Ssssshhh! Estate Sale Secrets 1: The Nitty Gritties

I'm in no way an expert on estate sales, but I must admit I've encountered my share: the good, the bad, and (as they say) the ugly. I go nearly every week. To be honest, living in a major metropolitan area greatly enhances the experience. Living in a hub of world travelers also helps, as well as a high-density and varied population. Them's the breaks, but they're MY breaks. I'm eternally grateful.

I mentioned earlier that I prefer estate sales, mainly because I'm furnishing my own home, and searching for furniture and accoutrements for my business. For my time and money, garage sales and the like are like searching for a needle in a haystack (and there just ain't many haystacks in DC).

Don't get me wrong; I still LOVE flea markets and thrift stores, and even the occasional yard sale, but when you're buying often to re-stock your business, or looking for a certain era of items, estate sales give you the most bang for your buck.

What is an estate sale?

For the uninitiated:

"An estate sale is a type of garage sale, yard sale or auction to dispose of the majority of the materials owned by a person who is deceased or will be moving. Estate sales are usually conducted by a professional, for a percentage of the revenues. This is because the scope of the process is usually overwhelming to the survivors, and for the specialist's experience with pricing antique items, his or her following of customers, and the specialist's experience in disposing of unsold goods in an unsentimental manner after the run of the sale. Antique and collectible dealers use estate sales as one of their more important wholesale sources. Estate sales are typically 1 to 3 days long, often with a price reduction toward the end.

Where the survivors of the deceased cannot agree to the disposition of tangible property, a court may order those goods to be sold in an estate sale with the proceeds to be divided between the survivors. Such a sale and division may also be mandated in the will of the deceased." {totally cribbed from Wikipedia}

I'm not trying to get all pedantic on you; I just get a lot of questions (mostly from friends, but also from a few readers). A true estate sale will be labeled as such. BEWARE classified ads that say "yard sale/estate sale" because usually they're just trying to increase traffic or get all high-falutin' on you. They generally are THE WORST.

What should I expect?

Basically, "estate" means "worldly possessions". You might arrive to find that it's been heavily picked over by surviving relatives (fine by me, but DANG), or you might just find it "as is" when the person died. The first few I went to were like the latter, and I was so severely depressed that I could barely function, much less BUY. Steel yourself: it might be sagging cabinets of maggot-ridden food (I'm not kidding), filthy linens, and a yitload of geriatric toilet-related items. It will bum you out.

At most professionally-run estate sales, it'll be clean, items will be priced, and it'll be organized. In many instances, they'll "combine" estates (bring stuff from previous or smaller sales). In my experience, the more professional it is, the higher the prices will be. You also may see items of value in locked cases, like you would at a store, and you'll be supervised as you peruse the items (jewelry, coins, silver, GUNS).

At some others (even the professionally-run ones), you maybe find it's "as is" and it's a jumble. Things are literally where the deceased stashed them. Many times, things will be unpriced, but you'll usually find signs indicating the prices (hardbacks $3, paperbacks $1, sweaters $5, etc.).

With family ones, it's all hit-or-miss. Sometimes things are priced outrageously because they have sentimental (to the family) value; sometimes things are ridiculously low because they just want to off-load. Honestly, not too many around me are family-run, so I won't focus on them too much.

How do I find out about estate sales in my 'hood?

Of course, the first place is obviously your local newspaper (in my case, the section after "garage sales"). If you have a Penny Saver (like my sister does), they're jumbled in with the garage sales.

On Wednesdays, also check the online version of your local paper (if they have one). Oftentimes, they're uploaded earlier than in print.

Check Craigslist (can't give you the link, because it automatically defaults to DC for me, but type in Craigslist in your search engine and hopefully yours will automatically come up). At least in my 'hood, some estate-sale companies ONLY do these free online listings.

Sign up with estatesales.net. When you subscribe, you can indicate your "search radius", and you'll get a weekly email announcing upcoming sales (often with pix). I'd advise going a little outside your comfort zone so you don't miss anything (for instance, I use "50 miles"—which proved prescient when I started my biz).

Sign up with your local estate-sale companies. Once you're on their email list, you'll get early avisos about upcoming sales (sometimes a preview day!!!).

Finally, and I'll go into this more later, TALK UP the people who run the estate sales! They'll often divulge secrets of upcoming sales and, based on what you're buying, let you know if it's worth it to you. 

Wait, I forgot one more: Keep your eyes peeled for signs!!! Anytime you see one, check it out. Ya never know!

How do estate sales work?

If I'm right (and I've been way too busy to interview any pros), estate-sale companies take a percentage of the sales. For that reason, you'll most likely see that the "better" items (antiques, coins, silver, etc.) will be higher. They know damned well that dealers are shopping for these items, and you'd better believe that they have a super-secret mailing list for these dealers, as well as "preview sales". So far, I'm not that SPECIAL, but that's OTAY by me. 

However, if you're looking for books, linens, tchotchkes, unpopular items, or tools, you're golden!

