Testimonials
"I know that my client and I are more than pleased with the excellent job that Gilmore did in marketing and ultimately completing the sale of the Grand Palace. To call that task merely "challenging" is a dramatic understatement. I will not hesitate to call on you and Francis again in the future if and as the need for your unique services seem to be appropriate. Thank you very much." William E. Steffes - Steffes, Vingiello & McKenzie, LLC Attorneys at Law, Baton Rouge, LA
Thanks for doing what you said you would do! I came to you with a difficult situation and a very limited time frame with which to market and auction our $14,000,000 retail property. Not only did you and your staff jump in with both feet to meet every deadline to ensure a successful auction but you actually found a buyer before the auction even occurred. The buyer was qualified and assumed an existing mortgage within a two week time period which allowed this property to close three weeks before the scheduled auction date. You cant ask for better results than that! I was extremely pleased with your knowledge and professionalism. I truly believe that we would not have been successful without your persistence. I have shared our success story with many business associates and I will continue to recommend your services to property owners. I am confident that success will follow you and those that do business with you. My very best regards to both you and your staff. James C. Saxton President - Saxton Incorporated, Las Vegas, NV
Manheim Antique Galleries, New Orleans...I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation and that of John Phelps Hammond, Liquidator of Manheim Antique Galleries, for all your efforts in connection with auctioning 401 Royal Street and the inventory of Manheim Antique Galleries. Your professional approach to handling these auctions as well as your auctioneering expertise helped us to achieve a substantial value for the owners. Because of your assistance we were able to complete these liquidations without unnecessary problems in an effective and efficient manner Wilson A. LaGraize, Jr., CPA - Kushner LaGraize, LLP
Warehouse District, New Orleans?Just had to take this time to drop a note and thank you and your entire organization and staff for such a wonderful job well done! I think the final results from yesterday reflect three of the four parcels selling for more than the listed sales price to the open market before we decided to go to auction! Arthur Pulitzer- SODI Development
Our firm purchased a luxury high-rise condominium project in Daphne, Alabama which had previously been auctioned unsuccessfully by a leading national auction company. After making a number of changes to the condominiums, we decided to accelerate the sales effort using the auction marketing program. We solicited several national firms and selected Interstate Auction Company. Prior to the auction, our prospects averaged only several per week, and our sales volume was only 3 units per year. Our projected sell out of the 22 units seemed bleak. Interstate developed an intense marketing program that generated over 500 requests for information, and 300 parties visited-the property during the 5 week period prior to the auction. On the day of the auction, Interstate sold 16 of the 22 units at acceptable prices to us. Interstate continued the sales effort and sold the remaining 6 units within two weeks. We are very pleased with the efforts of Interstate Auction Company. Jeffrey L Warwick, Vice President/Treasurer, Twin Towers Realty, Daphne, Alabama
On behalf of First Georgia Savings Bank, I want to let you know how much we appreciate your help in selling our properties in Hopewell Plantation. Of the 30 total properties which we foreclosed in Hopewell Plantation, you helped in selling 28, including the large house which was the auction site. . . You and your auction team were able to attract over 500 people to the auction, with over 70 registered bidders. Through your efforts after the auction, we were able to sell our 28 properties at no loss to First Georgia. In fact, we recovered all principal and interest, in aggregate, and almost all other costs of foreclosure associated with those properties. Please feel free to use us as a reference. We will most certainly use your services in the future, as our needs may dictate. Sincerely, Joseph C. Wright Vice President - First Georgia Savings Bank, Atlanta, GA
New Orleans French Quarter, $2,095,500?We could not be happier with the results of the auction of the St Louis Street properties. The sales prices we were able to attain through the professionalism and marketing expertise of your auction team exceeded the combined appraised value of the properties by over 25%. We would certainly recommend your services to others and hope to work with you again in the future. Odom B. Heebe, Jr.- Whitney Investments & Trust
Based on my personal prior working experience with Tom Hunter while he was with another large auction company, we solicited a proposal from Interstate Auction Company, as well as from other national auction companies, to offer Some Virginia Beach condominiums for us at auction. We selected Interstate's proposal based on their understanding of the property, and on their recommendations for marketing it. The Interstate Auction Company team took charge of the property and conducted a 100% successful sale, getting all 24 properties under contract the night of the sale. We are very pleased with the professionalism and the results obtained by Interstate Auction Company, and plan to use them again. Sincerely, Scott McDonald First National Bank of Louisville, KY
