Bontrager Real Estate & Auction Service is a family-owned business with nearly 90 years of experience. Serving Western NY state from Pennsylvania to Central NY, we conduct over a hundred auctions every year. Our full-service real estate team can assist with buying and selling through auctions or listings.

Selling

Maximize Your Assets: Whether you're downsizing, relocating, dealing with a loss, or liquidating, we can help you make the most of your assets. Since 1935, we have specialized in selling personal and real property by incorporating technology, personalized service, and attention to detail. With our experience and dedicated approach, we can lead you through a seamless and stress-free process. Our services include:

• Real Estate Auctions and Traditional Real Estate Listings
• Building Material Auctions
• Estate Auctions
• Collections and Specialty Auctions
• Vehicles, Equipment, Machinery Auctions
• Business Liquidations
• Household Downsizing
• Firearms & Hunting Supply Auctions

Why Do We Sell Online? For decades the majority of our auctions were live, in-person events. During the COVID pandemic, we switched our format to internet auctions with scheduled local pick-ups and expanded shipping. Consignors gain advantages from a wider bidding audience, while buyers appreciate the convenience of online bidding.

Marketing: Our team uses several tools to ensure we connect your consignment with the right buyers.

• Internet: Our website (bontragerauction.com) is visited by thousands of customers every week. Auctions are hosted by Hibid.com, where they are seen by tens of thousands of potential buyers throughout the US and Canada. Additionally, we advertise in regional online periodicals.
• Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Google are all platforms we use to promote our auctions. Many of them enable us to target advertisements to people with specific interests and/or in specific regions
• Email and Text: We feature auctions and special consignments in our email newsletter which is sent to over 9000 customers. Text alerts keep bidders engaged by notifying them when the close of an auction is approaching.
• Signs: Our large, full-color signs are highly visible. Where appropriate we use QR codes for quick access to information.

How to Sell:

• Scheduled Drop-off Dates at Auction Center: After completing a request to sell items and sending pictures to us, we schedule designated drop-off dates. Consignors download catalog cards ahead of time, create lots, complete description cards, then bring merchandise to our facility on designated dates. Our catalog team assists with setting up. A sliding scale commission covers our labor, software, and administrative costs.
• On-site Internet Auction: On-site Internet Auction: In some cases, it is more efficient to catalog and photograph a large consignment in its current location. Our staff also handles the dispersal of items to successful bidders. A sliding scale commission plus additional labor and disposal fees are charged.
• Business, Estate, or Household Liquidations. Our skilled team professionally packs and moves large consignments to our auction facility to prepare for an online auction. In addition to commission, we charge a truck & trailer fee, and a rate per staff hour to cover labor. Rates vary based on the job, but our auctioneer can provide specific rate information once the job has been viewed.
• Schedule an appointment with our staff to view your real estate for sale: We have a NY State Licensed Real Estate Broker, Associate Broker, and Salesperson who can meet with you to discuss selling your real estate through the Multiple Listing Service or at auction. Call our office at 585-343-4529 or email [email protected] to schedule an appointment with our professional staff.

CLICK HERE TO SEE A LIST OF ITEMS WE DO NOT ACCEPT.

Auction Consignment Request
Provide information about merchandise to be sold at auction.


Buying

• How To Register For Bontrager’s Online Auction: First go to bontragerauction.hibid.com. At the top of the page, click on “Login/New Bidder” under our logo. You must provide your identifying information, valid credit or debit card info, and agree to our auction terms and conditions. After your account has been created, you can start bidding.
• How To Bid: Register and bid anytime between the start and close dates. Click the “Bid” button or plus sign (+) found next to the lot you want to bid on. A screen will show the next increment you must bid, or you can enter your bid there. For items that show “x” and a number, your bid will be multiplied by the quantity of the lot. For instance, if you are bidding on lumber and the quantity is 300 square feet, your bid will be times 300.
• What Is A “Soft Close”: At the close of the auction, lots will close at the rate published (usually between 3 and 6 items per minute). Bidding within the last minute of a lot increases the bid time of that lot by 2 more minutes. It will not increase the bid time of other lots. Refresh your screen often to see the latest bidding date.
• What Is A “Max Bid”: Our auction software will bid for you up to the maximum amount you entered. You could win the item for less than your “max” if other bidders stop bidding at an amount less than your maximum. If 2 bidders leave the same “max bid”, the one who entered it first wins. The system will not automatically go to your maximum unless someone else has already entered a bid equal to or greater.
• How Will You Know If You Won? If your bid is successful after all lots have closed, the credit/debit card you registered with will automatically be charged. Payment is completed before pick-up. After you pay, you will receive an email with your receipt from Bontrager Auction. It can take a few hours after the auction closes to process all receipts before they are emailed. If you think you won but do not see an email in your Inbox after all lots have closed, please check your spam or junk email folder before contacting us at 585-343-4529 or [email protected].
• Payment: The debit or credit card on file with your Hibid.com account will automatically be charged after all auction lots have closed. We accept MasterCard, Visa, and Discover. In some cases, our auctioneer may approve cash or certified check/bank draft payments. Personal checks are not accepted. Buyer’s premium and sales tax are charged for all purchases- see our auction terms for more details.
• Recovering Your Username and Password: If you’ve forgotten your password, click the “Login/New Bidder” link at the top of the webpage. Next, click “Forgot Your Password?” under the password line. You will be prompted to enter the email address used with your account, and a link to reset your password will be sent to your email. If you still have difficulty logging in, please call Hibid.com at 844-775-4774.
• Preview: Many of our auctions have live preview times when you can see lots in person. These times will be posted in our auction details, along with the address.
• How To Make Arrangements To Pick Up Your Purchases: After your payment has been received, we will send you an email and text from Shipping Saint asking you to choose “pick up” or “shipping” If you are picking up, click on “pick-up”, then choose your pick-up time from the list of times available on the screen. The time, date and full address will then be shown on the screen. Please take note of that information.
• How To Make Arrangements To Have Purchases Shipped: After payment is completed, we will send you an email and text from Shipping Saint asking you to choose “pick up” or “shipping”. We will receive a notification that you have chosen “shipping”. If you have additional questions or shipping instructions, contact us at [email protected] or 585-343-4529.
• Refund Policy: Buying from an auction is different from buying at a retail store. Our terms and conditions state that bidders are buying “as-is” with no guarantees, exchanges, returns, credits, or refunds unless specifically stated by the auctioneer. While we do our best to describe items accurately, keep in mind that it is not always possible to test every item. All refunds, exchanges, credits, and returns must be requested within 7 days of the customer taking possession of the merchandise. Bontrager Real Estate & Auction Service reserves the right to refuse refund requests for any item that has left the auction site and/or may have been altered.