Estate sales, what to pay?

[ohairas]

I've only been to two estate sales and they were auctions. The only clothes, or possibly linens I saw were in bags and were not offered in the sale.

So, if you go to a sale, not auction.. and nothing is marked, what do you offer? I mean, say you walk into a closet that is stuffed with outfits and shoes and you get like 5 trashbags full?

Nikki

 

[Marc Chevalier]

... if you go to a sale, not auction.. and nothing is marked, what do you offer? I mean, say you walk into a closet that is stuffed with outfits and shoes and you get like 5 trashbags full?

First, don't offer. Ask. Some estate sales charge for bags of clothes by the pound. Others want to see what's in the bags. Ask the sellers how much $$$ they want for the clothes, and if you think it's fair, then pay it. If it seems expensive, then give a counter offer. Usually the sellers will accept it, especially if there's a long line of folks at the cashier's.

.

 

[ohairas]

lol! Of course.. ask how much, duh.. you can tell I'm used to "offereing" at auctions. Thanks Marc!
Wow... pay by the pound. That could really add up. But I'm sure it would still be a great deal compaired to ebay prices and such.

Nikki

 

[mysterygal]

Even when they tell you how much they want for the items, don't take it ever as final...in almost all cases, you can bargain with them until the price seems satisfactory...if it's still too high for your liking, estates sales usually run just a couple of days, if you choose to chance it, wait until near the end of the last day, usually people are pretty darn anxious to get rid of everything by this point...but this is quite a risk, especially if you found a treasure, some things are just worth paying the little extra amount

 

[Tango Yankee]

A question...

How do you find out about estate auctions/sales?

Cheers,
Tom

 

[kools]

Our newspapers run classified listings for estate sales. In my experience, most prices are marked. I also agree with what has already been stated, negotiate a price you are happy with. In most cases, they are just eager to get rid of as much as possible. I have seen, however, the estate sellers who post signs saying they will not discount their prices until the final day of the sale.

 

[Elaina]

Really, the prices also depend on the greediness of the people running them.

 

[cookie]

Estate sales in America

Just a question - how in the USA you are still getting estate sales with such
old clothing? I bought stuff in the 80s in Sydney when you could buy it at markets etc. Now you never see the stuff. Yet you guys find heaps.

signed

Jealous

 

[pigeon toe]

You can also find estate sales at craigslist.com or free little newspapers like the Pennysaver. That's where I find the ones I've been to.

 

[Chanfan]

Really, the prices also depend on the greediness of the people running them.

Hmm, one could easily flip that around. If folks want "deals" (and won't pay higher prices), aren't they being just as greedy?

It's also largely a matter of perception, I guess. I recall at my Parent's "estate sale" (garage sale), being surprised at how quickly some things went, and how others that I might have expected to generate interest just hung around. And certainly, we discounted on the last day as well.

I was just looking at an antique shop in downtown Seattle. The prices seemed outrageous to me, I'm used to browsing shops in the burbs, or in Snohomish. I think the stuff was, in general, a bit nicer quality than most places, but the prices seemed perhaps 2-5x higher. Of course, they have lots of traffic from tourists, or folks who can afford to live downtown, and they have correspondingly higher rent.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Just a question - how in the USA you are still getting estate sales with such old clothing?

Here's why:


-- Some old people are hoarders who never give anything away. Some of these hoarders die at a very old age.

-- Some widows (and widowers) hold onto items of their dead spouses' clothing as keepsakes.

.

 

[mysterygal]

Just a question - how in the USA you are still getting estate sales with such
old clothing? I bought stuff in the 80s in Sydney when you could buy it at markets etc. Now you never see the stuff. Yet you guys find heaps.

signed

Jealous

Around here, yes it's possible, but, most of the time when I go to an estate sale, it's mostly furniture that's worth buying and everything else usually hold no interest for me (like trinkets and what not)
ebay's been pretty popular for finding some good vintage finds.

 

[Vintage Betty]

Estate Sales in Northern California

I grew up going to garage sales with my Dad most Saturdays for most of my childhood. Fun times.

Here in Northern California, I stopped going to garage or estate sales over 10 years ago. Simply put, here are the reasons:

• The Estate Sale was run by a professional company who took all the good items, and placed them in a locked room to sell later (very common)
• Persons would line up to an hour before, often being given numbers or priviledges (sp) in order to enter the sale
• I would bring something to the cashier only to be told "that belonged to Grandma, and I can't possibly sell that"
• The price is outrageous for a Garage Sale; the seller would frequently take the highest price off ebay for a rare item in the same category

I simply got tired of spending time and gas looking for items which were not really being sold, but were treated as if I was priveledged just to get into a private sale and look at someone's old stuff.

What I do instead, is take an extra suitcase with us when I travel, and visit sales and antique shops in whatever area I happen to be in. One of my fondest memories is forcing my husband to stop to attend a corner garage sale in New York in the rain - it was a bunch of people under tarps with tables; I guess they sold there weekly - no signs, no nothing. One woman couldn't believe this crazy woman from California who bought a couple bags of her stuff. I was happy as a lark and finshed most of my Christmas shopping under a blue tarp.

I also buy off ebay, and that works for me too. I just couldn't stand the snotty estate dealers hoarding stuff any more.