Are all the attendees dealers? Is it worth my time?

Yeah, the absolute die-hard earlybirds are dealers or retirees/enthusiasts/weirdos. Not sure yet which I am. Go to enough, and you'll see the same people.

I would NEVER let that discourage you from going, though. 

You will find, however, that dealers are BUTTHEADS. They will corner an area and not let anyone near there while they pore through everything. They will take EVERYTHING up to the "sold area" before they sift through it. My advice: either hold your own and fight or avoid them completely.

For instance, today I knew there was a killer sale that started at 9. I planned to arrive shortly after 10 so I wouldn't have to deal with them. Sure enough, I sailed right in (pardon the pun), and saw a few KILLER items walk out ahead of me, but c'est la vie.

It's ALWAYS worth attending. Go to a few in your area; figure out when the dealers go (and whether they are ruthless). There's Plenty O' for everyone. You just might show up at a sale that was advertised as heavily 30s/40s (my nirvana), but in reality has a lot of mid-century and you'll CLEAN UP.

What's the deal with numbers?

Essentially, you're back in 9th grade and you want to see a hot new boyband. Some people know how to get an "in", and others have to wait in line. Some dweebs don't even know about the line. I was a dweeb, I'll admit.

For us Average Josies, you show up, and you need to take a number. Sometimes, there's a basket up front with numbers on pieces of paper that you essentially use as a ticket to get in once your number is called. In other instances, there's a sign up list, and you wait until your name is called. It's ALWAYS essential to ask as soon as you arrive at a sale! Even if you're the most timid person alive, just ask "do we need numbers"? 

You'll be called in based on your number (or name). In most instances, they'll employ the "2 out/2 in" option (yeah, right). More likely, it's "11 out/2 in", but ... be patient. Honestly, most often, to be fair, it's for good reason. It sucks, but it's usually because there's an enormous backup at the register (honestly, weigh whether you'd rather wait to get in or whether to wait to pay), or they're overwhelmed, or it's a fire-code violation. They have to think about this, and I respect it. 

I also respect the numbers system, rather than pushing and shoving, except when some numbers have been given out the night before. Seriously, how hard-core are you to get up at 5 a.m. for numbers? Or to suck up? It's all good, and there's plenty to go around, unless this is your livelihood. You might want to be a tad more pro-active than I am, but I need to preserve my sanity.

This post has gone on too long, methinks.

I'd intended to break it up into 3 posts, based on the questions I'm getting, but I think it now merits 5 (I SWEAR I'm not prolonging it—but y'all know how expulsive I am). 

Next up:

#2: whether you can make lower bids, what to expect on the last day, and whether you can offer a "bulk" price on a pile o' junk. 

#3: shopping estate sales for merch—if you're a re-vendor (tips on what to buy/establishing boundaries/pricepoints/how to behave as a vendor)

#4: my experiences (what sucked/what's weird/how I deal/my M.O./how awesome it is to get an insight into someone's life, and more).

#5: (hopefully) addressing more burning questions

In 10 minutes, I'm also posting an "AWESOME, NO WAY she found that thang" post about what I got this morning before work.... 

XOX

P.S. Upcoming posts will deal with any more the questions I get; please feel free to chime in!

P.P.S. If you've never done it, hit an estate sale this weekend and let me know how it went. I know the first few times I went, I was totally wigged out....

Comments

[Lisa B.]

Very informative! All I could think of when you were talking about the merits of giving numbers, was that if they didn't...at the sales I go to everyone would pile into the house at once...and then no one would be able to breath...let alone move. Everyone wants to be in with the stuff!!lol.

[barbara]

Your experiences are really similar to mine, even though we're in different regions - so I guess there's sort of a loose estate-sale code. Something happened today I've never seen before - the list "disappeared," and a man in the crowd pointed to a woman and said he had seen her take the list, crumple it up and put it in her pocket!!!!!!! She reached in her pocket and handed it over. I am still irritated they even let her go in. I'm not really sure what she wanted to accomplish - I imagine she figured nobody would see her, and she'd just get in ahead of everybody. She's lucky it was a pretty mellow crowd, or she'd have been lucky to get to her car without injury. A serious, serious violation of estate sale ethics!

[byABPryor]

Wow - So thorough.. I am impressed! Lots of good info I agree...

Thank you for your time and consideration.. this is great!

[Taddie Tales]

WOW - thank you so much for this post!!!! I have been thinking about hitting up estate sales lately but didn't even know where to start. Great post!

[Mitzi]

Loving your series on estate sales, thanks!

I went to a sale this weekend and there was a WWII military uniform for sale. I didn't really look at it (not my area) but I heard later on that it had medals on it in the morning, but someone stole them!

Can you believe that? Everyone was talking about how the thief was going to burn in hell... I guess one can hope!

[Jennifer]

Took your advice and went to my first estate sale. Good times -- thanks for the encouragement! Check out my rehash of the events ... http://loonyladybug.blogspot.com/2008/10/estate-sale-check.html