How to Register and Bid at a Land Auction

Every auction has a registration process, and it exists for good reason. Registration ensures that every person bidding on a property is identified, qualified, and prepared to follow through on a purchase. For sellers, this means the bidding room is filled with serious buyers rather than curious spectators. For bidders, it means competing against others who are equally committed.

The specifics of registration vary depending on the auction format and property type, but the fundamentals are consistent.

Real Estate Auction Registration

For real estate auctions — whether virtual, live with online, or timed online — registration typically requires completing an Online Bidder Registration Form if you are not able to attend in person.  This form is available on the specific auction page under the Downloads tab, or by contacting Schrader directly at 800-451-2709.

Once the completed form is received and processed, Schrader's office sends the bidder an email containing a bidder number, a link to the bidding platform, and login credentials. In the 24 to 48 hours before the auction, a second email arrives with the bid packet — including the Agreement to Purchase and any last-minute details specific to that property.

This deliberate process is designed to ensure that every registered bidder has reviewed the terms, understands the property, and is prepared to bid with full knowledge of the transaction they are entering.

Equipment and Personal Property Registration

For farm equipment and personal property auctions, registration is handled through Schrader's online bidding platform. Bidders create an account, navigate to the specific auction, and click “Request to Bid.” After accepting the Terms and Conditions, the bidder is approved and free to participate.

In timed online equipment auctions, bidders can place a single bid or set a maximum bid. A maximum bid instructs the system to bid automatically in set increments up to the specified ceiling whenever the bidder is outbid — similar in concept to proxy bidding on other auction platforms.

For virtual or live equipment auctions, a pre-bidding session typically opens in the days leading up to the event. Pre-bidding closes approximately one hour before the live component begins. The highest pre-bid on each lot becomes the starting bid for the live auction, and any maximum bids carry forward automatically. Bidders who did not participate in pre-bidding can still bid on items as they come up during the live event.

Phone and Absentee Bidding

Bidders who prefer not to use the online platform — or who cannot be available during the auction — have two additional options.

Phone bidders complete a Phone Bidder Agreement form listing the lots of interest and maximum prices. A Schrader agent is assigned to the bidder and contacts them on auction day to relay bids in real time. This option is available for virtual auctions and select live events.

Absentee bidders complete a similar agreement form. Rather than participating live, the bidder's maximum bids are placed on their behalf by a Schrader representative during the auction. Both forms are available on the auction page under the Downloads tab and must be received before auction day.

Preparing for Auction Day

Registration is the administrative gateway, but preparation goes beyond paperwork. Serious bidders review the property information thoroughly — aerial maps, tract descriptions, soil data, FSA information, and any available title work. Most Schrader auctions include one or more scheduled inspection dates where prospective buyers can walk the property and ask questions.

The bidders who perform best at auction are the ones who arrive with their research complete, their financing arranged, and their maximum price determined in advance. The auction itself is not the time to evaluate the property — it is the time to compete for it.