State Auction Website: How to Buy Cheap Cars, AirPods and More

In the digital age, savvy shoppers can turn to government surplus auctions to find deals on a wide array of items, from cars and smartphones to heavy equipment and even real estate.

One platform, GovDeals, has become a cornerstone for such transactions. The platform enables the public to purchase surplus items online, within their state or ZIP code, directly from government agencies and trusted suppliers.

Why It Matters

GovDeals offers a reliable and effective way for government agencies to handle the sale of their surplus or extra items, which is usually a complicated and time-consuming process.

Through facilitating online auctions, GovDeals helps federal, state and local government agencies sell off excess items—and it enables the public to buy these goods, often at prices lower than what they would typically pay in retail stores.

Product shot of Apple AirPods Pro 2nd generation inside the charging case next to the packaging box.

photoschmidt/Getty Images

What To Know

GovDeals has over $4 billion in sales and more than 15,000 sellers, according to its official website, and provides an extensive range of items in over 200 asset categories.

The online auction platform operates by allowing registered users to bid on items through its website. Interested buyers can search for specific items or browse by location to find deals close to home.

The website lists everything from office furniture and electronics like iPhones and AirPods to specialized equipment like food packaging machines and construction tools. Larger assets such as cars, trucks, real estate and even scrap metal are also available.

When it comes to tech, nine Apple 6s Plus iPhones are currently listed by the State of Maryland and bidding at $57 with three active bids. In Colorado, a lot of eight AirPods (Model A1938) are currently listed by Denver City and County and bidding at $11 with five active bids.

Across Tennesee, various decommissioned cop cars are listed, including a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria listed by Giles County going for $725.

And in Hayden, Alabama, four Whirlpool dishwashers are being sold by the Blount County Board of Education with starting bids between $10 and $40.

Read more: How to Buy a Car From the Government for Under $8,000

To participate, users must first register for a free account on GovDeals, which gives them access to bid on auctions. The auction pages provide detailed descriptions and photos of the items, along with any specific terms or restrictions. Most auctions are open to the general public, but some may have restrictions noted by a red banner on the listing.

How To Find Items in Your State

To search for items on GovDeals within a specific state, simply:

1) Register or log in to your free account.

2) Navigate to the search bar at the top of the page and click “Advanced Search.”

3) Enter the item or items you’re searching for under “Keyword” and select an overarching item category under the “Category” dropdown.

4) Scroll down to “Location” to refine your search to a specific state and/or “Radius” to find items within a set mile radius of your ZIP code.

5) Finally, click the “Search” button to show items available in the selected area.

What People Are Saying

Shannon Jean, host of the “Business Brain” podcast, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) in February: “I love the Treasure Hunt of auctions. Especially Government sales. I suspect we will be seeing a lot more government auctions coming up.”

Dave Holbrook, director of administrative services for a health services organization in Montgomery, Ohio, said in a press release regarding the sale of multiple buildings: “Going online will make it easier to bid, view relevant documentation in a single place, and expose this sale to a larger variety of potential buyers. Those benefits were impossible for our office to ignore.”