Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Dec. 31, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Use of estimates	Use of estimates The preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Management bases its estimates and judgments on historical experience and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates include the assessment of collectability of revenue recognized and the valuation of accounts receivable, inventory, investments, goodwill and intangible assets, liabilities, contingent consideration, deferred income tax assets and liabilities, and stock-based compensation. These estimates have the potential to significantly impact our consolidated financial statements, either because of the significance of the financial statement item to which they relate, or because they require judgment and estimation due to the uncertainty involved in measuring, at a specific point in time, events that are continuous in nature.
Foreign Currency	Foreign Currency The functional currency of foreign operations is deemed to be the local country’s currency. Assets and liabilities of operations outside of the United States are generally translated into U.S. dollars, and the effects of foreign currency translation adjustments are included as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss.
Reclassifications	Reclassifications Certain prior year balances within the consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation.
Nature of Business	Nature of Business The Company earns revenue both from commission or fee-based services, and from the sale of distressed or surplus assets. With respect to the former, revenue is recognized as the services are provided. With respect to the latter, the majority of the asset sale transactions are conducted directly by the Company and the revenue is recognized in the period in which the asset is sold. Fee based revenue is reported as services revenue, and the associated direct costs are reported as cost of services revenue. At the balance sheet date, any unsold assets which the Company owns are reported as inventory, any outstanding accounts receivable are included in the Company’s accounts receivable, and any associated liabilities are included in the Company’s accrued liabilities. Equipment inventory is expected to be sold within a year and is therefore classified as a current asset; however, real estate inventory is generally classified as non-current due to the uncertainty in the timing of its sale. The remaining asset sale transactions involve the Company acting jointly with one or more additional purchasers, pursuant to a partnership, joint venture or limited liability company (“LLC”) agreement (collectively, “Joint Ventures”). These transactions are accounted for as equity method investments, and, accordingly, the Company’s proportionate share of the net income (loss) is reported as earnings of equity method investments. At each balance sheet date, the Company’s investments in these Joint Ventures are reported in the consolidated balance sheet as equity method investments. Although the Company generally expects to exit each of its investments in Joint Ventures in less than one year, they are classified on the balance sheet as non-current assets due to the uncertainties relating to the timing of resale of the underlying assets as a result of the Joint Venture relationship. The Company monitors the value of the Joint Ventures’ underlying assets and liabilities, and records a write down of its investments if the Company concludes that there has been a decline in the value of the net assets. As the activity of the Joint Ventures involves asset purchase/resale transactions, which is similar in nature to the Company’s other asset liquidation activities, the earnings (losses) of the Joint Ventures are included in the operating income/loss in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.
Liquidity	Liquidity The Company has incurred significant operating losses for the past several years and has partially relied on debt financing to fund its operations. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $281.1 million and a working capital deficit of $5.6 million. During 2017, the Company generated approximately $1.2 million in positive cash flows from operating activities. Until the Company achieves consistent profitability, it will need to continue to partially rely on debt financing to fund its operations. Management expects that a combination of cash flows from the Company’s asset liquidation operations and proceeds from existing debt financing will generate cash flow sufficient to fund the Company’s operations through the one year period subsequent to the financial statement issuance date, and beyond.
Cash and cash equivalents	Cash and cash equivalents The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents with financial institutions in the United States. These accounts may from time to time exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses on such accounts.
Accounts receivable	Accounts receivable The Company’s accounts receivable primarily relate to the operations of its asset liquidation business. They generally consist of three major categories: (1) fees, commissions and retainers relating to appraisals and auctions, (2) receivables from asset sales, and (3) receivables from Joint Venture partners. The initial value of an account receivable corresponds to the fair value of the underlying goods or services. To date, a majority of the receivables have been classified as current and, due to their short-term nature, any decline in fair value would be due to issues involving collectability. At each financial statement date the collectability of each outstanding account receivable is evaluated, and an allowance is recorded if the book value exceeds the amount that is deemed collectable. See Note 8 for more detail regarding the Company’s accounts receivable.
Inventory	Inventory The Company’s inventory consists of assets acquired for resale, which are normally expected to be sold within a one-year operating cycle. The inventory is recorded at the lower of cost or net realizable value.
