How to Buy a House at Auction (No Experience Necessary)

Jun 25

There's a particular kind of front porch in Tennessee that tells you everything you need to know about a neighborhood. Wide enough for a couple of chairs. A flag pole in the corner. A coffee cup left on the railing from this morning. You drive past it and you can feel that someone has been living there — not just occupying the address, but living in it, for decades

That's the kind of porch you'll find at 1112 Neelys Bend Rd in Madison, Tennessee. Settled into one of Madison's most established neighborhoods — what locals affectionately call "Hillbilly Hollywood" — where country music history runs deep and the front porches really do tell stories.

This property is going to a new family at online auction, and I want to walk you through exactly how that's going to work. Because here's the truth: most folks have never bought a house at auction, and a lot of them are quietly intimidated by the idea. So let's clear that up.

What You Need to Know About the Property

📍 1112 Neelys Bend Rd, Madison, TN 37115

3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, approximately 2,557 square feet
1.9 acres — a rare amount of land this close to downtown Nashville
1.5-story brick home built in 1953
Walk-out daylight basement
2-car attached garage
Formal dining room, formal den, screened-in back porch
Upstairs apartment with its own kitchen and private exterior entrance — ideal for guests, rental income, or multi-generational living
Minutes from East Nashville, Briley Parkway, downtown Nashville, Opry Mills, the Grand Ole Opry, Peeler Park, and the Cumberland River greenway

It's the kind of property where you can hear the cicadas in the evening and still be at a Predators game in twenty minutes.

🏡 Estate Sale & Open House — Saturday, June 27

Before the auction closes, we're hosting an estate sale and open house right at the property. This is your chance to walk the home in person, ask every question you've got, look through the estate items, and meet the auctioneer (that's me).

📅 Saturday, June 27, 2026🕒 Open House Hours: 8 Am Sharp📍 1112 Neelys Bend Rd, Madison, TN 37115

Bring your spouse, your contractor, your camera, your kids, your curiosity. No appointment needed. No commitment expected. Just come walk it.

🔨 The Auction Closes Tuesday, June 30

The online auction for 1112 Neelys Bend Rd runs through Tuesday, June 30. This is an online-only auction, which means you can bid from anywhere — your kitchen table in Springfield, your office in Brentwood, or your hunting cabin in Hickman County. All you need is an internet connection and a registered bidder account.

🗓️ Bidding Closes: Tuesday, June 30 💻 Where to Bid:CommonHourAuction.com 💰 Buyer's Premium: 10% non-refundable, added to the high bid to determine the final sale price 📋 Property is sold AS-IS, WHERE-IS — buyers responsible for all due diligence

🪜 How to Bid: A Step-by-Step Guide

This is the part most people get nervous about. Don't be. Here's exactly how it works, in plain English.

✅ Step 1 — Research the Property

Spend an hour with the public record before you ever step on the property:

Check zoning, permits, and code enforcement history on the Metro Nashville City website
Pull the tax record from the Davidson County Assessor's Office to verify lot size, assessed value, and tax history
Drive by the property at different times of day — morning, evening, weekend — to get a feel for the neighborhood
Walk the surrounding blocks. Madison has its own rhythm. See if it suits you.

✅ Step 2 — Get Your Financing in Order

Here's the most important difference between auction and a traditional listing: there are no financing contingencies at auction. If you win the bid, you close. So get your money lined up before you bid:

Cash buyers: Get a current proof of funds letter from your bank
Financed buyers: Call your local bank, credit union, or mortgage lender and get pre-approved. Bring the auction terms to your lender so they understand the 30-day timeline.
Hard money, conventional financing, and cash all work — just have your funding source confirmed before bid day.

✅ Step 3 — Inspect the Property

Sold AS-IS doesn't mean "sold blind." You have every right to inspect this property — and we encourage it:

Schedule a home inspection with your inspector this week
If your lender requires it, schedule an appraisal
Bring a contractor for an estimate if you're planning updates
The earlier you book, the better — inspectors get busy

✅ Step 4 — See It in Person

Come to the June 27 estate sale & open house, or schedule a private viewing by appointment. Take pictures. Take video. Take measurements. Bring anyone whose opinion matters.

✅ Step 5 — Call the Auctioneer (That's Me)

I'm happy to walk you through anything you don't understand. The property, the terms, the bidding process — there are no dumb questions at auction. That's a promise.

📞 Jennifer Davis, Auctioneer | 971-400-6420

✅ Step 6 — Register to Bid

Head to CommonHourAuction.com, create your free bidder account, verify your identity, and acknowledge the auction terms. Don't wait until June 30 morning — register a few days early so you're ready when the action starts.

💰 The Buyer's Premium — Explained

A lot of folks see "10% Buyer's Premium" and aren't sure what that means. Here's the simple version:

If you win the auction at $300,000, you add 10% ($30,000) on top to get your final purchase price of $330,000.

The Buyer's Premium is non-refundable and is due to Robertson County Title & Escrow within 24 hours of the auction close. Closing happens within 30 days at Robertson County Title & Escrow (or the closing company of your choice — buyer covers any seller-side fees if you switch).

That's it. No hidden charges, no commission games. The price you see on the high bid plus 10% is exactly what you'll pay.

🤝 A Note to REALTORS®

If you're a REALTOR® and you'd like to bring a buyer, you're welcome and encouraged. Buyer-broker cooperation is available. Please register your buyer at least 48 hours before the auction closes, and have a written buyer-representation agreement in place per NAR guidelines. Reach out to me directly for full terms.

🎶 Why Auction?

Auction is the most honest mechanism for price discovery I know. There's no list-price guesswork, no "let's see what offers come in," no agent opinion driving the number. The market sets the value. The highest bidder wins. You set your max number ahead of time and you bid your truth.

Whether you're an investor with a project pipeline, a first-time buyer looking for something with character, or a family who wants 1.9 acres in Madison so the kids can run, this is your shot. Come walk the porch on June 27. Bring your questions. Bid your best price on June 30.

That's how we do it in Tennessee.

📞 Ready to Get Started?

Property details, full auction terms, and bidder registration: 👉 CommonHourAuction.com

Talk to the auctioneer directly: 📞 Jennifer Davis | 971-400-6420

Open House & Estate Sale: 📅 Saturday, June 27, 2026 8 Am Sharp📍 1112 Neelys Bend Rd, Madison, TN 37115

Online Auction Closes: 🗓️ Tuesday, June 30, 2026 3pm

Common Hour Auction Co. is a Tennessee-licensed auction firm (TN License #7520) led by Jennifer Davis, Principal Auctioneer and Tennessee REALTOR® with Compass. Common Hour is the sister auction brand to I Am From Tennessee — same Tennessee roots, same belief that auction is the most transparent way to buy and sell real estate.

See you Saturday. 🎶