Estate Sale Treasures
Estate sales are a huge thing in Grosse Pointe (the suburb adjoining Detroit). They’re a great way to find one-of-a-kind elements to round out your home decor. If you’re looking for furniture, bargain prices are everywhere. Estate sales have become a booming business – both for the companies that organize them and for the shoppers who frequent them. In fact, when it comes to shoppers, the competition has become fierce with casual shoppers vying for the goodies with professional collectors (some looking for bargains to resell on eBay) and antique dealers.
Estate sale companies organize the sales and set the prices in return for a percentage of the profits. Because of the enormous popularity, they’ve also created a system to control the free-for-all among shoppers trying to gain entry. They issue numbers to shoppers who are then admitted in groups. Being first in line is essential to getting first dibs.
If you’re interested in estate sale shopping, here are some tips for getting there first and getting the best price.
Make a list. Most estate sales are held on weekends, usually running from Friday through Sunday. Begin by checking your local paper for estate sale ads and make a list of the addresses you’re most interested in.
Check prices. If you’re looking for something in particular that’s mentioned in the sale, do a little research to ensure you’re getting a fair price (which aren’t usually listed in the ads). eBay is a good resource. Goodwill has a PDF of fair trade prices. You can also check prices for similar items that are new.
To guarantee first dibs, getting there first is essential. Contact the company to ask about entrance rules. Believe it or not, most companies in Grosse Pointe hand out numbers at the home on a first-come basis beginning at 3:00 am. Once you have your number you can go back to bed and return at the start of the sale.
Haggling. You can bargain for a better price, but typically not at the start of the sale. If you’re interested in a real bargain make a note of an item you’re interested and keep your fingers crossed that it will still be there at the end of the sale. That’s when many companies cut prices in half. Be prepared to make a half-price offer, since many shoppers don’t know this little secret.
The best bargain I found was an Orrefors bowl for $8.00. The items pictured here are vintage linens, including a Liberty napkin holder – with the napkins, an antique nut cracker, English horn handled steak knives, a pair of Chinese porcelain ducks, and a hand-carved Chinese cinnabar box.
Have you found an estate sale bargain? Do you have a tip of your own? Share it with the rest of us. And happy bargain hunting.
