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Buying at
Garage Sales!
Before you go
Before heading out for a day of garage, yard and estate
sales you need to be prepared. What's the weather going to be? Rainy or
hot? take an umbrella or a hat, don't forget sunscreen. Wear comfy shoes too.
Do you have enough cash? Take ones, fives tens as well as some pocket change.
Don't bring large bills. Be sure to have enough gas in your car. Have you made
a map of local sales you want to visit? Check out the map maker below.
Make a map of
nearby sales
Find sales in your area and
create a map FREE!
Shopping wisely
There are generally no returns allowed at
garage or estate sales. Take your time, you are going to see a lot of items
that you will be tempted to buy that you should not. You need to look very
closely at anything you plan on buying. Often there will be a crack or chip in
a glass or pottery item that could make it worthless. Electrical items may not
be in working condition so take the time to inspect them well and ask to plug
it in and test it before you buy.
Aggressive Shoppers
Don't be intimidated by aggressive shoppers.
When the sale opens at 8 am there is often a bunch of seemingly rude people
ready to run in and start grabbing up items as fast as they can and shove them
into their bag or box. They don't take the time to look at the items very
well, they just want to get there before you do. These people often have
antique stores, second hand stores or buy and sell items for living. If you
are just starting out, you may be tempted to act like these people and become
very aggressive in your shopping habits. in the beginning, I suggest you go
about it in a better, smarter way. Watch these people, watch what they buy,
ask them if they have a store or shop, visit their store or shop. Get to know
them. You are going to see the same people frequently as you attend more and
more sales. Become friendly with them and ask them if you can become a birddog
for them to make extra money. Ask them what they are looking for, and if you
find an item they are looking for would they be interested in buying it from
you. Everyone has their niche, that's what makes this business interesting.
You can learn a lot from these people, or you can become annoyed at the way
the push and shove. I just hope that you don't learn to be one of those rude
or obnoxious shoppers that we all have to endure.
Bargain hunting
What is a bargain? If you need to buy a new coffee maker
that costs $50 and you find a slightly used model at a garage sale for $10,
THAT is a bargain. The thing to remember is that if you buy things that you
don't need or won't use, then it isn't a bargain at all. You are just a pack
rat. We all have a bunch of items that we planned on using, but never did.
They clutter our homes and tie up out cash flow. Don't buy it unless you have
a real need for it or you plan on reselling it for a profit.
What to look for
Finding an old traffic signal
Everyone is looking for something different. Some people are
looking for baby clothes and high chairs. Other people are looking for lawn
mowers or washers and dryers. Personally, I look for things that I know I can
sell for a profit. But my knowledge base is limited. I know a lot about
certain items and nothing about others. So I read, I research and I take
chances when I find something unusual or interesting for a low price. I have
bought old cameras and have done very well, yet I know very little about them.
When I get home after a day of attending garage or estate sales I get on my
computer and start doing research on the items I have bought. Sometimes I am
pleasantly surprised by the value and sometimes I am not. The key is to not
pay too much for any one item unless you have knowledge that tells you it is a
wise investment for the price offered.
A few years ago, I went to a sale that had a bunch of old
stuff. The guy running the sale said his dad had died and left him all this
stuff. These are the sales I like best. In the middle of the garage was an old
four-way traffic signal. Yellow in color and big and heavy. I had never seen a
traffic signal at any sale so I immediately was curious about it. I asked how
much and he said $100. He also said that he knew it was worth more than that
but he just wanted it out of there. He then went on to say that he also had
the controller box that made the signal operate and that it worked. I was
beside myself. Should I take a chance on a 1940's traffic signal? Could I
afford to lose the $100 if it was worthless?
I told the man I would take it. But I had to go to the bank
to withdraw the funds. He said he would hold it for me. On the way to the bank
I called my wife and asked her to do a search on ebay for traffic signals. She
did and said there were a few on ebay but was not sure if it was a valuable
item. She said that there seemed to be some interest in some of the auctions
listed and the completed auctions had some sales in the hundreds.
I returned to the sale and paid the man $100 for the old
traffic signal, loaded it up and took it straight home. When I looked on ebay,
I found nothing like the signal that I had, just a bunch of newer traffic
signals for DJ and nightclub lighting. I was bewildered. So I went on the
internet and started doing research. I found that there was a subculture of
people who are enthralled with old traffic signals and such. These people had
dedicated websites displaying their traffic signal memorabilia. These people
were fanatic about traffic signals. I was blown away, I had no idea. I
contacted some of these people and learned a whole lot about the business of
collecting traffic signals. It turned out that I did list the signal on ebay
and sold it for about $2200. I delivered it personally to the winning bidder
in California and had a fun road trip with my daughter.
The moral of the story, if you find an old traffic signal
buy it.
Since then, I have been looking for more items in this
category. I have found none. I was at the right place at the right time with
the willingness to take a chance on something I knew nothing about. I was
lucky. I am not always lucky. Sometimes I buy items that are totally
worthless. But I keep learning, that is the key to this business.
Negotiating
skills
Antiques & Collectibles
Safety
issues
There are a hundred things that come into my mind about
safety. I can't address them all here so I will just mention the most
important ones.
Open your door carefully.
When going to sales, you have to be careful as you get in
and out of your car. Some people are looking the other direction as they drive
by and won't see you. There are a lot of very eager people attending garage
and estate sales. They are often more interested in the items out in the
driveway than the people crossing the street.
Watch your step.
I get so excited when I find a big sale that I tend to scan
the tables as fast as I can looking for what interests me. Sometimes I fail to
see the items that have been laid out on the ground and trip on them. Some
sales are indoors and there may be stairs to traverse. Often these stairs are
narrow and slippery. Take it slow and be careful. Ask for help if you find a
heavy item that you want.
Take care of your vehicle and your loved ones..
Don't leave your car unlocked. Don't leave your car running.
Don't leave your car keys in the ignition, and be sure to apply your parking
brake. Do not leave children or pets unattended in your vehicle, especially on
hot days. Not only may it be illegal, but your children could die from the
heat. Be smart, leave your kids and pets at home if you can.
Keep track of your children.
Children love to go to garage and estate sales. It is your
job to ensure they are safe and well mannered. Don't let you kids run wild at
a sale, and be sure they respect the items and property of the people who are
having the sale. If they break an item, it is your responsibility to pay for
the item at full asking price.
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