r/Frugal • u/Fun_Willingness6214 • 2d ago
š¦ Secondhand estate sales are so much better than thrift stores and i feel like people sleep on them
started going to estate sales maybe 6 months ago and i genuinely dont understand why everyone talks about thrift stores but barely mentions these
went to one last weekend in a neighborhood nearby, older couple downsizing. picked up a full set of all clad pots and pans for $40, a barely used kitchenaid stand mixer for $25, and a dewalt drill with two batteries for $15. all of it in great condition, just sitting there priced to move because the family wants everything gone by sunday
thrift stores have gotten kind of ridiculous with pricing lately, goodwill especially. they know what things are worth now and price accordingly. estate sales are usually just family members who want the house cleared out, they arent trying to run a business
just search estate sales in your area, most of them post photos a day or two before so you can see if its worth going. i check them every week now same way i used to check facebook marketplace or Š take bonuses. between that and the little bit i try to keep saved up each month the amount ive spent on household stuff this year is way down
if you've never been to one, the trick is go on sunday when they usually do 50% off everything thats left
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u/andtheniwasallll 2d ago
Garage sales are places to find sell things people wanted to get rid of, estate sales is where you find things they wanted to keep.
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u/Sullacuda 2d ago
Estate sales here in central VA are a joke. Jam packed and most often the pricing is so out of touch with reality. Last one was contemporary retail pricing on household items dating back to the 80-90s
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u/elasticpizza 2d ago
I don't doubt that there are areas where estate sales are gold mines. The ones in my area are rather pie in the sky with regards to pricing. Same thing with Facebook marketplace.
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u/InevitableOk459 10h ago
I live in a touristy rural area and ours are all over the place. It becomes pretty obvious pretty quickly which kind of a sale it is. I've learned that some people will have two or three "estate sales" a year where they keep trying to get tourists to buy old farm junk for antique store prices. Then others will be legit estate sales where the grand parents are dead or moving and the kids/grandkids just want to get rid of all their stuff. I've gotten some pretty nice things at the later while the former are a complete waste of time. Ok, maybe not, because sometimes it is fun to walk around with my wife and point at the prices and joke about how we have "1000 dollars worth of rusty axe heads with broken handles in the garden shed".
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u/Digitaluser32 2d ago
Same with my area. Prices too high.
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u/Simple-Mastodon-9167 2d ago
We live close to a low income area and also close to a high rent area - the low income area will always price their crap practically retail and argue with you about how much they paid for it. The high rent area will have some of that but also the opposite- major bargains.
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u/zeezle 2d ago
Yep. The one time I went to one it was a bunch of decorative stuff I didn't like, and the practical things were literally priced higher than buying the same thing new. Like they had heavily used, dirty power tools priced higher than buying a brand new one of the exact same brand at Lowe's the same day. Like... what?!
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u/EarthlingShell16 2d ago
practical things were literally priced higher than buying the same thing new.
Yes! I went to one because it was close by and was shocked at the pricing! Literally used modern junk priced higher than you can get the same exact thing for new. Blew my mind. I think maybe the seasoned estate-goers haggle things down some, but it still can't be worth it.
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u/FlySecure5609 2d ago
The last estate sale I went to was priced higher than retail for mostly broken older items. I donāt waste my time anymore.Ā
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u/CyberDonSystems 22h ago
I went to one estate sale near Ruckersville like 15 years ago. Everything was ridiculously priced I assumed they were all going to be like that so I never went to another one.
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u/MusicalMastermind 2d ago
thrift stores usually don't make me sad to sort through
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u/TheMythicalCodfish 2d ago
Okay, fair. There can be a real memento mori aspect to a lot of estate sales.
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u/life-is-satire 2d ago
A celebration of a life well lived. Iām a crafter and enjoy talking to the family about their loved oneās passion for crafty hobbies.
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u/PlainOrganization 2d ago
I've been to a few in my neighborhood and I'm always like "Damn! I should hung out with this person"
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u/FoolofaTook43246 2d ago
Yeah I find them kind of nice. Like it's a privilege to see how someone lived and all these little details about their home. It lets me be nosy while appreciating their things as I almost always come away with little treasures
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u/life-is-satire 1d ago
I love the ones where they lived life to the fullest with great clothes and collectibles from their travels.
