Greg Venning said he tells people his middle name is "Overdo It" because when he gets into something, he goes full-tilt. For example, when he auctions some of his properties next month, he will auction 24 of them absolute.

"We are kind of treading on new ground here doing one this big being totally absolute," said Venning, of Venning & Company Developers, LLC, a Glade Hill-based builder and contractor.

He admitted it makes him nervous to think about how much money the properties will bring. But they're paid for and there was no bank involved in making the decision, said Venning, so everything will be profit.

The 24 properties are assessed at about $3.4 million and will be auctioned on Saturday, Sept. 18 at noon at The Westlake Golf & Country Club. All properties will be sold to the highest bidder, with no reserve or bank confirmation to complete the sale, said Venning.

"I don't know this to be a fact, but this may be the largest absolute auction to be held at Smith Mountain Lake for actual waterfront properties," said Bill Walker, owner and president of Walker Commercial Real Estate Services, which is hosting the auction.

SML properties include eight waterfront lots in Waterford in Moneta, one waterfront lot and four off-water lots in River Rock in Hardy, four waterfront lots and one off-water lot in The Inlet in Moneta and one off-water lot in Morningwood in Wirtz.

The auction also will include one lot off Naff Road near Boones Mill and Big Sky Farm, an 89-acre farm off Golden View Road in Redwood. Venning said the farm includes an airplane hangar, although a special-use permit from the county would be required to allow continued use of the air strip.

Walker said Big Sky Farm will be auctioned first in its entirety and then auctioned as four separate tracts. If the combined total of the four tract bids is greater than the highest bid for the entire 89-acre farm, it will be sold in four tracts.

Walker said people can view the properties at their leisure or at a scheduled preview on Sept. 11 and 12 from 1 to 5 p.m.

Registration is required to bid. Those interested can register online or at The Westlake Golf & Country Club, where the auction will be held, before the start of the auction. A $5,000 cashiers check will be required to bid on the off-water lots, a $15,000 check for waterfront lots and $25,000 to bid on the entire Big Sky Farm.

Venning said he hopes the auction may give an indication of when the bottom of the real estate market will level out at Smith Mountain Lake.

"I'm in the business of selling property and I'm just bored; it's just gone on too long," said Venning. "I'm just tired of not selling and I just want some action."

For more information about the auction, visit www.walker-inc.com.