House of Bid
Help Center
Bidding, pickup, and the phone app. Estate buyers wait at the front. Staff fetch tagged lots. Sellers sign lot-complete before that window starts.
If something goes wrong
House-local holds and pickup mismatches. This is an operations map, not a rebuilt seller admin.
Invoice past the pickup window unpaid
House-local bidding hold. Contact the house.
Escalate: Ops queue — not a silent cross-house ban. /help
Paid lot missing pieces at pickup
Seller lot-complete card. Staff credit or void — no invented fees.
Escalate: House admin review. /pickup
Tagged lot does not match the invoice
Staff scan/match at front staging. Do not let the buyer walk the house.
Escalate: Ops logistics. /pickup
Payment hold on this house
Write support. Hold stays local until review.
Escalate: House admin — network matching stays off. /contact
How do I register a paddle?
- Open Register, enter email or phone, then confirm. Guest paddles are off. On staging, Use staging buyer loads a test paddle so you can bid without SMTP.
How does the timer work?
- Each lot shows Closes in on the lot page. A bid in the final two minutes extends that lot another two minutes. That is a true market close — not a sniping cutoff.
What is Bid now versus Raise bid?
- With no current bid, Bid now places the opening amount. Once a bid stands, Raise bid places the next increment. If you are already winning, those buttons hide — raising the visible price against yourself is rejected.
What is a max bid?
- A proxy ceiling. The house auto-bids the minimum needed to keep you winning, up to that amount. Other bidders never see it. If you are winning, Raise max bid is the only way to increase your ceiling.
Can I type a custom amount?
- Yes, when you are not the standing bidder. The amount must meet the next increment. Floor lots are clerked in ops — the web panel will not take a floor bid.
How do I pick up a win?
- Warehouse lots use a dock window. Estate and yard lots stay at the sale address. Buyers wait at the front staging place with a pickup pass — they do not walk the house. Staff fetch the tagged lot, scan it, and match the invoice. Staging does not charge a live card.
Who is responsible if a lot is incomplete?
- The seller. Before pickup starts, walk every paid lot with staff, say we are good, and sign the lot-complete card. House of Bid will try if something was missed. Unsigned, unmarked, or mixed piles are how refunds happen.
What is Local versus an estate Event?
- Local is everyday items between neighbors — timed bids, pickup at the seller, no shipping and no inspection. An Event is a photographed house catalog. Local listings are not open yet; sign up on the Local page. Serving San Diego first; other cities coming soon.
How should we run an estate preview?
- House of Bid recommends letting people in one at a time for security, or keeping valuables in one closed room. That is a recommendation, not a law. Post the estate, build awareness, finish inventory, then set the auction date and preview on Sell.
How do we sort a house before we photograph?
- Walk one room at a time. Yellow Post-it means sell, pink keep, green donate, blue trash. Stick a QR on yellow pieces, then photograph in place. Print the sheet on the kit page or order the pack.
What if an invoice is unpaid or a lot is incomplete?
- Unpaid invoices stay a house-local hold — not a silent ban at other houses. Incomplete lots go back to the seller lot-complete card. The Help Center lists those paths. Do not invent fees on this page.