150 bank owned properties sold - Being our first auction experience, we were hesitant, however, the Gilmore team handled all aspects of the auction with professionalism. Their marketing expertise produced sales that exceeded our expectations Mike J. Paternostro- Vice President Regions Bank
Fulton Federal Savings and Loan Association retained Interstate Auction Company to auction in a very exclusive subdivision north of Atlanta. As a result of the marketing campaign conducted by Interstate, more people went through our property in the three weeks prior to the auction than in the entire two years prior to our contracting with Interstate. On sale day, Interstate obtained a written offer for us at slightly below our reserve price. Through the diligent efforts of John Johnson and his staff, soon after the auction, we had the property under contract, and subsequently closed. I highly recommend John L. Johnson and his staff at Interstate Auction Company. They gave our property, and our staff, the individual attention necessary to have a very successful sale. Sincerely, C. H. Emmert Vice President - Fulton Federal Savings Bank
Estate of Governor James A. Noe?The efficiency with which you conducted the auctions and your professional attitude and handling of the matters contributed significantly to the results and the outstanding success that were achieved. Mr. Edward B. Poitevent, II-Phelps Dunbar, LLP
I want to take this opportunity to express my pleasure with the results that you and your team obtained in the recent series of auctions referenced above. Having only experienced "ballroom" type auctions previously, Iwas somewhat apprehensive about the "caravan" concept. However, your results have totally dispelled my doubts. Your team was completely prepared for the event. Your advertising, telemarketing, and broker outreach campaigns resulted in outstanding attendance at each site. The auction team did a wonderful job of getting opening bids and working the audience to obtain the maximum possible price for each property. Your results exceeded our pre-auction estimates by more than 25%. Thank you for a job well done. The professionalism exhibited by Interstate Auction Company speaks well for the auction industry. Best wishes to you and your company in your future endeavors. I hope we have an opportunity to work together again in the near future. Brady W Ratchford , III Asset Marketing Specialist ? REO Resolution Trust Corporation
300 acres sold - I am thoroughly convinced that we did the right thing by putting this property into the auction. Our net price is $100,000 more and 50% higher than any offer we had been able to generate before Mr. Alex F. Talbott- Attorney Talbott Enterprises
17 acres sold - We were very impressed with your professionalism and the expediency of the time from auction to the Act of Sale. Needless to say, we would definitely refer anyone that we know to Gilmore Auction. Now that we have personally experienced your auction as a seller, I can say that I was even more impressed with a simplicity and smoothness of the entire auction process for both of our Acts of Sale Mrs. Carolyn L. Melling, Executrix
It was nice to hear from you. I was very glad, but not surprised, to know how well Interstate Auction Company is doing these days. When I was Southeast Auction Coordinator for the Resolution Trust Corporation it was always a pleasure dealing with you and your staff. Out of the twelve or so auction companies we contracted with, I could always be certain that auctions conducted by Interstate Auction Company would be handled professionally and with the highest results obtainable. The auctions conducted by your company, whether in Georgia, North or South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia or Washington, DC, were some of the most successful ones the RTC held. Your knowledge of real estate and the information assembled for the due diligence packages were instrumental in our success. If I can ever be of assistance as a reference for potential clients of Interstate Auction Company , feel free to call on me . Roy Hill Savannah , Ga
Thanks for doing what you said you would do! Not only did you sell all 24 properties and close them in 30 days; you delivered on your pre-auction sales estimate. John, I sincerely believe that we would not have been as successful without your persistence on the need to offer five lots "absolute". Although going "absolute" was a stretch for me. I am thoroughly convinced that the especially large turn out of qualified bidders came from this strategy. The size of the crowd generated by your well-conceived program and professional staff that you directed so well, are certainly credits to your organization. I have told our success story to many and will continue to recommend to property owners that they use your service. I am confident that success and satisfaction will follow you and those that do business with you. My very best regards to both you and your staff. Sincerely, George S. Morgan, President - Morgan Development Company, Inc.
