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Sophie Eden and Jackie Blaskovich kicked off a ladies-only edition of Municibid Monday with a summer-ready auction find: a 1983 Seafarer sailboat sitting at just $100 at the time of the livestream.
With summer right around the corner, the sailboat sparked plenty of ideas, from learning to sail and taking on a starter boat project to using the cabin as a marina hangout or even a creative Airbnb rental.
Jackie and Sophie shared great auctions from ambulances with documented maintenance histories to a tractor that racked up 25 bids in its first week! We welcomed new sellers and showcased first-time listings, sold items, and gave a walkthrough about proxy bidding.
New Sellers Joining Municibid
Municibid continues to welcome new government agencies and schools from across the country.
This week, Jackie welcomed several new sellers, including:
- Glen Rock Borough, Pennsylvania
- City of Duquesne, Missouri
- Chaminade High School, New York
- Allentown School District, Pennsylvania
- Penn Township Road District, Pennsylvania
Auction Highlights From This Week
Jackie shared several great auction finds. The first was a 2021 Ford Transit Cargo Van from PA Distance Learning Charter School in Pennsylvania. At the time of the livestream, the van already had six bids and more than a week left in the auction. The listing included more than 20 photos, a rear folding loading ramp, shelving, a second-row seat, seating for four passengers, tires described as like new, and inspection through April 2027.
The second was a 2014 Chevrolet 3500 ambulance from Geisinger EMS in Pennsylvania. The reserve had already been met, and the seller was actively answering bidder questions.
Sophie and Jackie also talked about why ambulances and other emergency service vehicles can be so appealing at auction. These vehicles are usually maintained on strict schedules because agencies cannot risk breakdowns during emergency response. In many cases, maintenance is documented, and sellers are upfront about condition, known issues, and inspection details.
"Emergency services can’t have a vehicle breakdown while they're running out to go help someone... they have very strict maintenance schedules and they are on top of it." — Sophie
As Sophie pointed out, ambulances can make excellent work trucks. The built-in cabinets and storage compartments that once held medical equipment can be useful for tools, jobsite gear, and trade equipment.
“We’ve seen these ambulances converted into work trucks really easily, so all that storage is super handy for a whole bunch of tools.” — Sophie
The 1983 Seafarer sailboat was one of the most memorable finds of the episode. At the time Sophie shared it, the current bid was only $100.
"You can clean it up and kind of make it cool and park it in a slip in a marina and you can make money renting it out on Airbnb.” — Jackie
The team talked about how an older sailboat can be a good starter boat for someone who wants to get into sailing without starting with something brand new. It also had a cabin, which opened up even more possibilities.
Jackie shared that she had once stayed in a sailboat rental on the water, which led to a fun discussion about how someone could clean up a boat, keep it at a marina, and potentially turn it into a unique rental or summer hangout.
A Bidder Tip: How Proxy Bidding Works
During the episode, Jackie shared a helpful explanation of proxy bidding, which is one of the most common topics that comes into Municibid support.
On Municibid, bidders can enter the maximum amount they are willing to pay for an item. The system then bids automatically in the smallest increments needed to keep that bidder in the lead.
That does not mean the system immediately jumps to the maximum bid. If a bidder enters a proxy bid of $1,500 and the auction ends at $1,200, the extra $300 is not used.
However, if a bidder places a bid and is immediately outbid, it usually means another bidder already had a higher proxy bid in place. It does not necessarily mean someone is sitting there manually bidding against them second by second.
Proxy bidding can also interact with reserve prices. If an item has a reserve, the system may use enough of the proxy bid to try to meet that reserve. If the proxy bid is below the reserve, the bid may be maxed out while still not meeting the reserve.
Jackie's pro tip was simple: decide the most you are genuinely willing to pay, enter that amount, and let the system do the work.
She also shared one extra strategy: add a few dollars to your maximum bid instead of using a round number. If another bidder enters $15,500 and your proxy bid is $15,503, those few extra dollars could be the difference for you to win.
Guess the Winning Bid Amount
Sophie closed the auction highlights with a 2005 Mack Granite dump truck from Beaver Township.
At the time of the episode, the current bid was $2,700, the reserve had already been met, and the auction had nearly a week left. The listing also included strong photos underneath the truck, which Sophie pointed out is especially helpful for bidders who cannot inspect an item in person.
"I still love watching the bidding wars happening. It's my favorite part of the job.” — Jackie
Jackie guessed the truck would sell for $22,500. Sophie went lower and guessed $15,000.
The team invited viewers to share their own guesses in the comments and check back the following week to see where the final price landed.
Keep Sharing Feedback
Sophie and Jackie wrapped up by encouraging viewers, bidders, and sellers to keep sharing feedback with the Municibid team.
Whether it is a feature idea, a question about the bidding process, a suggestion for the livestream, or a story about what happened to an item after auction day, the team wants to hear it.
As Sophie explained, Municibid does not just listen to feedback. The team acts on it. Many recent updates, including new tools and maps released during the 20 Days of Municibid celebration, came from user feedback and requests.
See You Next Monday
Municibid Mondays Live is live every Monday at noon Eastern.
Whether you are bidding, selling, watching live, listening to the podcast, or catching the replay, the Municibid team is glad to have you here.
Explore current government surplus auctions at https://municibid.com
