Yard Sale Secrets

With the arrival of spring and looking towards the summer, yard sale season is moving into full swing. I used to enjoy going to yard sales when I was younger but then my interest waned for a good ten years, when I just became accustomed to the usual “junk” that was present at yard sales and stuff that I did not need. Things have changed since then and I now realize that going to yard sales can be a good way to purchase cheap, good items. Naturally, yard sales are still packed with junk but one needs to look past this and look into the bottom of the piles and boxes to find the treasures.

Yard sales can be one of the best places, along with thrift stores, to obtain items/selling inventory for a low price. Yard sales are different than flea markets in many ways, but the biggest difference is in the sellers. Flea market sellers usually are regulars. They have their tarps and tables set up at the same location every weekend, for the whole season of the flea. They know that if they do not sell an item one week, there is always the following week or the week after that. Yes, they want to get rid of inventory, but they aren’t as quick to sell knowing that the next customer that comes by could pay full price. Many flea market sellers are also pickers. They buy their items cheap and sell them at a mark-up to make their profit. They can ascertain the value of an item and price it accordingly, sometimes being under or over the value. They know how to wheel and deal and most have been in the flea business for a number of years.

Yard sale sellers are different. Sure, they may host a couple of yard sales out of their garage over the course of a summer, but they aren’t setting up their tables to bring in a second income. Yard/tag sellers pull all of their spring cleaning items out of the garage, sift through their child’s toy box for unwanted items, and bring out boxes of stuff they accumulated from deceased relatives that they never really wanted. Many, if not most, want to get rid of much as possible on the day of their sale or at least on the 2^nd day of their sale if they have a two-day venture. 

You will find antique & collectible items at a yard sale, but the tag price usually isn’t as high as what the item might be at a flea market and not as much as it would be at an antique store. Of course, there are exceptions, but for the most part prices are cheaper. Many people do not know what they have, especially if it is a sale due to a housing move or a deceased relative. Or, they do know the value, but choose to use the venue of a yard sale because it’s easy & fast. Listing items on Ebay takes time and many people do not want to have to take pictures, write descriptions, etc. So, they mark it for $10 and hope someone will bite.

So, how does one succeed in getting the most of out of yard sales and tag sales?

1. Have a plan. It may seem a little obsessive-compulsive, but never just wake up on a Saturday morning, pull out the newspaper, get in your car, and go. I always look at the yard sales at least the day before, if not two days before to catch all of the listings. Sift through all of the ads and see which sales you feel that are an absolute must for you to attend and which ones you have no interest in. Most advertisements list exactly what the sale will have. Often, phrases such as “Too much to list!” and “Much more!” could prove true or prove to be a dud.

2. Plan your route. Gas prices are high and having a route to minimize wasted gas is a must. Pick which sale you think will be the best for what you are in search of, or the one that sounds most appealing, and work from there. See what other sales are in that area and plan – either start local from your home and work out, or start further away and work your way in towards the local sales.

3. Don’t be an early bird. When my family used to hold garage sales, we always had someone that wandered in through the side garage door, asking if they could look through the boxes prior to us opening. It was rude and somewhat uncomfortable. If the doors are closed, don’t go in. Being pushy is not a way to get a good price on items. 

4. Get there at start time, swing by at closing time. I’ve always tried to get to a sale between the opening time and within an hour of the sale. The early bird gets the worm and one doesn’t want to miss out on that “find” and have someone else swipe it up. The other side of the coin is getting to a sale about 20minutes or so before it’s time to pack up. One might be able to get a few bargains and bundle purchases, especially if the seller has a good amount of items left and doesn’t look too thrilled to be packing everything up.

5. Be polite. Say hello to those holding the sale. Ask questions and engage in some sort of conversation, even if it is about how nice the weather is. This can all be helpful in later dealings when it comes to securing a price. No use in grumbling or complaining and then hope to get a cheaper price on items.

6. Haggle. I tend to think that haggling happens more at flea markets, but haggling does occur at yard sales. You have to be careful though when it comes to asking for cheaper prices, especially if your way to obtain the cheaper prices is by pointing out the imperfections in the item. Yes, point them out, but don’t go overboard. If something has so many things wrong with it, why would you want it anyway? Don’t haggle on items that are already cheap. I have had people ask for a better price on something that was 25cents. $1 and up is okay to ask for a cheaper price, but anything under can get a little iffy.

7. Bundle. If you want that $1 item for 50cents and have a good amount of items you would like to purchase, ask what their best price would be for everything. Most times the seller will either just take a look at the items and figure out an amount or look at the ticket price for each item and round down a few dollars.

8. Use your technology. Check out Ebay on your phone and Google the maker’s mark on an item to see if you would be able to make a profit and/or if it’s worth more than the asking price. If you have questions on an item, a yard sale seller could know more about that item than a flea seller, especially if the item had been in the family/belonged to a great aunt or grandmother. At flea markets, if the seller is a picker, chances are they might know a little about the item in regards to age, but knowing the full story of an item’s history is more readily available at a yard sale.

9. Have fun. You never know what you are going to find at a yard sale. Over the past years, the news has covered a few stories about the ultimate finds at yard sales. While this isn’t an everyday occurrence, you never know what you could stumble on!

~ Flea Fact ~

Yard sales are a great way to discover new finds. Look through the junk at sales to find the real treasures. Ask about the history of items, especially if they are old. Plan your route ahead of time and save on gas.