My Tips for Getting the Best Deals

MY ESTATE SALES DO'S and DON T'S

1.  DO RESEARCH BEFORE YOU GO. MOST ESTATE SALE COMPANIES HAVE LISTS OF SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WILL BE IN THE SALE AND SOME EVEN HAVE PICTURES. THAT WAY YOU KNOW BEFORE YOU GO IF IT'S EVEN WORTH YOUR TIME.

2. DON'T GO WITHOUT CASH, ALTHOUGH SOME ESTATE SALES COMPANIES WILL TAKE A CREDIT CARD OR CHECK, A LOT OF THEM WILL NOT. YOU ALSO TYPICALLY GET A BETTER DEAL IF YOU ARE BUYING WITH CASH.

3.  DO BUNDLE YOU ITEMS, CHECK OUT THE WHOLE HOUSE AND THE GARAGE, STACK UP ALL YOUR STUFF, (BRING A PARTNER TO HELP HOLD YOUR STUFF) AND THEN PAY. YOU CAN TYPICALLY NEGOTIATE A BETTER DEAL IF YOU ARE BUYING MORE THAN ONE THING.

4.  DON'T SHOW UP LATE. THE EARLY BIRD GETS ALL THE WORMS. FOR SOME OF THE BIGGER SALES WE SHOW UP A COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE IT STARTS, THEY MAY EVEN HAVE A SIGN IN SHEET TO LINE UP IN ORDER BEFORE YOU CAN GO IN. I HAVE SEEN UP TO 100 PEOPLE SHOW UP BEFORE A REALLY GOOD SALE.

5.  DO BRING YOUR OWN STICKY NOTES WITH YOUR NAME ON THEM, I LEARNED THIS ONE THE HARD WAY. IF YOU ARE BUYING LARGE ITEMS LIKE FURNITURE AND YOU DON'T HAVE A WAY TO HOLD THAT PIECE, SOMEONE ELSE THAT DOES HAVE A LABEL WILL SNATCH IT UP UNDER YOUR NOSE. I ACTUALLY HAD A WOMAN STICK HER LABEL ON A PIECE I WAS GOING TO GET, JUST BECAUSE I COULD NOT CARRY THE PIECE OUT TO PAY AND I DID NOT HAVE A LABEL WITH MY NAME ON IT TO HOLD IT. IT CAN GET REALLY CRAZY.

6.  DON'T GO WITHOUT A PURPOSE  (MAKE A LIST). HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT YOU NEED OR WANT FIRST. THAT WAY YOU DON'T END UP BUYING SOME SILLY THING THAT YOU DON'T NEED OR WANT. IT'S EASY TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THE MOMENT WHEN THERE IS A LOT TO CHOOSE FROM AND GREAT PRICES.

7.  DO BRING A SHOPPING BAG, BOX, AND WRAPPING IN YOUR CAR. SOME ESTATE SALES WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BRING IN THE BAG TO SHOP BUT AT LEAST YOU CAN GRAB IT TO CARRY YOUR THINGS TO THE CAR. IF YOU HAVE GLASS YOU WILL WANT TO HAVE A BOX AND WRAP TO GET IT HOME SAFELY AND ESTATE SALES OFTEN RUN OUT OF BOTH.

8.  DON'T ACT LIKE AN ASS HAHAHA. GOOD MANNERS GO A LONG WAY.  SOMETIMES IT EVEN GETS YOU BETTER PRICES FROM THE PERSON COLLECTING THE MONEY. ESTATE SALES CAN GET A LITTLE HECTIC, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY FIRST OPEN THE DOORS. I SEE CRAZY SHOPPERS ALL THE TIME WHO PUSH OR RUN PAST PEOPLE TO GET TO SOMETHING THEY WANT. IT'S JUST RUDE AND TACKY. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FUN!

9.  DO KEEP TRACK OF THE ESTATE SALE COMPANIES YOU LIKE, GET ON THEIR EMAIL LISTS.  SOMETIMES THEY HAVE PRE-SALES PRIOR TO THE REGULAR PUBLIC SALES AND THAT'S WHEN YOU GET SOME OF THE BEST PIECES. THERE ARE SEVERAL ESTATE SALE COMPANIES THAT I SHOP WITH A FEW TIMES A MONTH AT LEAST AND THERE ARE A FEW THAT I WILL NOT SHOP WITH AT ALL, KEEP TRACK OF THOSE TOO.  TYPICALLY IF THEIR PRICES ARE REALLY HIGH AT ONE SALE, THEY WILL ALWAYS BE TOO HIGH. YOU SHOULD NOT BE PAYING RETAIL ANTIQUE STORE PRICES AT AN ESTATE SALE.

10.  LAST BUT NOT LEAST, DON'T BE AFRAID TO GIVE IT A TRY. FOLLOW THOSE PINK SIGNS WHEN YOU SEE THEM, YOU JUST MIGHT FIND THE TREASURE YOU HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR.