Ben Wallace
Founder of GovAuctions · writes the GovAuctions guides
I'm Ben Wallace, the developer who built GovAuctions. I started it after years of checking five different government auction websites every day - each with a clunky interface from 2005 - just to find a single decent deal. I was sure there had to be a better way, so I built one.
GovAuctions is a free search engine that indexes listings from every major government surplus platform - GSA Auctions, HUD HomeStore, GovDeals, Public Surplus, GovPlanet, PropertyRoom and more - across the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, and France. Inventory is refreshed with new listings every 30 minutes, and every lot links straight to the official source where you actually bid. I don't run the auctions, sit between you and the seller, or sell "bid packs."
Used by hundreds of thousands of buyers
GovAuctions hit the Hacker News front page in April 2026 and has since been used by resellers, small businesses, and bargain hunters across four countries to find surplus vehicles, equipment, electronics, and real estate.
The guides I publish here come from living in this data every day - watching how lots get priced, where the fees and buyer premiums hide, which platforms are worth your time, and how the removal-and-shipping logistics really work.
Guides by Ben
25 free guides to buying from government surplus auctions.
16 Best Government Auction Sites, Ranked by Fees (2026)
All 16 official government auction sites, ranked by buyer's premium - GSA Auctions, Municibid and HUD charge 0%, Public Surplus 0-10%, GovDeals 7.5-12.5%, GovPlanet ~10% tiered. What each one sells, what it really costs, and a free search across all of them.
Updated August 2026
Best Government Auction Aggregators: 6 Search Sites Ranked (2026)
Government auctions are scattered across dozens of platforms. An aggregator searches all of them at once. The six government auction aggregators and search sites that exist in 2026, ranked on sources indexed, de-duplication, sold-price data, distance filtering, API access and markets covered.
Updated August 2026
The Auction Aggregator Landscape: Who Covers What (2026)
Government surplus is one corner of a much bigger auction world. A map of the whole aggregator landscape in 2026: storage units, estate sales, liquidation pallets, industrial and bankruptcy, fleet and heavy equipment. What each category actually sells, who it suits, and where the boundaries between them fall.
Updated September 2026
How Many Government Auctions Are There? Why Listing Counts Mislead (2026)
Government auction search sites advertise wildly different listing counts, from a few thousand to 100,000+. Here's what those numbers actually measure, why a bigger count is often padded, and the four questions that tell you real coverage.
Updated August 2026
GovDeals Alternatives: 7 Sites Like GovDeals (2026)
The 7 sites like GovDeals, compared on buyer's premium, inventory and probation rules: GSA Auctions, Public Surplus, PropertyRoom, GovPlanet, Municibid and HUD HomeStore, plus a free search that covers them all at once.
Updated August 2026
Government Surplus Auctions (2026): The Complete Guide
How government surplus auctions work, where to find them, and how to win the best deals - across {{LISTINGS}} live federal, state and local listings from GSA, GovDeals, Public Surplus, HUD and more. Free, no account needed.
Updated September 2026
GSA vs GovDeals vs Public Surplus (2026): Legit? And Which Is Cheapest?
All three are real government auction platforms, and the reviews split sharply. What each one charges, where Public Surplus's F rating with the BBB comes from, and which platform wins for which kind of buyer.
Updated August 2026
How to Buy a Government Surplus Vehicle (2026): Pricing, Inspection & Bidding
A practical guide to buying cars, trucks, and fleet vehicles from government surplus auctions. What to expect, how to inspect, and how to get the best deal.
Updated August 2026
How to Buy a Surplus Military Vehicle (2026): Humvees, MRAPs & What's Legal to Own
Where ex-military Humvees, trucks and MRAPs are actually sold, what they cost, and the road-legal and titling catches to check before you bid or start a restoration.
Updated August 2026
10 Things to Know Before Bidding on Government Auctions (2026 Buyer's Checklist)
Essential tips for first-time government auction buyers. Avoid common mistakes, understand the rules, and set yourself up for success.
Updated August 2026
How to Flip Government Surplus for Profit (2026): A Reseller's Playbook
A practical guide to buying government surplus and reselling for profit. Categories, margins, where to sell, and how to build a sustainable side hustle.
Updated September 2026
Best Government Auction Categories for Beginners (2026): Where to Start
Not sure where to start with government surplus auctions? Here are the best categories for first-time buyers, ranked by accessibility, risk, and value.
Updated September 2026
Government Car Auctions Near Me - How to Find & Buy (2026)
Find government car auctions near you. Learn where police, federal, and local agencies sell seized and surplus vehicles - and how to get the best deal.
Updated August 2026
HUD Foreclosed Homes for Sale: Browse Listings by State (2026)
Browse HUD foreclosed homes for sale by state and near you in one fast search, plus how HUD home auctions actually work: who can bid, the 15-day owner-occupant window, as-is bidding, and FHA financing in 2026.
Updated September 2026
GSA Auctions Explained (2026): FAQ, Fees & How to Bid
Answers to the most common questions about GSA Auctions: how registration works, what fees apply, what you can buy, how removal deadlines and default penalties work, and how to buy federal real estate.
Updated August 2026
HUD HomeStore FAQ (2026): How to Buy Foreclosed Homes from HUD
Common questions about HUD HomeStore: how the 15-day bidding window really runs day by day, who can buy, the Good Neighbor Next Door 50% discount, 203(k) financing limits, and as-is property risks.
Updated August 2026
GovDeals FAQ (2026): Shipping, Probation and the Buyer's Premium
Does GovDeals ship? Why your account is on probation and how to clear it. What the buyer's premium really costs, plus payment, pickup, inspection and what to do when a lot arrives wrong.
Updated August 2026
Public Surplus FAQ (2026): The Underrated Government Auction Site
Common questions about Public Surplus: how it differs from GovDeals, registration, fees, its four auction formats, payment, pickup, Canadian listings, and tips for finding less-competitive auctions.
Updated August 2026
GovPlanet FAQ (2026): Buying Heavy Equipment & Military Surplus
Common questions about GovPlanet: how it differs from GSA Auctions, the IronClad Assurance condition rating, fees, default and late-payment penalties, EUC clearance, financing, transport, and what to inspect.
Updated August 2026
PropertyRoom FAQ (2026): Buying Police Seized & Unclaimed Property
Common questions about PropertyRoom: how police-seized auctions work, what's typically listed, fees, shipping, the vehicle and heavy-equipment rules, and tips for finding deals on jewelry and electronics.
Updated August 2026
State Government Surplus Auctions (2026): How They Work State by State
Common questions about state government surplus auctions: which states run their own platforms, what's typically sold, inspection and fee rules that differ by state, how the process differs from federal, and how to find them.
Updated August 2026
Want to buy a military plane, some gold coins and a $7,000 house? Welcome to the strange world of Government Auctions
A pallet of iPhones draws 248 bidders; a $250,000 school sells with just one bid. Inside the government surplus auction market, where the biggest edge is knowing where to look.
Updated August 2026
After ten years obsessed with government auctions, I built the price-guide and bid assistant that didn't exist
A pallet of iPhones draws 248 bidders; a $250,000 school sells with just one. What I found, and what I learned building GovAuctions.app, after a decade lurking the weirdest corner of American commerce.
Updated August 2026
How to Finance a Foreclosure Flip: Hard Money, DSCR & Rehab Loans (2026)
Government foreclosure and REO homes usually can't be bought with a normal mortgage. Here's how real-estate investors actually finance a flip - fix-and-flip hard money, DSCR rental loans, FHA 203(k) rehab loans - what each costs in 2026, and when to use which.
Updated August 2026
Working Capital for Auction Resellers: Financing Bids Before You Resell (2026)
Buying pallets, equipment, or fleet lots at government auction ties up cash weeks before you resell it. Here's how volume resellers use working capital, lines of credit, SBA monitored lines, and equipment financing to keep bidding without draining their bank account.
Updated August 2026
Get in touch
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