New Braunfels Auction Company — Attraction in New Braunfels

My father passed away in June. When I asked our estate attorney to recommend an estate sale company, she suggested New Braunfels Auction Co. and another option. The attorney had used NBAC for her estate sale several years prior when she and her husband downsized before a move to California. As the executor of my father's estate, this decision was very important to me. My parents were wonderfully interesting and well-traveled individuals who had accumulated many treasures after almost 40 years in their home. Since the estate attorney gave me the names of two companies she trusted, I ran those names by the realtor I hired to sell my dad's home. The realtor told me one of those companies was run by a no-nonsense, somewhat brash individual who lacked empathy but got the job done. The realtor wasn't familiar with NBAC. For me, hearing about the no-nonsense, somewhat brash individual was a deal breaker as selling off the majority of a loved one's possessions is an emotional journey, and I was in no mood to deal with an impatient, insensitive individual. So, I went with NBAC and am very happy I did. I've read some of the negative reviews here and can see they mostly relate to people who are shopping at estate sales. I can say without hesitation, as the grieving person on the other end of the experience, dealing with someone who values your loved one's belongings, not only for their market value but with reverence for the family, is something I both needed and appreciated. Gary's method for pricing valuable and sometimes rare items is systematic and he does his research. I suppose if a person is looking for the deal of the century for beautiful and unique items, perhaps they should shop on day three of any sale they go to, although, I felt the initial pricing was quite fair. The estate sale was a big one and several friends and acquaintances shopped at the sale and reported back to me that security was tight and Gary ran an organized event with plenty of staff. This may be annoying to the shopper but imagine if you are a family member and you receive reports of people walking off with your loved one's treasures because no one is watching. From the very beginning, Gary was sensitive to the loss our family had experienced, and he ran an extremely successful sale which he heavily marketed and was therefore well attended. He made good on every single promise he made to me. We hired his staff to clean out the house after the sale but surprisingly, for a home that was stuffed to the gills, there wasn't much left after the three-day event. He assisted me in finding a home for a baby grand piano which didn't sell due to a looming deadline to have the home vacant for staging. The very few larger items that didn't sell went to the shop for sale on consignment. We received a detailed and audited settlement report within about 30 days of the sale and a copy of every receipt along with the payment. I can't say one negative thing about our experience with NBAC, or Gary and his staff of busy bees. I can confidently recommend them. Most importantly, Gary never forgot who the items belonged to until sold and he was respectful and kind throughout the...

Well, I have attended his other sales and have purchased with no issues. He was holding an Estate Sale on Academy in New Braunfels on Thursday, Oct. 1. I happened by. I exited my vehicle and was greeted very nicely by a man who made me feel welcome and handed me an auction card. We briefly exchanged how are you's and I began to shop. The prices were not bad outside. I went inside and went into the kitchen and looked in the cabinets and found some vintage spice and cake decorator bottles, I saw an unshaven man behind a table frowning, I asked him, how much are the spices? He curtly said, Not for sale, then glared and looked away. Whoa k, well hmmmm. I then said, there is no sign or anything saying not for sale.....he says, the people just moved and were living here. Another hmmmmm. He was clearly in a bad mood! I walked away, into a back bedroom and found a letter opener with no price. I began looking at clothing inside and found a ugly Christmas sweatshirt for 3.00 and noticed that a woman was standing at the door entryway to the other rooms and she said you want that? I said yes, she said I have to write a ticket, I said I am not finished shopping, she shrugged and said I know but we have to write you a ticket.......She proceeded to write down 3.00 on a sticky note, took the sweater and handed me the note. I told her the letter opener did not have a tag. She came back with a 15.00 price.........I nicely said, no thanks. So far, everything I saw was just a plain old sale, nothing fancy, or special....I went from room to room. I finally found some trim for 2.00. I took my sticky note to the front and the unshaven man says that will be 5.50. I handed him my bank card and he again curtly said, it has to be 25.00. I just stared. He said, you can write a check. I looked for change and really did not have enough. I paused and just said, I guess I will have to pass. No comment from the bearded grumpy man, just a scratching off briskly, on his tablet. I am writing this, for one reason only. It is not good customer service and a definite injustice to the family you are doing an Estate Sale for, to decline a sale, by a paying customer, simply because you don't want to pay the 3% the credit card companies charge you. It is just something you eat! If you are selling in an Antique Mall, Auction, that type of environment, then so be the 25.00 minimum. But this sale does not belong to the Estate Liquidator, therefore turning away a sale hurts both parties. I wonder how many times that happens in one day. Hey, for myself, I will live, Had to vent the unprofessionalism and unfriendly cashier and stressed out sticky note ticket writer! Ats it!! Cheers...

I went to a sale in Kyle, Tx on the last day 50% off day. This was after making a purchase on the first day of the sale full price day. First let me tell you I have been to other sales by this same estate company and have always felt they were rather rude, but dealt with it. This past Saturday I went back and found 3 small items to purchase. One item I had to ask one of the workers the price as it was not marked. She gave me a price of $2. I went to pay and the rude man behind the table asked who gave me the price of $2 on the item. I of course I said one of his workers, who happened to be nearby, and he asked her, she confirmed. He then proceeded to tell me it was $14. I said I did not want it and suggested that he mark his items. Well, he did not like that, he proceeded to tell me he did not have to put up with "my attitude" and called me a very ugly person and grabbed the items out of my hands and told me to "get out." I told him I had bought many items at his sales, but certainly would not be back. His words were with a great deal of anger and spite, and frankly had there not been a room filled with people I might have been afraid of him. He should not be dealing with the public! Furthermore, he has an 8x10 framed message where you pay that states, "we don't have to deal with your attitude." What kind of a person dealing with customers does this? I was by myself this day. My husband is usually at my side, which bothers me even more because I am certain, he would not have spoken to me this way had my husband been standing there! Do not let this man treat you badly if you attend his sales, but better...