Vintage Betty

 

[Elaina]

Hmm, one could easily flip that around. If folks want "deals" (and won't pay higher prices), aren't they being just as greedy?

It's also largely a matter of perception, I guess. I recall at my Parent's "estate sale" (garage sale), being surprised at how quickly some things went, and how others that I might have expected to generate interest just hung around. And certainly, we discounted on the last day as well.

True, and there's a "reasonable" price I'll pay for something, but then (and I'm going to use an example here) I need a kitchen table. I found one at an estate sale, it was a 1970's model, scratched and the veneer was needing replaced, chairs needed about $20 to repair and they wanted $175 for the set. I can buy a new table (not the best quality mind) for $120. IMO, $50 would have been good to offer.

I do my mom's garage sales every few years or so. Largely, I tend to double the price from what I would take.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Persons would line up to an hour before, often being given numbers or privileges in order to enter the sale.

I just couldn't stand the snotty estate dealers hoarding stuff any more.

The lines of people who've arrived an hour early: this is the fault of the dealers? No way. It's the fault of the buyers who freely choose to arrive early and wait. Giving people numbers is a courtesy; it allows folks to leave the line (to go to the bathroom, for example) and not lose their place. As for privileges, well ... first come, first served. That's fair, isn't it?


Professional estate dealers live and die on their reputations. Those that hoard don't last long; they get bad word-of-mouth among buyers, who stop coming to their sales. I've seen this happen again and again. Successful estate dealers make sure that their prices are reasonable and their selection is good. Those are the businesses that last for years, as some indeed do.

.

 

[Chanfan]

True enough, I'd hate putting the effort into going to a sale where the prices were sky-high. Still, it's what the market will bear. I might think a price is crazy, but if it sells, the seller is smart. If they are just being greedy / misinformed, well, they they learn by it not selling and wasting their time.

I must admit, I've been to few enough garage sales, and no true estate sales.

 

[Vintage Betty]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vintage Betty
Persons would line up to an hour before, often being given numbers or privileges in order to enter the sale.

I just couldn't stand the snotty estate dealers hoarding stuff any more.


The lines of people who've arrived an hour early: this is the fault of the dealers? No way. It's the fault of the buyers who freely choose to arrive early and wait. Giving people numbers is a courtesy; it allows folks to leave the line (to go to the bathroom, for example) and not lose their place. As for privileges, well ... first come, first served. That's fair, isn't it?


Professional estate dealers live and die on their reputations. Those that hoard don't last long; they get bad word-of-mouth among buyers, who stop coming to their sales. I've seen this happen again and again. Successful estate dealers make sure that their prices are reasonable and their selection is good. Those are the businesses that last for years, as some indeed do.

Mr.Chevalier ~ You are absolutely right, and I stand corrected. However, I didn't explain myself well enough perhaps?

In Northern California, we don't have very many good Garage or Estate Sales; simply put, our population hasn't been here long enough to have the fantastic sales like our Eastern Brethren.

What I should have said is that "almost all" Estate Sales get lines and Early Birds who snap everything up. I went to many Estate Sales early and didn't get anything for over two years because of people who stopped by the day before. [huh]

It doesn't matter about reputation here in Northern California. There is such a high demand/low supply of stuff, the dealer(s) can do the worst possible job and still walk away with a heavy profit margin.

Vintage Betty

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I went to many Estate Sales early and didn't get anything for over two years because of people who stopped by the day before.

Now that is awful ... and it definitely does happen. Reputable estate dealers write "No early birds" in the ads for the sale, and they stick to it. Rogue dealers sell to the highest bidder a day, two days, or even a week before the sale starts. That's terrible and it cannot be condoned.

.

 

[jamespowers]

I grew up going to garage sales with my Dad most Saturdays for most of my childhood. Fun times.

Here in Northern California, I stopped going to garage or estate sales over 10 years ago. Simply put, here are the reasons:

• The Estate Sale was run by a professional company who took all the good items, and placed them in a locked room to sell later (very common)
• Persons would line up to an hour before, often being given numbers or priviledges (sp) in order to enter the sale
• I would bring something to the cashier only to be told "that belonged to Grandma, and I can't possibly sell that"
• The price is outrageous for a Garage Sale; the seller would frequently take the highest price off ebay for a rare item in the same category

I simply got tired of spending time and gas looking for items which were not really being sold, but were treated as if I was priveledged just to get into a private sale and look at someone's old stuff.

What I do instead, is take an extra suitcase with us when I travel, and visit sales and antique shops in whatever area I happen to be in. One of my fondest memories is forcing my husband to stop to attend a corner garage sale in New York in the rain - it was a bunch of people under tarps with tables; I guess they sold there weekly - no signs, no nothing. One woman couldn't believe this crazy woman from California who bought a couple bags of her stuff. I was happy as a lark and finshed most of my Christmas shopping under a blue tarp.

I also buy off ebay, and that works for me too. I just couldn't stand the snotty estate dealers hoarding stuff any more.

Vintage Betty

That has been my experience exactly. There sure are estate sellers and plenty of them. It wasn't like that twenty years ago but it sure is now. :eusa_doh: I haven't been to one in quite a while---as you can tell.

Regards,

J