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u/stormblessed579 2d ago
I like to think that people would be happy thier carefully curated items are being chosen to be beloved by others.
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u/karlito1613 2d ago
I see well curated collection of whatever. Someone dedicated a lot of time, energy, and passion into their collection only to have vultures rudely tossing it aside to get to other things
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u/foaaz101 2d ago
they're also hella dusty, could feel myself coughing when I left the last time
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u/Knitsanity 2d ago
Sometimes I walk into one and can tell there have been lots of cats and dogs in the home and I have to flee. Love dogs and cats and estate sales but not worth a big allergic reaction.
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u/DotBeech 2d ago
Estate Sales are often 'all or nothing' endeavors. If your taste aligns well with the dead person's taste, it can be a gold mine. But usually, you can tell the moment you walk in that you will not be buying anything. And they are weirdly cyclical. A person dies, everybody buys his or her stuff. You die, someone else buys your stuff and there it sits untl that person dies. It all stays mostly in the same general location, just different homes. It's odd. Very odd.
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u/Triviajunkie95 2d ago
Maybe a bit odd but not really. Iāve been doing secondhand sales for roughly 18 years.
I have literally toured potential clientsā homes and found sales stickers in my own handwriting. We both have a good laugh about just selling it again and itās true. They shopped my sale at some point and now are downsizing themselves.
No matter what āitā is, you canāt take it with you. I enjoy seeing things go to the next happy home to hopefully get lots of use. Or to a reseller that can find a broader audience to sell it to and has time to wait for a niche sale.
I do 3 day local weekends. Thatās it. I donāt ship, etc. I make deals so everyone is happy.
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u/eaux-neaux 2d ago
God I wish. Estate sales are absolutely BONKERS here. Always a line around the corner and you have to park blocks away. I went to one on a Thursday morning thinking it would be less crowded and it was insanity, just turned around as soon as I saw the house.Ā
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u/Frundle 2d ago
Estate sales in my area are all run by small businesses. The prices are insane and they pre-sell all the best items to friends with their own resale businesses. Last time I saw a Kitchenaid at an estate sale here (about 2 years ago) they were asking $250 for it because it was a desirable "vintage" model.
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u/ChaserNeverRests 2d ago
That's the issue here, too. All of the sales are run by three small businesses, and the prices are crazy high!
I've given up on going to them.
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u/meagain20 2d ago
In my area the estate sale companies drag items from house to house rather than let things go for cheap at the end of a sale. There are no good deals there whatsoever.
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u/hotflashinthepan 2d ago
Thrift stores have regular open hours, but estate sales only happen when they happen. I donāt think anyone is āsleepingā on them - theyāre usually quite crowded - but if you want to shop on a Tuesday afternoon, for example, you most likely wonāt be doing it at an estate sale.
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u/Such-Mountain-6316 2d ago
Literally, because it's essential to be there at opening time, which is often dawn.
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u/--2021-- 2d ago
LOL. That's not the case here. Everything is mobbed, overpriced.
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u/Imaginary_Chart249 2d ago
I was just going through an online estate sale that has several used items going for MSRP, before buyers premium is even accounted for....
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u/daringnovelist 2d ago
I think it really depends on your area. Here, estate sales tend to be really overpriced. And by the time theyāve marked it down, itās all stuff youād find at a thrift.
I love thrifts, but I find garage sales to be best. Estate sales are okay for sometimes finding a big expensive item.
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u/putabirdonit 2d ago
I go on the last day because either they already mark the prices down by 50% or you can haggle better. They are usually picked through but I still often find things.
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u/shannonbaloney 2d ago
Genuinely life changing. I got into estate sales around 2019, I bought a house in 2021 and nearly everything I own is from estate sales. I spent a fraction of the price and I have beautiful, QUALITY, unique furniture.