Fair value of financial instruments	Fair value of financial instruments The fair value of financial instruments is the amount at which the instruments could be exchanged in a current transaction between willing parties, other than in a forced sale or liquidation. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the carrying values of the Company’s cash, accounts receivable, deposits, other assets, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate fair value given the short term nature of these instruments. The Company’s debt obligations approximate fair value as a result of the interest rate on the debt obligation approximating prevailing market rates. There are three levels within the fair value hierarchy: Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; Level 2 – significant other observable inputs; and Level 3 – significant unobservable inputs. The Company employs fair value accounting for only the contingent consideration recorded as part of the acquisition of NLEX. The fair value of the Company’s contingent consideration was determined using a discounted cash flow analysis, which is based on significant inputs that are not observable in the market and therefore fall within Level 3. See Note 10 for more discussion of this contingent consideration.
Business combinations	Business combinations Acquisitions are accounted for under FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 805, Business Combinations (“ASC 805”), which requires that assets acquired and liabilities assumed that are deemed to be a business are recorded based on their respective acquisition date fair values. ASC 805 further requires that separately identifiable intangible assets be recorded at their acquisition date fair values and that the excess of consideration paid over the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed (including identifiable intangible assets) should be recorded as goodwill.
Intangible assets	Intangible assets Intangible assets are recorded at fair value upon acquisition. Those with an estimated useful life are amortized, and those with an indefinite useful life are unamortized. Subsequent to acquisition, the Company monitors events and changes in circumstances that require an assessment of intangible asset recoverability. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are assessed at least annually to determine both if they remain indefinite-lived and if they are impaired. The Company assesses whether or not there have been any events or changes in circumstances that suggest the value of the asset may not be recoverable. Amortized intangible assets are not tested annually, but are assessed when events and changes in circumstances suggest the assets may be impaired. If an assessment determines that the carrying amount of any intangible asset is not recoverable, an impairment loss is recognized in the statement of operations, determined by comparing the carrying amount of the asset to its fair value. All of the Company’s identifiable intangible assets at December 31, 2017 have been acquired as part of the acquisitions of HGP in 2012 and NLEX in 2014, and are discussed in more detail in Note 7. No impairment charges were necessary during 2017.
Goodwill	Goodwill Goodwill, which results from the difference between the purchase price and the fair value of net identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired in a business combination, is not amortized but, in accordance with GAAP, is tested at least annually for impairment. The Company performs its annual impairment test as of October 1. Testing goodwill is a two-step process, in which the carrying amount of the reporting unit associated with the goodwill is first compared to the reporting unit’s estimated fair value. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, the fair values of the reporting unit’s assets and liabilities are analyzed to determine whether the goodwill of the reporting unit has been impaired. An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the Company’s recorded goodwill exceeds its implied fair value as determined by this two-step process. FASB Accounting Standards Update 2011-08, Testing Goodwill for Impairment, provides the option to perform a qualitative assessment prior to performing the two-step process, which may eliminate the need for further testing. Goodwill, in addition to being tested for impairment annually, is tested for impairment at interim periods if an event occurs or circumstances change such that it is more likely than not that the carrying amount of goodwill may be impaired. In testing goodwill, the Company initially uses a qualitative approach and analyzes relevant factors to determine if events and circumstances have affected the value of the goodwill. If the result of this qualitative analysis indicates that the value has been impaired, the Company then applies a quantitative approach to calculate the difference between the goodwill’s recorded value and its fair value. An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the recorded value exceeds its fair value. All of the Company’s goodwill relates to its acquisitions of Equity Partners in 2011, HGP in 2012 and NLEX in 2014, and is discussed in more detail in Note 7. No impairment charges were necessary during 2017.
Deferred income taxes	Deferred income taxes The Company recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for temporary differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and the amounts at which they are carried in the financial statements, based upon the enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The Company establishes a valuation allowance when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. In 2014, as a result of incurring losses in previous years, the Company recorded a valuation allowance against all of its net deferred tax assets. The Company continues to carry the full valuation allowance as of December 31, 2017. For further discussion of our income taxes, see Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements. On December 22, 2017, the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Tax Act) was enacted into law and the new legislation contains several key tax provisions that affected us, including a one-time mandatory transition tax (Toll Charge) on accumulated foreign earnings and a reduction of the corporate income tax rate to 21% effective January 1, 2018, among others. We are required to recognize the effect of the tax law changes in the period of enactment, such as determining the transition tax, remeasuring our U.S. deferred tax assets and liabilities as well as reassessing the net realizability of our deferred tax assets and liabilities.
