How to Find Old Treasures Through Estate Sales

This holiday season, you might run into a neighborhood yard sale or estate sale that catches your attention and discover something more valuable than you think. It can be difficult to distinguish between junk and treasure, but there are strategies for navigating sales that can help you strike gold.

What are Estate Sales?

An estate sale is a method for selling all of a home’s belongings, or almost all of them, and takes place indoors in a senior’s house, which may have been downsized or be filled with vintage goods due to the senior’s passing or downsizing. The house is available for visitors to go through and browse the goods kept within. Usually, each item is labeled individually, or there is a sign in the room listing the pricing. For those who are new to estate sales, here is a quick overview:

• The house’s owner is never present. The sale is occasionally managed and run by family members, but most of the time it is managed by a professional.
• Imagine it as a garage sale inside. You browse, select the things you want, and then proceed to the checkout area.
• The most expensive and valuable items are on display in the front area, next to the register. As you move into the other areas of the house, the cost of the products will decrease.
• Every item is usually discounted by half on the final day of the sale! The greatest moment to make an offer is right now, without a doubt. A small number of items will be auctioned on eBay after the sale, with the majority being donated. They will happily sell what they can for a small profit. Create a pile, then negotiate!

Show Up Early

Do you frequent estate sales to find jewelry and regal furniture? You would be negligent to ignore them. Find out how you may make something attractive and useful out of these everyday items. At the typical estate auction, you might discover anything from patio furniture to laundry detergent, but if you look a little closer, you can find the kind of hidden gems and antiques that could fetch a savvy buyer some serious cash. In the future, items that the average person would sell for under $20 would be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Giving oneself the best chance of success is the first step. Show up early to a prospective estate sale. Some businesses will post a sign-up sheet on the door the previous evening and let customers in groups for the sale. Your chances of discovering a deal will increase as you move up the list. If you can’t make it to the first day of an estate sale, don’t worry. On the final day of the sale, many businesses will offer discounts like 50% off, and you might be able to get an even better price than those who bought it first.

Get Professional Help

If you do not want or do not have the time to go through with this, you can find companies that deal with estate sales in Austin, Denver, or Texas that can help you find hidden treasures for a minimal price. Whether you need to downsize, need a full estate sale, or need to sell a business, these companies offer experience, knowledge, and a personal touch. Just by going to their website, you can see the next sales all online.

Ensuring the Authenticity Tips

• In order to confirm that an item is not only from the apparent designer but also that the label is consistent with a company’s brand, check labels on apparel, furniture, and handbags.
• Another approach is to check to determine if anything was manufactured by hand as opposed to a machine or if it had been restored. We advise using a black light to check for touch-ups or repainting of furniture, which might reduce value.
• If a handbag has a high price tag, look for stains, repairs, and fabric damage when exploring the selection. Any of those factors can reduce resale value, so only buy something you want to use personally.

Look in Cabinets and Closets

Look inside all closed drawers and wardrobes. If they want you to browse the cabinet, the doors will typically be opened, but not always. Be aware that other clients might have locked the doors. If they don’t want you in the closet or cupboard, it will be taped shut or prominently marked as such.

Check the Backyard, Garage, and Basement

You can locate stuff at garage sale pricing in the basement, garage, and backyard. These are the items that the estate sale operator will be less familiar with and, thus, more ready to pay you a fair price for. Even while these pieces frequently require a bit more care or cleaning, you can’t beat a stunning vintage frame for just one dollar! And the only reason for that was looking about in the basement and garage.

Overall, shopping at estate sales should be enjoyable, so perhaps these pointers have given you more confidence to go out and enjoy yourself.