5 Tips for Estate Sales

 
(photo source)

Although I talk about it a lot, I'm still pretty new to estate saleing. It wasn't until recently that I even knew what it was. I thought it was just a fancy name for a yard sale. However, a few months ago, my friend Brooke (who has frequented estate sales for years) asked me to join her one morning. We drove around the nicer area of town looking for signs. The first one we came upon was in a more historic part of town. I was a little confused at first. At a normal yard sale, you'll see tables set outside piled with junk and hidden treasures, and people wondering and haggling. Not this time. Brooke led me right inside the front door. That's when i realized what we had stumbled upon. Everything in the home was for sale, and everything was vintage. 

Since I had no idea what to expect during my first experience, I thought i'd share with you a few tips I've picked up along the way. 

I usually just do it the old-fashioned way, driving around the nicer parts of town looking for signs. There are also websites and apps that you can sign up for that will send you listings by email. You just put in the zip code of the area you'd like to check out. This is a great one i would recommend. 

There will usually be price tags on each item. If you like it, grab it. You can carry it around with you as you continue shopping and check out with everything together. If there is a larger item that you have to have, they can put a sold sign on it until you are ready to take it away. If there are no price tags, ask them how they handle transactions. Some sales will charge you less the more you buy. I once walked out of a sale with two handbags, a pashmina and a flower pot for $12. Still be sure you have plenty of cash on hand.

You don't want to hit up a sale if you are on a tight schedule. Since you are going through the whole house, there is much too see, and much to miss out on if you are rushing through. I even go through the whole house twice just to make sure I didn't miss a hidden treasure.

I have a running list of things that i'm searching for, and I try to stick to that list. It can be a little overwhelming if you don't know what you are looking for. You can end up taking home an item that you didn't really need or weren't in love with just because it was a good deal. Of course, if you find something not on your list that you know you'll obsess about if you leave it behind, snatch it up!

You can find the most amazing vintage furniture at estate sales. I once found a mid-century dining room set in pristeen conditon for $500. This included the table (which the daughter said has not been used without a table cloth for the last 50 years), 6 chairs and a kitchen hutch. This kind of set could sell for upwards of a couple grand if you found this at a vintage shop. Older also means better quality that will last. You also want to keep on the look out for sets of china, silverware and glassware. You can find some gorgeous pieces for a fraction of the cost that you would if you bought new.

If you have any tips of your own, I would LOVE to hear them in the comments below. 

Photo Sources: 1|2|3|4|5