Bontrager Real Estate & Auction Service

What Bontrager Real Estate & Auction Service does

Bontrager Real Estate & Auction Service is a family-owned auction and real estate brokerage headquartered in Batavia, New York, founded in 1935 by Clarence Bontrager and now led by co-owners Todd Jantzi (CEO, Auctioneer, Real Estate Broker) and Sandra Jantzi (COO). The company runs over 100 online auctions per year through the Hibid.com platform, complemented by select on-site live auctions for real estate and large estate or business liquidations. Its portfolio spans internet/online auctions, estate auctions, real estate auctions, traditional MLS real estate listings, building materials, collectibles and specialty merchandise, vehicles/equipment/machinery, business liquidations, household downsizing, firearms and hunting supplies, and 4H livestock auctions across multiple Western NY counties.

The company's core technology stack is built on third-party platforms rather than proprietary infrastructure: Hibid.com hosts online bidding with soft-close auction mechanics and max-bid proxy features, Shipping Saint coordinates post-sale pickup and shipping, and Square and Global Pay serve as fallback payment processors. The company operates its own website (bontragerauction.com) with an auction calendar and end-to-end auction workflow, supported by a 9,000+ customer email list and active presence across seven social media platforms for marketing. A self-storage facility at the Batavia headquarters provides ancillary recurring revenue.

The business model is transaction-based, anchored by a 15% buyer's premium on personal property auctions and a 10% buyer's premium on real estate auctions, plus a sliding-scale commission covering labor, software, and administrative costs for consignments. Additional revenue comes from ancillary services including truck/trailer fees, staff labor ($40/hour), storage ($10/week after first free week, $150/month for containers), packing materials, and late payment fees. The customer base is highly horizontal: individual sellers disposing of estates, downsizers, and property owners; business owners executing liquidations; nonprofit 4H organizations; and a broad buyer pool of collectors and antique enthusiasts reached through Hibid.com and the company's email and social channels. Operations are concentrated in Western NY from Pennsylvania to Central NY, with bidder reach extending across the US and Canada via Hibid.com.

Name

Bontrager Real Estate & Auction Service

Legal name

Bontrager Real Estate & Auction Service Inc.

Website

https://bontragerauction.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bontrager Real Estate & Auction Service is a family-owned auction and real estate brokerage founded in 1935 in Batavia, NY, conducting over 100 online auctions annually via Hibid.com and serving individual sellers, businesses, and 4H organizations across Western New York.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Auction Services

NAICS

Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Bankruptcy, Probate & Estate Property Auctions (BPAJAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Real Estate Auctions (BPAJAEAA), Commercial Real Estate Auctions (BPAJAEAB)

Keywords

• Online auction services
• Estate liquidation auctions
• Real estate brokerage
• Business asset liquidations
• Specialty collectibles auctions

Headquarters

HQ city

Batavia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Auction Commissions: Sliding scale commission covering labor, software, and administrative costs for auction services. Standard buyer's premium is 15% of purchase price for personal property auctions; 10% for real estate auctions.
2. Real Estate Services: Full-service real estate team offering both auction and traditional Multiple Listing Service (MLS) options for buying and selling real estate. NY State Licensed Real Estate Broker, Associate Broker, and Salesperson on staff.
3. Additional Services and Fees: Additional charges include truck & trailer fees for business/estate liquidations, staff hourly rates, shipping fees, storage fees ($10/week after first week free), packing materials (50 cents per box), late payment fees ($5/day or $35 late fee), and staff time charges ($40/hour for alternate arrangements).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Bontrager Real Estate & Auction Service conducts online and on-site auctions for personal property, estates, real estate, business liquidations, building materials, vehicles/equipment, firearms, specialty collectibles, and 4-H livestock events through the Hibid.com platform. It also operates a full-service real estate brokerage offering both auction-format and traditional MLS listings, plus a self-storage facility as an ancillary service.