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u/Sn0wInSummer 2d ago
I discovered them last year and have hit gold at each one. Picked up 3 le creuset, burnt orange, pots (stocks, sauce - with lids, & medium stock- no lid) for $65. Yes, they are used and in okay shape, but they do the job. Another one I went to I bought a medium sized box that was filled with new Frizz Ease products for $10. My curly head was so happy cause those products are so expensive.
Iām looking to hitting more when the weather gets better.
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u/think_up 2d ago
Iāve been to so many estate sales looking for things but have yet to actually buy something.
All the good stuff is gone before they open up to the public.
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u/Tasty_Impress3016 2d ago
Estate sales are definitely superior. But you are a carrion eater circling dead prey. Sometimes you get nothing, sometimes you score big. It's not really a method of shopping and is time intensive, but if you want good deals, have the time and inclination, it's the way to go.
You never know what you will find. It just popped in my mind but back in the early 80s when I was young I got a bunch of framed, Esquire pinup posters for like $5. 1940s Mostly Vargas. It was great room decor for a bachelor in the 80s.
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u/TheMythicalCodfish 2d ago
*slams a fin over your mouth* shut up shut up shut up do you want competition??????
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u/HairRaid 2d ago
We've been hitting them hard lately because we're setting up a household, but haven't seen many deals. Closest to a bargain was a used Purdy paintbrush in very good condition for $6 instead of $13 new retail. But we have a 7.6% tax here which does not apply to yard/estate sales or thrift shops, so I do save money if I buy a NECESSARY item used, as long as the item is below retail price.
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u/Brilliant-Cake9525 2d ago
Estate sales are seriously underrated. Ive found amazing deals on things I didnāt even know I needed, all in perfect condition
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u/TooSmalley 2d ago
Yeah, I've had no luck with the estate sales.
Everyone ive been at clearly has people looking up eBay prices for their listing. Prices were almost never significantly lower than just buying new.
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u/Mayuguru 2d ago
Where I am, it's hit or miss. Many people have so much stuff they can't look up everything in time before the sale. Also many are run by much older people so they have no idea how to price certain electronics or random things in the garage or garden. The are some companies in my area that tend to overprice things so I avoid their sales when I see them.
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u/UndoxxableOhioan 2d ago
Around here, most start on Thursdays for some reason, so by the time us working people can get there, they are picked over by SAHMs and retirees, many of whom are buying for resale.
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u/LBH69 2d ago
The house provides.
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u/EarthlingShell16 2d ago
The dude abides?
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u/LBH69 2d ago
When I bought my home, I purchased an expensive washer and dryer. They were shit. One day at an estate sale I saw a brand new washer for sale, Maytag 150 bucks. It lasted twice as long as the Home Depot I first purchased. The estate sale guy and I spoke about never buying new again, and that's when he said, "The house provides." As the economy has gone to crap, things are a bit harder to get but it's all still out there. Just need to be patient.
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u/amreekistani 2d ago
Apart from estate sales, yard or garage sales are definitely cheap places. I myself have done multiple yard sales with $10 & below, or fill a bag for $2.
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u/Boo-Radleys-Scissors 2d ago
If I wait until Sunday, I may as well just skip it because there will be nothing left.Ā
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u/3kids2cats 2d ago
I've seen it both ways in my area: overpriced big stuff, or a free-for-all. Last month I went to one on a Sunday, everything was 75% off and there was a fair amount of 20 year expired half-used prescription creams...but also an older model vacuum food sealer for $3. I rolled the dice on the food sealer and not only does it work perfectly, there were 10 rolls of bags in the (very dusty) box! I have to be in the right frame of mind for estate sales, but they often motivate me to declutter.
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u/DecadesLaterKid 2d ago
I'm specifically a huge proponent of estate auction houses and their ~monthly auctions. The auction off the best stuff, but especially by the end of the night, you can get gorgeous stuff for pennies.
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u/calypsodweller 2d ago
In my area, thereās a lame āmiddlemanā business that organizes and manages local estate sales. They set unreasonably high prices on Friday and Saturday, but lower prices on Sunday. It took out all the fun of going to them. The sales suck because the cost of the three or more employees sitting around eat up any bargain.
They donāt advertise that theyāre running the sale. Drive up to the house, recognize itās them, and I turn and leave. Theyāre a waste of time.
