How to shop estate sales

Like to look for rare treasures? Want a new hobby that gets you out of the house and lets you make friends with other boomers, see the insides of some historic homes, and maybe happen upon that unusual find?

Then you might be interested in learning the art of estate sales.

We boomers love nostalgia. We lived through some fascinating trends…LPs, Time/Life books, Slinky, percolators, rotary phones, sewing machines, bean bag chairs….

For some, estate sales are an addiction, for others, just a way to pass the time. I confess occasionally I enjoy the whole process though I am a novice. Which is why I recently interviewed a boomer couple who are true estate sale sharks…and they have the purchases to prove it.

Over the years, they’ve found stunning antique cabinets and other large pieces of furniture. Valuable collectibles like Lladro, Hummel and Beatrix Potter. Old books and posters. Classic records, vintage toys and more. In some cases, for amazingly low prices. (I think boomers appreciate bargains more than anybody!)

And along the way, they’ve come to know the “regulars”…people they see in line at many estate sales. It’s a close-knit society. Members of this society often will cooperate with one another because after a while, you know who’s looking for what and they know what you’re looking for.

But how do you go about successfully sniffing out and cruising an estate sale? Here are some tips from my experts:

Sign up on websites like estatesales.net, estatesales.org and gslar.com. You can receive emails that will list sales in your area, often with photos of items. Plus, on gsalr.com, you can enter key words that might come up in descriptions of items for sale in a particular house. That can really narrow your search.

Decide which sale you are most interested in and make that your first stop. Even if you don’t sign up to receive emails, you can still visit websites like estatesales.net, estatesales.org and gsalr.com the night before a sale to check out the locations of sales, and look at photos of items.

Get there early. At least an hour early if you really want something and you think others might also be interested. You’ll have to stand in line, but most likely you can pass the time talking to others there. Dress for the weather.
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See if anyone is standing outside that represents the sale. If so, ask where you desired item is. For example, is the antique desk in the master bedroom? Upstairs? Knowing where it is before the door opens can be a major advantage.

Bring cash just in case. Some sales take credit cards and checks. Some are cash only. Don’t be disappointed.

Bring a big or box if you are anticipating picking up something fragile.

If you do see something you think you might want, go ahead and pick it up while you decide. You can always put it back after you’ve walked around the house. But if someone else gets it, you’re out of luck.

Pricing: most dealers will not come down on the price the first day. You can ask, and if it’s something that they think won’t sell quickly, they might make a deal, especially if you’re already buying other items. But in most cases, it’s the second or third day when you get the deals.

Why go to estate sales if you’re really not looking for anything?

One reason is sometimes the sale is in a beautiful old home in a beautiful neighborhood, and it’s interesting to see the architecture and furnishings. Another reason is sometimes it’s just fun to see what you might find…a memory from the past like an old record, toy or cooking tool you haven’t seen in years. Plus if you have grandchildren, you often can find children’s clothing and toys in great condition for a very low price. Same thing with gardening tools, golfing items, and kitchen utensils.

My finds have been everything from an ornate handheld fan (my church doesn’t have air conditioning) to perfectly good garden pots for two dollars to an original Russell Wright pitcher that matches a set I inherited from my mother. In some ways, it’s bittersweet to look at items that were once possessions of another person…you wonder what happened to them, and you wonder if the same thing will happen to your stuff. But then I think most of the people who frequent estate sales really treasure what they find, so at least the items are getting a good home.

And finally, another great benefit of going to estate sales: you can go to breakfast afterwards!