How a local pickup-only marketplace works
Neighbors list everyday items on a timer. The winner collects at the seller’s address. House of Bid does not ship or inspect Local lots. San Diego first.
Read the guideHouse of Bid Marketplace
Marketplace pickup — with a timer
Same local board as Facebook Marketplace. The difference: neighbors bid instead of messaging “Is this still available?”
House of Bid Marketplace
Serving San Diego
Coming to your city soon
List a photo, local pickup only, meet in person, pay at the handoff — same functions as Facebook Marketplace when you are not using shipped checkout.
Neighbors bid on a clock. High bid wins when the timer ends. No “Is this available?” threads and no counter-offer haggle like OfferUp — the auction decides.
Local is the city board for a lamp, a bike, a sofa — things that should not wait for an estate weekend. The winner collects at the seller’s address. We do not ship the item and we do not inspect it before you pick it up.
Pickup at the seller’s address. We do not arrange shipping and we do not inspect or guarantee the item.
Listings are not open yet. San Diego is first. Other cities stay on the waitlist until enough neighbors join — the same city-by-city open we use when a new market is not live.
A whole house still lists as an Event or Yard. Repeating auction houses join. Local is the neighbor board.
Read how Local pickup works.
Sign up
Tell us your city. We’ll email you when posting opens.
Browse nearby
Neighbor listings are not live yet. San Diego opens first — sign up above and we will email you when couches, bikes, and tools appear on the board.
Listing descriptors
As-is, damage, missing parts — then an honest start
Marketplace lots are neighbor-to-neighbor. Stamp every photo AS-IS. If it is damaged, shoot a short clip like a Facebook Marketplace clip and zoom the flaw. Name missing parts and what a replacement costs so the buyer knows bid plus the cable — and you see whether your minimum is in the real world.
As-is on every photo
Every Marketplace photo carries an as-is mark. We do not inspect. The winner looks at it in person before they pay.
Snippet video when it is damaged
A still can hide a crack. A short clip is the same job Marketplace does with a listing video. 8–15 seconds on a phone — walk around the item, then hold the damage.
Zoom the damage
Close stills of cracks, burns, missing holes, and worn spots — not only a pretty hero shot.
Name missing parts and their cost
If a cable, remote, or brick is gone, say what it is and what a replacement costs. The buyer’s real number is bid plus that part.
Minimum bid only when it is still worth it
Works-as-shown and cosmetic wear can carry a start. Broken and parts lots start at the floor and let bidding decide.
Seller reality
Buyer pays the hammer at pickup. As-is still applies.
No missing parts on the form. A host minimum is fine if the photos and clip match the slider.
- Replacement parts
- $0
- Suggested start
- $0
- Buyer all-in
- $0
Free lookup — Grok (free web)
Look up a typical replacement price for a named missing part. Paste the prompt — no paid API on this house.
Proposed
Neighbor is free. Shop is for volume.
Selling stays free for neighbors: First 5 listings free · then stay free at up to 3 live lots · 30-day clock · pickup only · no percent of hammer. People who list every week can take Local Shop ($19/mo, proposed). Facebook Marketplace local pickup and most Craigslist by-owner posts are $0 when you meet in person — we mirror that for listing, cash, and Zelle. Neighbor stays free so the city board can grow.
House card is 5% plus payment processing. For higher hammers, pay with Zelle or cash so you keep the sale instead of losing it to fees. Card sticker: 5% + payment processing. Live card processing stays off until we turn payments on.
Neighbor
$0
First 5 listings free · then stay free at up to 3 live lots · 30-day clock · pickup only · no percent of hammer
Local Shop
$19/ mo
$19 / month proposed · unlimited live lots · one bump a week · shop name on the city board · still no percent of hammer
Align ecosystem · proposed
Partner with Align — find deals, join your people, list free
Cross-advertise: Local sellers get Align Shop Deal Radar on the buy side; Align members discover Local as the timed board inside their city.
Deals Radar
Partner with Align Shop
Watch Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, eBay, and Craigslist for underpriced items near you. Alerts when something matches your hunt — comps before you bid on Local.
When you list on Local, Deal Radar can show what similar pieces sold for elsewhere so you start the clock with a fair floor.
Align Shop →Align Communities
Join Align Communities
Sign up for communities around what you actually care about — motorcycles, vintage audio, neighborhood swaps. Post your Local lot inside that circle so the right neighbors see it first.
Align Communities →Free Local for members
AlignAlgo + Communities
Unlimited live Local lots · community board posting · Deals Radar exposure · still pickup only · still no percent of hammer
Members of Align Communities and AlignAlgo who want the city board without a Local Shop subscription.
Meetup rules — same idea as Facebook Marketplace
Local pickup has no purchase protection. These rules exist so neighbors do not get screwed. We do not inspect the piece and we do not hold the money.
