When shopping in-person estate sales or online auctions, practice makes perfect! Estate sales can be an exciting experience, but shopping correctly does take a certain amount of knowledge and skill. The more you shop these events, the faster you will be able to recognize quality furniture and antiques. For everyday items, you will have a better idea of what the going rate is. Here are a few guidelines that will help you navigate any estate sale:
Research the Rules
Every estate sale comes with different rules. These sales are handled by either a family or a professional company. In either case, leave your checkbook at home. Family run sales usually only accept cash whereas their professional counterparts will take cash, credit or debit. Some sales provide bags or baskets and ask that you leave yours at home while others will allow you to bring in your own. One rule that is basically universal is NO RETURNS. Once money exchanges hands, the items are yours. If you want to read the rules before attending the event, look on third party sites like estatesales.org, estatesales.net or Craigslist or go to the professional estate sale company’s website.
Be Prepared
With a multitude of treasures, estate sales can be overwhelming. Just like making a list before you go to the grocery store can keep one from overbuying, making a list of what you want or need at an estate sale is equally helpful. If you are looking for a piece of furniture or wall art, be sure to measure the space where it will reside to make sure it will fit. Remember, there are usually no returns. If you are planning on buying a larger item, make sure to bring a truck or van and moving help. Rarely do estate sales provide delivery or help moving purchases out of the house.
Estate Sale Day!
When to arrive is the first decision you must make. Some sales are one day only and some are multiple days. For a typical three-day estate sale, the first day will produce the best and most valuable items, but it will be hectic with buyers all around. The second day, the premier items might be gone, but will still boast some good finds. If you like shopping in peace and not constantly running into other shoppers, this is the day to go. The final day of a sale is when you will get the greatest bargains. The house needs to be cleaned out and items need to go. If you want to use your haggling skills, this is the day! For one day sales, you may want to arrive early to pick up the nicer items and later if you are in search of good deals. Whenever you show up, make sure you test electronics and similar products. If you are shopping an online auction, do not hesitate to contact the auction company with any questions you may have.