Contingent consideration	Contingent consideration At December 31, 2017 the Company’s contingent consideration consists of the estimated fair value of remaining payments pursuant to an earn-out provision payable to the former owner and current president of NLEX (“David Ludwig”) that was part of the consideration for the acquisition of NLEX in 2014. The estimated fair value assigned to the contingent consideration at the acquisition date was determined using a discounted cash flow analysis. Its fair value is assessed quarterly, and any adjustments, together with the accretion of the present value discount, are reported as a fair value adjustment on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations. As of December 31, 2017, and based on management’s best estimate, the earn-out maximum amount of $5.0 million will be reached in 2018 due to the performance of NLEX. As a result, the Company adjusted its contingent consideration liability to the fair value of the remaining earn-out payment to David Ludwig, or $2.8 million. See Note 10 to the consolidated financial statements for more discussion of the contingent consideration.
Liabilities and contingencies	Liabilities and contingencies The Company is involved from time to time in various legal matters arising out of its operations in the normal course of business. On a case by case basis, the Company evaluates the likelihood of possible outcomes for this litigation. Based on this evaluation, the Company determines whether a loss accrual is appropriate. If the likelihood of a negative outcome is probable, and the amount can be reasonably estimated, the Company accounts for the estimated loss in the current period. See Note 14 for further discussion.
Revenue recognition	Revenue recognition Services revenue generally consists of commissions and fees from providing auction services, appraisals, brokering of sales transactions and providing merger and acquisition advisory services. Revenue is recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the selling price is fixed and determinable, goods or services have been provided, and collectability is reasonably assured. For asset sales revenue is recognized in the period in which the asset is sold, the buyer has assumed the risks and awards of ownership, the Company has no continuing substantive obligations and collectability is reasonably assured. We evaluate revenue from asset liquidation transactions in accordance with the accounting guidance to determine whether to report such revenue on a gross or net basis. We have determined that we act as an agent for our fee based asset liquidation transactions and therefore we report the revenue from transactions in which we act as an agent on a net basis. The Company also earns asset liquidation income through asset liquidation transactions that involve the Company acting jointly with one or more additional purchasers, pursuant to a partnership, joint venture or limited liability company (“LLC”) agreement (collectively, “Joint Ventures”). For these transactions, the Company does not record asset liquidation revenue or expense. Instead, the Company’s proportionate share of the net income (loss) is reported as earnings of equity method investments. In general, the Joint Ventures apply the same revenue recognition and other accounting policies as the Company.
Cost of services revenue and asset sales	Cost of services revenue and asset sales Cost of services revenue generally includes the direct costs associated with generating commissions and fees from the Company’s auction and appraisal services, merger and acquisition advisory services, and brokering of charged-off receivable portfolios. The Company recognizes these expenses in the period in which the revenue they relate to is recorded. Cost of asset sales generally includes the cost of purchased inventory and the related direct costs of selling inventory. The Company recognizes these expenses in the period in which title to the inventory passes to the buyer, and the buyer assumes the risk and reward of the inventory.
Stock-based compensation	Stock-based compensation The Company’s stock-based compensation is primarily in the form of options to purchase common shares. The grant date fair value of stock options is calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The determination of the fair value of the Company’s stock options is based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the price of the Company’s common stock, the expected volatility of the stock price over the expected life of the award, and expected exercise behavior. The grant date fair value of the awards is subsequently expensed over the vesting period, net of estimated forfeitures. The provisions of the Company’s stock-based compensation plans do not require the Company to settle any options by transferring cash or other assets, and therefore the Company classifies the option awards as equity. See Note 15 for further discussion of the Company’s stock-based compensation.
Advertising	Advertising The Company expenses advertising costs in the period in which they are incurred. Advertising and promotion expense included in selling, general and administrative expense for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, was $0.5 million and $0.4 million, respectively.
