Helmer carries on family tradition in auctioneering
Saline Reporter 20030123
INSIDE
By Margie Bovee, Staff Writer
Be prepared to hold onto your hat and your seat if you speak to David Helmer about the auction business.
After an animated conversation, peppered with the auctioneer’s chant, you may be anxious to grab your checkbook, find an auction, and bid on anything and everything. The only thing that David makes sound more interesting and exciting than the auction world is Jennifer, his wife of 3 years, their 3-month-old daughter, Olivia, and the observation that Olivia just giggled for the first time.
Helmer is a partner in the Saline-based auction firm, Braun & Helmer. The company was started in 1971 by his father, Jerry Helmer, and the late Lloyd Braun. The two families still run the company. Brian, Lloyd’s son, works closely with David along with Joyce Braun (Brian’s mother) and David’s parents, Jerry and Ruthann Helmer. His sister Carol McCullough is responsible for the Web site development. Brian and David have managed more than 700 auctions together with Ruthann and Joyce covering the advertising and cashiering.
David graduated in 1998 from Eastern Michigan University with a degree in communications and marketing. He also is a graduate of the Missouri Auction School, a life member of the Michigan State Auction Association, a director of the Michigan State Auction Association and a member of the National Auctioneers Association. Along with his professional credits, one of the keys to David’s success as an auctioneer, is his high level of professionalism, his energy and his strong belief in maintaining the mission and code of ethics set forth by the National Auctioneers Association whose preamble reads: “Auctioneers are masters of procedure and conduct of the public auction. Auctioneers are confidants of the public and instruments of community progress and development. Such functions impose grave responsibilities and duties beyond ordinary business policy to which members must dedicate themselves. Members must strive to maintain the highest standards of the profession and share with fellow auctioneers a common responsibility for integrity and honor.”
Braun & Helmer recently completed an auction of a house located on three acres of property on Moon Road near Saline. The couple who owned the house planned to move into a retirement home and needed to divest themselves of a lifetime’s accumulation of possessions including farm equipment and assorted engines.
The couple called upon Braun and Helmer. David and his team set to work. They met with the couple to discuss their needs and expectations for the sale of their real estate and personal property. The wheels of the auction were set in motion. In one month the team cleaned the house from top to bottom. They hauled 60 yards of trash, trimmed all the trees and outgrowth, organized all the personal property including antiques and machinery and started the marketing process. They arranged for the well and septic inspection, the appraisal and the survey of the property. Braun & Helmer held two real estate open houses, greeted more than 25 potential buyers, and handled 100 telephone inquiries. Sale day was held one month from the initial contact with the owners. Bidders were required to bring a certified check for $10,000. The property sold for $199,000 and the buyers and sellers were equally satisfied with the results.
“Yes, it is a lot of work,” says David, who has hauled more than 500 freezers and refrigerators from place to place over the years, “but it is fun and very satisfying.”
As well as handling auctions involving real estate, personal property, farms, antiques, business liquidations and family estates, the company also performs appraisals and benefit auctions. As an example of a benefit auction, David proudly states, “Cakes.”
The Feb. 7 cake auction for the Girl Scouts from Pattengill School in Ann Arbor is highlighted in David’s calendar.
“The cake auction used to take four hours,” says David. “They would start at seven in the evening and not sell off the last cake until 11. Before contacting us, parents were complaining about the long hours of the annual cake auction.” David now auctions off a table of cakes in 30 minutes and raises enough money for the girls in the Pattengill troop to attend summer camp.
David currently is involved in the planning of the 2003 Michigan State Auctioneers Association annual convention which will be held Jan. 29 to Feb.1 at Weber’s Inn in Ann Arbor. The schedule of events includes speakers, legal seminars, bid calling seminars and auctioneer championships. David is expecting more than 200 attendees, including vendors and auctioneers.
For more information on the convention or to locate an auction contact www.msaa.org . or for more local auction information contact www.braun&helmer.com.
Photo by Margie Bovee
David Helmer of Saline is helping with the planning of the State Auctioneers Association annual convention beginning Jan. 29 in Ann Arbor.