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Auctions of Commercial Real Estate
Auctions of commercial real estate occur frequently. You can easily find commercial real estate for auction through classified ads in your local newspaper and other periodicals. Additionally, larger real estate companies and some auction houses will list commercial sites that are up for auction. Online auction sites, such as eBay, now feature sections devoted to the auction of commercial as well as residential real estate. Auctions held by the US government are also excellent sources for land auctions. The General Services Administration of the US government auctions off old government property, such as office buildings, military bases, and supply areas. These sites are sold at fair market price and often come with buildings available for commercial space.
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Precautions in Choosing Online Auction Sites
You want to be careful when choosing online auction sites. The best online auction sites will not leave you in doubt of their quality. The last thing you want to do is bid heavily on something you like, only to find that you have been defrauded. The most important thing you can do is research the auction site before you use it.
Yes, there are very well known auction sites out there, and they can be trusted. But if you choose to go with an auction site that you have never heard of before, you should look in to their background. Do a quick Google search for site reviews and messages from possibly disgruntled customers.
Find the company's street address and try and check them through the local Better Business Bureau. You might want to go as far as even calling the company to ask questions. Lastly, check online for iIternet fraud watch lists to see if their are any entries on the auction company.
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Choosing An Online Jewelry Auction Site
Here are a few simple tips to help you choose the best online jewelry auction site: First, check out the site's credentials:
The site should have a permanent street address (not a PO Box) and contact numbers listed on the site.
The site should list its policies on return and fraud.
The site should list the rules of its auctions, and specify whether or not it offers more than one kind of auction.
The site should specify how it protects the privacy of its users.
The site should offer reviews of sellers.
This will allow you to check the selling history of the person from you are purchasing jewelry.
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Purchasing Diamonds Through Online Auctions
Yes, you can buy diamonds and other gemstones through online auction, but there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. Diamonds are usually sold in one of three forms: uncut, cut but unset, and cut and set in jewelry. The diamond market is tightly controlled, with quality uncut diamonds being offered to only certain members of the diamond industry. For this reason, never trust uncut diamonds available online, as they will either be fakes or of very poor quality. When examining a cut diamond, you want to keep in mind the "Four C's": Carat, Clarity, Color, and Cut. The carat is the weight of the diamond. Be aware that a heavier diamond isn't necessarily a larger diamond. The clarity ranges from flawless to imperfect -- note that only a few hundred flawless diamonds are put into circulation each year, so your chances of finding one in online auction are slim. Color ranges from colorless to yellow. Cuts come in several different styles. A quality diamond will always comes with certified paperwork from the Gemological Institute of America (G.I.A.).
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Live Auctions Versus Online Auctions
The difference between a live auction and an online auction is simply the method in which the auction is brokered. A live auction happens at a certain location -- usually an auction house, stockyard, or estate, while an online auction takes place via the Internet. Live auctions have the advantage of allowing the buyer to examine the goods being sold, helping to prevent fraud. Additionally, live auctions at reputable auction houses are less prone to fraud because the houses screen goods to preserve their reputation.
The disadvantages of live auctions include lack of accessibility, as you must travel to the site of the auction to participate, and expense, as holding a live auction can be costly to the seller. Online auctions, while somewhat more open to fraud, allow people from all over the globe to participate. This helps to lower overall prices for both the buyer and seller.