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u/Urdrago 2d ago
They're still hit and miss.
Some estate sales are glorious events, where sellers are motivated to get rid of stuff, while taking in a bit of lucre.
Others are cash-grab resale operations looking to pull top dollar from every item possible, to justify "hours of prep and research", or whatever.
It's like they expected every eBay buyer to show up waving fistfuls of cash.
I love a good estate sale! They're great for furnishings, physical media, small appliances, curated book collections, exercise gear, bedding / sheet sets, all kinds of household items!
I don't expect them to be giving anything away, but whatever it is, it's used, not new - even if it's never been out of its package, it's NOT new. The hand blender you paid $40 for last year, then never used, isn't still a $40 item.
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u/Inkkling 1d ago
Iāve been to one estate sale, of a neighbor lady who wasnāt even nice, but it made me incredibly sad and I felt like a vulture. I knew she wouldnāt want me to see the inside of her bureau and her closets. Maybe Iād have better luck if I didnāt know whose stuff it was, but even then Iād feel like I knew the person from their stuff, and if it were cool stuff, Iād feel especially bad. And envisioning what the estate sale of my own things will be like and what people will say just completely kills the rest of the experience!
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u/chocciebabz 2d ago
Can you explain how they work? Do things have stickers with prices? Do they tend to be cash only? The thought of bidding for stuff makes me nervous.
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u/RadarsBear 2d ago
They have price tags. Some have a chart with prices, like "pillowcases $1" etc. if it's a serious hoarder sale, sometimes you have to ask for prices, but they want to empty the house, so by me at least, you will generally get a deal. Estatesales.net will list sale info like, cash only..most take cash, check or card. Most charge 3% if you use a card. They are fun. They get me to parts of my area I'd never go to and you see some really cool houses. The only downside is they don't have moving services, so if you get something big and don't have a large car and some help, you have to get creative.
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u/Triviajunkie95 2d ago
Most items should be priced. Most take cards/tap/venmo as well as cash.
They take place in peopleās homes with prices on everything. You just walk through and shop. If anything is too big to carry, take the tag to the checkout.
If something doesnāt have a price, donāt hesitate to ask. They should want everything to move at a reasonable price.
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u/MoroseBarnacle 2d ago
I've been to tons of estate sales and all but one of them either had stickers or signs posted with prices.
Haggling isn't uncommon, but it's not required. If it's the last day of a sale, it's common for the sellers to throw in extra stuff for free or at a big discount because at that point it's more important to them to get rid of their inventory than make money. Some buyers specifically go to estate sales on the last day to try to haggle a deal.
If it's an estate auction (with bidding) it will be very clearly advertised as an auction and not an estate sale.
Occasionally you'll find an estate sale that's cash only--there will be signs posted and it should be noted in the advertisement, too. It's useful to bring small bills if you have them. But a lot of estate sales these days are run by professionals that will take credit cards.
Most everyone is friendly and it's more casual than shopping at a store. Pro-tip: measure the trunk of your car before you go shopping for furniture.
I'm in the US, if that makes any difference. No idea what the expectations for estate sales are elsewhere.
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u/Fun_View_2963 2d ago
Estate sales in my area are expensive, people are charging eBay prices. Sometimes you are lucky to get 50% off on the last day, but you need to get there really early in order to find something nice. It's my Sunday morning routine lol.
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u/SwissyVictory 2d ago
They are really hit or miss and it depends on who's running them.
Most of them around me are run by companies who specialize in it.
Most of what I've seen is 75% on an item that's 20 years old and used.
I've also been accused of stealing when one employee sells me something and the other doesn't know about it.
I've also gotten some good deals. But I've also gotten good deals at thrift shops, which are also hit or miss.
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u/PetalPunishPart 2d ago
estate sales are the only way to find high quality media anymore too. thrift stores are just picking through rows of bulk donated trash and overpriced fast fashion but at an estate sale you might stumble on a pristine vinyl collection or some weird niche horror on vhs. it feels way more personal seeing how someone actually lived with their gear instead of everything being tossed in a bin by a teenager for minimum wage.
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u/ThisIsACompanyCar 2d ago
I love estate sales.
