RIO LINDA, Calif. -

Wholesale values appear to be moving in patterns that are not very fall-like, as the latest “Beggs on the Used Car Market” video report indicates. And to see how this national trend has played out in a local market, one only needs to look at the area around California’s capital.

At Brasher’s Sacramento Auto Auction, prices have been climbing upward in recent weeks, and it has had quite an impact.

“It’s been an interesting five or six weeks,” said John Brasher in the auction’s post-sale report from last week. “The first sale of November felt like a normal fall market. Every week after that — including the (Thanksgiving) holiday week — prices seemed to escalate and get stronger.

“And today it continued,” he said in the video posted Dec. 4. “Dealers were shaking their heads that prices were so high. The reps reported strong retention in the lanes. Dealers needed inventory and they paid good money for cars, across all segments — rentals and everything.”

In fact, Brashersaid  he spoke with a bank client last week who needed to make some projections for December, but doing so was complicated due to the unseasonably strong market

“Frankly, he said, the market was so strong in November, he didn’t know to say,” Brasher said, noting it was hard to predict whether the market would remain static, climb or soften.

“And, I must say, I’m scratching my head a little bit too. This is much stronger than the normal, typical winter market.”