Product overview

Bontrager Real Estate & Auction Service is a family-owned auction and real estate company operating since 1935, serving Western NY state from Pennsylvania to Central NY. The company conducts over 100 auctions annually through a multi-platform approach. The core offering is Internet/Online Auctions hosted via Hibid.com, complemented by Live Auction Services for 4H livestock events. The product portfolio includes Estate Auctions, Real Estate Auctions (both auction and traditional MLS listing formats), Building Material Auctions, Collections and Specialty Auctions, Vehicles/Equipment/Machinery Auctions, Business Liquidations, Household Downsizing Services, and Firearms & Hunting Supply Auctions. A Self Storage Facility is offered as an ancillary service. All auctions utilize soft-close bidding technology and max bid functionality through the Hibid.com platform, with payment processing via Square and Global Pay integrations, and shipping coordination through Shipping Saint.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Internet/Online Auctions
• Estate Auctions
• Real Estate Auctions
• Traditional Real Estate Listings (MLS)
• Business Liquidations
• Building Material Auctions
• Collections and Specialty Auctions
• Vehicles, Equipment, and Machinery Auctions
• Firearms & Hunting Supply Auctions
• 4H Livestock Auctions
• Household Downsizing Services
• Self Storage Facility

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 auctions conducted annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hibid.comcoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary online auction hosting platform. Auctions are hosted on Hibid.com where they are seen by tens of thousands of potential buyers throughout the US and Canada. Payment processing and bidder registration handled through Hibid.com.
• National Association of Realtors (NAR)minorOthersIndustry association membership displaying NAR branding on website footer.
• New York State Association of Realtors (NYSAR)minorOthersState-level industry association membership displaying NYSAR branding on website footer.
• Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors (BNAR)minorOthersLocal regional board association displaying BNAR branding on website footer.
• New York State Auctioneers AssociationminorOthersIndustry association for auctioneers in New York State. CEO Todd Jantzi served as President 2020-2022.
• Shipping SaintcoreTechnology or IntegrationPost-auction logistics platform used for coordinating pickup and shipping arrangements with buyers. Customers receive email and text notifications to choose pickup or shipping options.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MaxSold: MaxSold is an online estate auction platform serving North America, directly competing with Bontrager's estate and downsizing auction services through a national network of estate sale specialists and online bidding infrastructure.
• Auction.com: Auction.com is the largest online residential and commercial real estate auction marketplace in the US, directly comparable to Bontrager's real estate auction business model of selling property via timed online bidding with buyer premiums.
• PropertyRoom.com: PropertyRoom.com runs online auctions for estates, unclaimed property, and liquidated assets from businesses and government agencies, competing with Bontrager's general personal property auction business through a national digital platform.
• LiveAuctioneers: LiveAuctioneers is an online auction aggregation platform hosting auctions across art, antiques, jewelry, and estate categories, directly comparable to Hibid.com as the type of infrastructure Bontrager relies on to reach remote bidders.
• Proxibid: Proxibid is an online auction platform specializing in heavy equipment, vehicles, real estate, and industrial assets, directly comparable to Hibid.com as competing auction infrastructure for the type of vehicles, equipment, and real estate auctions Bontrager conducts.

Broad incumbents

• Heritage Auctions: Heritage Auctions is the largest US-based auction house covering collectibles, coins, fine art, and specialty categories. It is comparable as a broad incumbent offering specialized auction services that compete with Bontrager's specialty/collectibles auction line.
• Sotheby's: Sotheby's is a global auction house offering fine art, collectibles, and luxury goods, comparable as a broad incumbent operating across auction categories that overlap with Bontrager's specialty and collectibles auction line, though at a vastly different scale and price tier.
• Christie's: Christie's is a global auction house covering art, luxury goods, and specialty items, comparable as a broad incumbent whose specialty auction services overlap with Bontrager's collections and specialty auction categories at a different end of the value spectrum.

Emerging players

• EstateSales.NET: EstateSales.NET is a directory and platform for estate sales and online auctions across the US, comparable to Bontrager's estate sale and downsizing services where buyer discovery increasingly shifts to national aggregation platforms.

Regional players

• Cobalt Auction Group: Cobalt Auction Group is a Midwest-based auction and real estate firm offering estate, real estate, and personal property auctions, directly comparable to Bontrager's regional auction service business model with similar operational scope in a different US geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BontragerAuctn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bontrager Real Estate & Auction Service