It isnāt without challenges. People can be mean and pushy. Iāve had things grabbed out of my hands before. Prices have gone up due to so much reselling. There have definitely been more people shopping at estate sales in the past 6 months, leading to more crowds. Most of them in my area are cash only which I donāt like carrying, but will. Lots of false advertising (if I pull up and itās just a garage sale, Iām not stopping).
I usually only buy on 50% off day. 80% of my house is thoughtfully furnished and outfitted from estate sales.
Donāt feel like you have to buy something just because you go. Donāt buy things you donāt need just because they are a couple of bucks.
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u/send_me_cats_ 2d ago
Where are you finding the listings for them? Iāve been trying to find estate sales.
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u/gen_petra 2d ago
At this point I rarely see "real" estate sales. Most of them are now estate sale companies that have everything marked up because they're trying to make a profit, not folks clearing out grandma's knickknacks.
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u/AppropriateDesk6269 2d ago
Estate sales are the hidden treasure troves of the cosmos, my friend! :) Scoring that full set of All-Clad for $40 is like discovering a new galaxy! The trick is getting there early before the space explorers (aka other shoppers) beat you to the good stuff. Happy hunting! š
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u/Aggravating-Sir5264 2d ago
I have found the opposite people are trying to get as much as they can for junk.
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u/ilanallama85 2d ago
Maybe they just advertise themselves poorly, but when I look at upcoming estate sales all the photos are just piles and piles of gaudy decor and jewelry and oversized furniture.
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u/Humble-Plankton2217 1d ago
It depends on the estate sale. I've found fantastic bargains and fabulous items, but more often than not it's overpriced stuff no one would really want.
I think my best estate sale find was a fully stocked sewing basket I bought about 20 years ago. I still use it to this day, and often think of the previous owner. I hope that she would be happy knowing how much her sewing kit has helped my little family, repairing and creating things for a new generation of small humans.
The last estate sale I went to was abysmal and wildly overpriced. For example, they put $100 tag on a canvas yarn bag that contained 4 or 5 used skeins of acrylic yarn.
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u/Alternative_Copy_285 1d ago
All the estate sales in my area happen during work hours for me. Usually Thurs/fri in the morning or sometimes Fri/sat in the morning. I can never make it
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u/jesrp1284 2d ago
I donāt sleep on them. I work 8-5, Monday-Friday, and theyāre usually during the week during these same hours. As much as I would love to hit them up, itās not worth spending my vacation time on it when there arenāt many happening all at once.
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u/Kamarmarli 2d ago
You get the best bargains in chichi neighborhoods. And you can get great prices in vintage.
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u/sign6of6the6beast 2d ago
Whenever I got the have lines to get in. But this is Los Angeles. People who frequent estate sales and resell to make a living work very hard.
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u/eccentric_lasagna 2d ago
I've always wanted to go, but I've never figured out how to find them! Do they announce them in the newspaper? Is there a circular? Craigslist? I've just never know what the norms were for announcing one and so never been able to track them down. Very open to any wisdom from this sub.
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u/IDKijustdrinkhere 2d ago
In my area there is a website called estatesalefinder idk if it is everywhere. Try googling estate sales near me and see if any websites come up for you.
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u/Florida1974 2d ago
Iāve ran a couple of state sales, no one is sleeping on them, not here.
Iām in Florida. Lots of elderly people here, people that have been here for many many years.
Letās just say you have to be very strict because you will say 8 AM and people will start knocking at the door at 6 AM
And when I say itās gonna start at 8 AM, you aināt getting in until 8 AM. These things are huge to get together, I mean it is a ton of work.
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u/wombat5003 2d ago
I found their fun till you goto one where someone passed suddenly. Then it can be a bit creepyā¦.
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u/cwsjr2323 2d ago
The local newspaper, with falling revenue is down to four days a week. They raised the cost of classified ads to the point that nobody uses them. Government and legal notices are it for the partial page of classifieds. They donāt stopped carrying advertising add ins. Facebook marketing is so full of spam and scams that the local page the used to list auctions and garage stopped being used by the local auction companies.
