, which allows you to bid and manage your buys from the comfort of your home. While some auctions are still conducted in person, you have a lot more choices now than you did before.
But where do you find reliable government auctions? There are tons of websites, some offering their own auctions only, and others that collect auctions or lots from various government agencies and provide you the opportunity to get in on the great finds. For example, one auction platform offers surplus and seized items auctioned off by the police, and proceeds from the auction go to support that particular group. This means you can pick and choose what government agencies you'd like to support while you get great deals on items that might be hard to find elsewhere.
The bottom line? Government auctions are a great way to find potential savings on high-value items, especially real estate or vehicles. Whether you're looking for new furniture, a plot of land to build your dream home, lower-cost business space to start building your new company, electronics for the gamer in the family, or even a new car, there are tons of ways to score low-cost must-haves from a government auction.
If you're in the market for those savings, but you're not sure where to look for legit (and easy to use) government auctions, don't worry - we've done the research for you. Here are a few factors that can help you narrow the field:
To help you find the best spots for major savings, unique finds, and a way to support your favorite local (or state) government agencies, Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked the best government auctions available online today. This way, you can browse to your heart's content, find those must-have items for much lower costs, and trust that your money is going to a cause you believe in. So, what are you waiting for? Go grab your fantastic deals before they're gone!
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