Recently adopted accounting pronouncements	Recently adopted accounting pronouncements In 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update (“ASU”) 2016-07, Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (“ASU 2016-07”), which simplifies the transition to the equity method of accounting by, among other things, eliminating retroactive adjustments to the investments as a result of an increase in the level of ownership interest or degree of influence. ASU 2016-07 became effective January 1, 2017 and did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation (“ASU 2016-09”), which provides improvements to employee share-based payment accounting. ASU 2016-09 simplifies the accounting and presentation of various elements of share-based compensation including, but not limited to, income taxes, excess tax benefits, statutory tax withholding requirements, payment of employee taxes, and award assumptions. ASU 2016-09 became effective January 1, 2017 and did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2015-17, Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes (“ASU 2015-17”). ASU 2015-17 requires all deferred tax assets and liabilities to be classified as non-current on the balance sheet. This amendment simplifies the presentation of deferred income taxes. ASU 2015-17 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2016. ASU 2015-17 became effective January 1, 2017 and did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
Future accounting pronouncements	Future accounting pronouncements In 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”). ASU 2014-09 specifies a comprehensive model to be used in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers, and supersedes most of the current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The FASB subsequently issued amendments to ASU No. 2014-09 that have the same effective date and transition date. It applies to all contracts with customers except those that are specifically within the scope of other FASB topics, and certain of its provisions also apply to transfers of nonfinancial assets, including in-substance nonfinancial assets that are not an output of an entity’s ordinary activities. The core principal of the model is that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the transferring entity expects to be entitled in exchange. To apply the revenue model, an entity will: 1) identify the contract(s) with a customer, 2) identify the performance obligations in the contract, 3) determine the transaction price, 4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and 5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. For public companies, ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods (including interim reporting periods within those periods) beginning after December 15, 2017. Upon adoption, entities can choose to use either a full retrospective or modified approach, as outlined in ASU 2014-09. As compared with current GAAP, ASU 2014-09 requires significantly more disclosures about revenue recognition. These new standards became effective for us on January 1, 2018, and will be adopted using the modified retrospective method through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of that date, as applicable. Based on our assessment of the impact that these new standards will have on our consolidated results of operations, financial position and disclosures completed to date, we have not identified any accounting changes that would materially impact the amount of reported revenues with respect to our service revenue and asset sales, or the timing of such revenues; however, certain changes are required for financial statement disclosure purposes. In 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2016-02, Leases (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 requires a lessee to recognize a lease asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term, and a lease liability for the payments to be made to lessor, on its balance sheet for all operating leases greater than 12 months. ASU 2016-02 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company has not yet adopted ASU 2016-02 nor assessed its potential impact on the financial statements. In 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (“ASU 2016-15”), which clarifies the classification of certain cash receipts and payments. The specific cash flow issues addressed by ASU 2016-15, with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice, are as follows: (1) Debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs; (2) Settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with insignificant coupon interest rates; (3) Contingent consideration payments made after a business combination; (4) Proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims; (5) Proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies; (6) Distributions received from equity method investees; (7) Beneficial interest in securitization transactions; and (8) Separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance in principle. ASU 2016-15 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company is still assessing the impact of ASU 2016-15 on its consolidated financial statements. In 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2017-01, Business Combinations (“ASU 2017-01”), which clarifies the definition of a business under topic 805 of the Accounting Standards Codification. The main provisions of ASU 2017-01 provide a screen to determine when an integrated set of assets and activities is not a business. The screen requires that when substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired (or disposed of) is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets, the set is not a business. ASU 2017-01 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company is still assessing the impact of ASU 2017-01 on its consolidated financial statements. In 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (“ASU 2017-04”), which simplifies the test for goodwill impairment. The main provisions of ASU 2017-04 eliminate the second step of the goodwill impairment test which previously was performed to determine the goodwill impairment loss for an entity by calculating the difference between the implied fair value of the entity’s goodwill and its carrying value. Under ASU 2017-04, if a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, an entity will record an impairment charge based on that difference. The impairment charge will be limited to the amount of goodwill which is allocated to that reporting unit. ASU 2017-04 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for annual and interim goodwill impairment testing dates after January 1, 2017. The Company is still assessing the impact of ASU 2017-04 on its consolidated financial statements.