Meet in public for anything you can carry
Police Safe Exchange Zones, a grocery lot, or a bank lobby during open hours. Do not meet alone after dark for a high-value item.
Bulky items can stay at the seller’s address
Sofas and appliances pick up where they sit. Have a second person there if you can. We do not send staff.
List as-is — show the damage
Every photo carries an as-is mark. If it is broken, add an 8–15s clip and zoom the fault. Name missing parts and what a replacement costs. The winner inspects before they pay.
Inspect before you pay
The winner looks at the piece in person. If it is not as described, they can walk away. The bid is a commitment to show up, not a guarantee the piece is perfect.
Never send money before you see it
No deposits, shipping labels, or gift cards. Cash or an instant pay app you both agree on at the handoff. We do not hold funds and we do not reverse a Venmo.
Never share bank or 2FA codes
Nobody from House of Bid will ask for a verification code. If a buyer or seller does, report them and leave.
We do not inspect, ship, or guarantee
Local is neighbor to neighbor. Off-platform shipping is on you and is not covered. Report no-shows and scams in the app.
Inspect together · fixture
Confirm on the spot before payment
When Local payments go live, the hammer does not capture until buyer and seller both confirm the item matches the listing. This preview shows the two-checkbox flow — not a live charge.
Is Local open for posting today?
- Not yet. Sign up so we can see demand. San Diego is the first city. Other cities stay on the coming-soon list until enough neighbors join.
Do you ship Local lots?
- No. Pickup at the seller’s address only. We do not arrange shipping and we do not inspect or guarantee the item.
How is Local different from Facebook Marketplace?
- List a photo, local pickup only, meet in person, pay at the handoff — same functions as Facebook Marketplace when you are not using shipped checkout. Neighbors bid on a clock. High bid wins when the timer ends. No “Is this available?” threads and no counter-offer haggle like OfferUp — the auction decides.
Is this like OfferUp?
- OfferUp is built around named offers and chat. Local is Marketplace logistics with an auction timer.
How is this different from an estate Event?
- An Event is a photographed house catalog with a sale address and pickup after settle. Local is everyday items between neighbors — a couch, a bike, a tool — still on a timer, still pickup only.
What does it cost to sell on Local?
- First 5 listings free · then stay free at up to 3 live lots · 30-day clock · pickup only · no percent of hammer If you need more than 3 live lots, Local Shop is $19 a month (proposed). Optional bump $3 for 72 hours. Listing is $0. Cash and Zelle stay $0 to us. House card is 5% plus payment processing — never 5% all-in. For higher hammers, use Zelle or cash so you do not lose money on fees. eBay’s ~13.6% is the wrong comparison; they process shipped goods.
Do you take a cut when it sells?
- Listing is $0. Cash and Zelle stay $0 to us. House card is 5% plus payment processing — never 5% all-in. For higher hammers, use Zelle or cash so you do not lose money on fees. eBay’s ~13.6% is the wrong comparison; they process shipped goods.
Should I use house card, Zelle, or cash?
- House card is 5% plus payment processing. For higher hammers, pay with Zelle or cash so you keep the sale instead of losing it to fees.
What is Align Shop Deals Radar on Local?
- Partner with Align Shop: Watch Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, eBay, and Craigslist for underpriced items near you. Alerts when something matches your hunt — comps before you bid on Local. When you list on Local, Deal Radar can show what similar pieces sold for elsewhere so you start the clock with a fair floor.
Can I post inside an Align Community?
- Sign up for communities around what you actually care about — motorcycles, vintage audio, neighborhood swaps. Post your Local lot inside that circle so the right neighbors see it first. Sign up at https://alignalgo.com/communities.
Is Local free for Align members?
- If you are in Align Communities and AlignAlgo, Unlimited live Local lots · community board posting · Deals Radar exposure · still pickup only · still no percent of hammer Optional bumps still cost extra.
Do listings have to be as-is?
- Yes. Every Marketplace photo carries an as-is mark. If the item is damaged, you add an 8–15 second clip and zoom the fault. Missing parts need a name and a replacement cost so the buyer’s all-in is bid plus that part.
Buying local
Helpful tips
Tips and tricks for reselling what you win
Buying to resell is a margin business. Where the money actually is, what kills a flip, and how to price the work you are about to do.
Buy what you like — then do the research
Collecting for investment usually disappoints. Collecting for taste, with research behind it, ends up with better objects and fewer regrets.
How to read start bids, standing bids, and estimates
Start bid is the opening ask. Standing bid is the live market. Typical sold ranges on Sell are comps helpers, not appraisals.
How pickup works after you win
Warehouse lots use a dock window. Estate and yard lots stay at the sale address. A pickup pass issues after settle.