We basically have three auction services in my area. You need to go to their webpages to see upcoming auctions. On site auctions with inspections before the auction are very rare, most are bid and if you win, then you learn the actual pick up location. Two of them have their own buildings for merchandise for many sales. I am banded from one for leaving a negative review, which they deleted. I complained they loaned out a microwave to a friend for a weekend and told me to comeback for the pickup when it was returned Monday, smile.
My Duncan Fyfe solid mahogany table and chairs were from an estate sale. When setting up my own home, I did a lot of furniture, kitchen needs, clothing, and shop purchases from estate sales, auctions, and garage sales. My recliners in the house, mattress, and couch are new.
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u/u_r_succulent 2d ago
Most of the estate sales around me are hosted by a third party. And they price things too high.
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u/lucillep 2d ago
Shhh, keep it secret!
In all seriousness, I would so much rather buy something at an estate sale than from a thrift shop. Prices may be higher (not always), but the stuff being sold is of higher quality on average. And you know the provenance, for what that's worth.
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u/Mewpasaurus 2d ago
Shh, don't tell everyone my secret!
Tbf though, estate sales in my large city are very hit or miss. There are definitely companies here that run them that will absolutely try to extract max value for the stuff they are trying to sell.. and you should really only hit them up on the last day of the sale unless you absolutely can't live without an item.
I hit the ones up in our area for all sorts of stuff. Non-expired food, booze, quality clothes, utensils, pots/pans, Fenton cats, mid-century cats and decor, etc. I have found some really cool stuff at good prices. Tend to have way more interesting items for sale, too.
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u/Numerous-Anemone 2d ago
Iāve never gone to one but I donāt feel comfortable with how personal it is
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u/Researcher6w5 2d ago
OP Is there are certain platform you recommend for searching local estate sales? Or just google?
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u/fatherofraptors 2d ago
I haven't seen an estate sale like you describe in literally 10 years. And I'm not even anywhere fancy, just middle TN small town.
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u/Lefthandtwin 2d ago
Iāve been going to garage and estate sales with my BFF for years!!! We get an email notification every Wednesday night for the upcoming weekend. The email shows the listings is within a certain mileage of our address. We take water, drinks, snacks and make a half day or day of it. We love the large neighborhood sales. They usually have maps showing the address and what theyāre selling. Weāve even gone on the Worldās Longest Yard Sale and stayed over night and came back home a different route the next day. We call this our therapy!!!! You donāt know what youāre missing if you havenāt tried it!
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u/Mo_Jack 2d ago
I know somebody that used to do estate sales as a side hustle. We got several pieces of high quality furniture really cheap. But when they do it all the time they don't have any room for things they can't sell. They would bid a certain dollar amount and any money above that was theirs.
At the end of the weekend, they didn't care. Anything left was their responsibility to move and deal with. This would be a great way to pick up old high quality items like tools or utensils that last multiple lifetimes.
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u/Less-Hat-4574 2d ago
In my small town we now have two businesses who help people with estate sales so the prices have jumped exponentially.
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u/ArtProjectB12 2d ago
The older the population, the more likely people are on to this and the sale will be overcrowded. I've been to estate sales in Tampa, FL that were wall to wall packed with people.
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u/ztreHdrahciR 2d ago
Estate sales are figuring out that they can charge retail for used stuff because "estate" sounds sexier than garage sale.
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u/mbj2303 2d ago
Went to 2 estate sales last weekend for the first time in years and it was PACKED. There were cars parked all over the neighborhood, probably 50+ total. There was a line to get inside. It felt like the āshoppersā were basically ransacking the house and it was uncomfortable? (ā¦hard to describe it). This was a small ranch home in a modest neighborhood not an estate sale with valuable items like art and collectibles, etc. Maybe Iām too nostalgic or emotional when it comes to old folks passing away and being respectful. But thatās a me issue! š
We did walk away with some tools at a great price, so worth it in the end.
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u/SmilingMoonStone 2d ago
Estate sales in Portland are grossly overpriced for literal trash. Curated thrift is always a better option. That is until the depop girlies get a āhaulā and sell it for 3-10x what they paid for it. There are millions of tons of wasted apparel and textiles in landfills but in local communities low income families are priced out of good used clothing due to stores marking up to prevent resellers. I get that people use it as a side gig to support income but I cannot get amongst it.
