Your agent probably advised you to avoid auctions because he/she doesn't understand auctions (most real estate agents don't), or because he/she wants to earn a commission from you, or because he/she knows enough about auctions to understand the risks and is encouraging you to take a safer path.

Heck, start download podcast #1 and I bet you that by the time you reach #80 you can turn around and teach the guru yourself.  

Would the smart bet be to follow your realtor's lead on the starting bid?

The house looks nice, so I bet that it is related to the time of year. - Agree with Postlets...hope you have already done that by now, given how it is free.- Hope that sign is out already.

Trust me, I have not been doing this a really long time, but you can always bet your repairs are always going to be way more than you project.

Your best bet is to find local banks with only a few branches.

You are safer shutting off the water supply at the source if you are going to be away and maintaining heat to protect the system.  

Plugins would be your best bet here, like others above mentioned you can use a plugin from your email service provider to get it tied in.

While I'd love to buy more property instead, the notes are a safer bet and a better hedge against dropping rents or home values.

I think SF in houston is a safER bet right now for a long term hold then MF right now.