SBA Says - The U.S. Small Business Administration has contracted the services of Dave Gilmore and Gilmore Auction & Realty Company on many occasions. We are impressed with their professionalism, integrity and marketing expertise. Our recent auctions have been very successful with some sales prices exceeding the target. I highly recommend Gilmore Auction & Realty Company Patricia Tooley, Liquidation Officer- U. S. Small Business Administration
The auction on October 14 was a success. We achieved what we targeted in net proceeds, which was in line with your pre-auction estimate. Once we calculated the marketing and carrying costs associated with our expected sell-out (at least one year which would have been required to sell 31 units), our decision to auction was confirmed. The sealed bid approach for the 4 penthouse units was creative and also yielded proceeds that we are happy with, especially with the extreme uncertainty associated with homes in that price range today. The entire production was very professional, and the turnout on auction night was certainly large enough to ensure that we sold each home for its true value. The pre-auction traffic through the development was more than we had experienced in the preceding 12 months. I have to admit that we were very nervous about offering several units "Absolute", but your auction made me a believer! You delivered what you promised with a very efficient program - utiliz Michael L. Ely MDC Development Company Alpharetta GA
Professional services...I have to say that I have been THOROUGHLY impressed with the professional services that your firm offers. I wondered how a person could go from listing a property with you to scheduling and conducting a full-blown auction in only 30 days. I was a little skeptical, but when I saw the crash course technique you've perfected over 18 years for conducting high-quality, PROFESSIONAL auctions, that skepticism quickly vanished Robert Burns- Home Owner
Almost four months have passed since the closing of the sale of our house in the Chateau Elan Resort in outskirts of Atlanta owned by our real estate subsidiary, Lotus Estate Co., Ltd. I have been fully informed of the status of the preparation for the auction from the very beginning when we asked for your assistance in mid September till the closing of the sale in mid December. I understand that there were a number of issues to be resolved for preparation for the absolute auction, which you have kindly taken care of. As the sale by auction was the first experience for us, we felt a little uneasy to proceed with it. However, your sincere and faithful manners to cope with difficulties occurred one after another for the auction made us believe that we could fully rely on you. We are very happy with the sale of our property at the price appropriate at the auction. The successful disposition of our property is all due to your kind assistance and professional expertise. Hidehiko Ueda Senior Managing Director of the Board Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Tokyo , Japan
Today is an exciting day for us at Clairmont Terrace Investments, LLC I have just returned from the attorney's office, where we closed the final sale from the auction of Clairmont Terrace Condominiums, am pleased to inform you that the remaining 28 condominium homes that were sold at auction are signed, sealed., and most importamiy closed! We can now move forward and look at other opportunities. As you well know, I had great misgivings about conducting an auction in the first place --- my previous experience many years ago was not favorable. And when your company made your presentation, stating that we should sell the first 6 units "absolute", I really began to wonder if we were doing the right thing, But, last week when we turned over the homeowner's association to the new!y elected board,! knew we had made the right decision. From beginning to end, I am impressed with the professionism and persistence of your auction company. Roy T. Summers, President The Summers Company
For my partners and myself, I want to say thank you. We would not have sold our home in Chateau Elan if it has not been for the efforts of you and your team. Your staff worked closely with us from the details of advertising the property all the way to closing. Tom Hunter did an outstanding job of showing the property and making himself available whenever needed. Your whole team exhibited complete professionalism from beginning to end. I want to personally thank you for you cooperation and willingness to keep expenses to a minimum. I will not hesitate to recommend you to anyone who is looking to sell his or her property quickly and more importantly wants a company they can count on that is honest and professional in every aspect of the business relationship. Don Ruffin
My partners and I wish to thank you for the quick sale of 16 properties listed with Sperry Van Ness. You helped us evaluate the multiple offers generated through you excellent marketing network. Since this sale was our first attempt at selling multiple properties (two states and 13 different cities), your counsel was invaluable was we navigated the myriad of obstacles such a sale entails. Throughout the bidding process and eventual sale, you and your staff maintained frequent contact and follow through to help resolve potential hurdles. As future sales are contemplated, we will contact you for handling. Also, we will recommend your firm to other franchises. Ronald O. McAffee
Even in my absence from the entire process while living in another state during this whole process, your professionalism, communication and detail-oriented service made for a very, very pleasant and thorough process from beginning to end. You also kept expenses and my other costs of handling the property below my expectations and the final sales price higher than I anticipated to my utmost appreciation. I would highly recommend you and your staff and your services to any seller of organization thinking of liquidating their property at a very competitive price and with stellar service. Tamra Burgwardt
I have known Don for approximately ten years . He has proven, in my opinion, the consummate professional. He is thorough, articulate, and most importantly, very honest. When he takes on a project, he attacks it vigorously without hesitation. Don will do what it takes to get the deal done. I would, as you can tell, recommend him for your next real estate auction. Bart Weprin, Commerical Broker, Cincinnati, OH