America: Starting with Daily Intelligence-Chapter 214 - 149: Bar Auction

Four people entered the court together, found seats near the front, and sat down. Mary had already reserved and paid the auction deposit for the bar on the official website, and all they needed to do was wait for the auction to start. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

Soon, the auction segment arrived. With the arrival of the auction staff at the scene, they turned on the projector and began introducing the first item up for auction, an apartment located on West Street.

"This apartment consists of three bedrooms, two living rooms, one kitchen, and one bathroom. The owner, due to refusal to pay the loan and utilities, illegal drug trafficking, and assault leading to detention and sentencing, has had this property foreclosed. The apartment is well-renovated with complete appliances, and comes with a side door garage and parking space. The starting bid is 60,000 US Dollars, with each subsequent bid increment no less than 1,000 US Dollars."

Interested parties started bidding enthusiastically. Some were unable to attend in person and bid online instead. The price soared rapidly, soon reaching 260,000 US Dollars. Seeing this, Allen Zhang couldn’t help but marvel.

This is just an old apartment in an ordinary district, and the price is already terrifying. If it’s a standalone house with fine decoration, located closer to a bustling square, it couldn’t be less than a million US Dollars, let alone in the Rich District, where there’s no house selling for less than two million US Dollars.

In a slightly better off part of the Rich District, like the area where Olivia works, the average house price in the Crown District is five million.

With such house prices and income, it’s no wonder ordinary people can’t afford them.

Soon, the house was bought online for a price of 325,000 US Dollars.

Besides paying an auction fee, the owner also had to pay an additional 0.8% property tax. The newer the house, the higher the tax. Even though this apartment isn’t new, there’s still an annual property tax of 2,600 US Dollars to be paid. Who could afford that?

After the foreclosed house was sold, the court staff proceeded to introduce the next auction item, also a property, but one located in a suburban area on the outskirts, with a starting bid of 18,000 US Dollars. It was finally purchased by a skinny, tall, middle-aged white man in the back for 224,500 US Dollars!

The man couldn’t help but clench his fist and cheer.

So happy?

Fine. Go pay your 1.2% property tax first.

The next auction item was much more ordinary, just a luxury sedan. But looking at it, Allen Zhang felt as if it seemed vaguely familiar?

"This 21-year model Bentley luxury sedan was seized by officers from the Southern Branch from members of a criminal gang as illicit property. Now, after re-registration with the Department of Motor Vehicles, the bidder will enjoy exemption from vehicle purchase tax and need not worry about criminal retaliation. The starting bid is 35,000 US Dollars, with each bid increment no less than 2,000 US Dollars."

Allen Zhang and Mary exchanged glances, "Isn’t that your ex-boss’s car?"

"It seems to be the same one."

Mary also found it familiar. Other than the license plate number and the paint color being redone, the overall exterior and interior design remained unchanged.

Allen Zhang hadn’t expected the Southern Branch officers to be so blatant.

You’ve already swooped in and completely swept up someone’s illicit gains, trashing their cars and homes, and you didn’t choose to let any slide. Just took it to some repair shop, paid for some fixes, and then put it up for auction to make money.

That was a Bentley and a Mexican that were shot into a sieve by submachine guns and rifles! The soul ring is still on it.

It’s only been a couple of days since the seventh-day mourning, right?

But then again, if even a bar can be foreclosed on, then of course, other valuable items aren’t an exception. Even the smallest ant is still meat.

Soon, bidding began, with many raising their paddles and bidding. The price of the Bentley also skyrocketed, eventually being bought online for 148,800 US Dollars.

The buyer likely knew about the condition of the car in advance. A second-hand soul ring car, even if it’s a Bentley, is already selling for a high price.

Mainly because it saves on the vehicle tax, and the price is much lower than market value.

Sure enough, the foreclosed assets are still high-quality and inexpensive, but I still wouldn’t recommend looting in troubled times without real strength.

It wasn’t long before the staff switched screens, and photos of the Sunkist Bar appeared.

Exterior view, interior view, backyard, work area, backstage area, office, and even the places where the Bunny Girls usually worked weren’t spared.

The introduction came, "This is a somewhat famous bar located near the Ipson Street district. The owner was arrested by police officers for crimes including drug trafficking and illegal gambling, resulting in asset seizure. Its location is moderately situated with average foot traffic. The buyer can enjoy exemption from one year of property tax. The starting bid is 5,000 US Dollars, with each bid increment no less than 500 US Dollars."

Come on, that’s not an arrest. The guy is gone, and that Bentley is still his.

I don’t know if the villa has entered the auction lineup, but that Mexican seemed to have a few arcades and other assets seized as well.

The tax exemption is a decent perk, otherwise with so many people having died in the bar, making it quite inauspicious, really no one would dare to take it.

"5,500 US Dollars." Someone immediately raised a paddle to bid.

"6,500 US Dollars." Soon after, another person bid.

"7,000 US Dollars."

Many interested people participated in the bidding, and the price rose rapidly.

"15,000 US Dollars!"

Someone outbid the previous amount. Allen Zhang glanced over and saw it was a Black man.

But almost immediately, someone online bid 25,000 US Dollars.

"Shit!!" Black couldn’t help cursing, but still raised his paddle with a high bid of "28,000" US Dollars.

Mary couldn’t help squeezing her boyfriend’s arm tightly, "Are these two people really going to compete to the end? We’re not that unlucky, are we?"