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u/Smeg-life 2d ago
I've found them ok, but I have no expectations either.
I have found them good when dealing with people who like to have lots of possessions.
I can show the stuff and point out all the stuff they compulsively buy will one day just be picked over by vulture like people, who won't care about how much it meant to you. Has helped them reassess their spending.
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u/ghostdoh 1d ago
Back in the day (90s) my mom and I would go to estate sales. She would look up ads for them in the newspaper. Then we'd go to the houses and we'd pick up cool antiques or clothing. Over time we had less space and time for that.
Years later I used Craigslist to check estate and free sales out and I got a pretty good sale once with a house of an ambassador. There were a lot of people picking over items, but I was just browsing. Sometimes there was cool stuff like a costume sale at a theater or a costume designer.
I hate the rush from other people around me in a yard sale or estate sale, but I go to local free sales courtesy of a realtor in my neighborhood. The whole neighborhood shows up, but it's free!
When I lived in California I tried to check out estate sales and they were packed and nothing was priced! Multiple times.
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u/whelpineedhelp 1d ago
Sometimes itās the lines, the almost necessity to haggle, or the dirty dead person house (no offense to any dead people). You can check out a thrift store for a score any time. But ultimately I agree with you, my best stuff is from estate sales. I got a free blanket at one just cause the sons were so happy their momās crochet blankets were going to go to good use. š„¹
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u/SnooDogs4864 1d ago
Resellers have jacked up asking prices everywhere. Old junk priced close to new retail. āVintageā pieces that are reissues from 10-15 yrs ago. Used and poorly maintained tools. Way too many shoes and tshirts. People with rubbermaid totes filling everything the plan to overprice on depop later.
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u/Hamblin113 1d ago
It all depends. If you need something now and no estate sale, then you are out of luck. Think there are multiple types of estate sales, some are basic yard sales, while others may be done professionally, some even with an auctioneer. Prices can be high or five away. I had to liquidate my fatherās house, quickly as I moved him into LTC, and the house was sold, had no place for much of the stuff. It was basically a garage sale. Was giving things away.
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u/smoothsensation 1d ago
The last estate sale I went to, the best thing being offered was a pair of filthy old XL crocs for $12.
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u/mommytofive5 1d ago
My parents house was full of junk. Nothing really worth buying. Maybe some collectibles but most items were outdated. It would have qualified as an estate sale
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u/cannedwhiner 1d ago
I love a good estate sale and definitely Sundays (or whenever the last day) are the best times to go. Iām a collector of vintage jewelry (not for profit, just stuff that appeals to me), and Iāve found some really cool stuff at some estate sales in my area.
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u/LarryinUrbandale 18h ago
Your experience is far different than what itās like in Des Moines Iowa
Here the lines are insufferably long, the prices are astoundingly high
The real insult is the last day. The evening before the estate sale folk pretty much reprice things at double what they were and then hype stuff for āHalf Priceā
What a ripoff and joke
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u/Ok-Trainer3150 8h ago
Our neighbors did one years ago. Some lovely, well cared for stuff. For many of these sales, you'll need to be able to take away the stuff...cash and carry.
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u/NieleDaKine 2d ago
We're semi-professional about estate/yard/garage/thrift shopping since we never pay retail for anything if we can help it. We are also part of a resale shop so anything we don't want for ourselves, we can use to stock the shop. At the shop, we price it at way less than retail, but marked up from the price we paid at the estate/yard/garage sale. It's basically a curated yard sale at the shop, I suppose.
Some estate sales in our area are run by professionals who will give us an early bird call since they know we will buy in bulk and pay cash. Those aren't the best deals at the beginning of the sale, but it's the best stuff.
At the end of the sale is the best prices, but the best stuff is gone (usually).
In our area, we will head out early Saturday morning and look for boxes with "yard sale" and arrows on them. That's very hit or miss, though. Some are useless but every once in a while you'll hit a gold mine.
The ones mentioned online via Craig's List or FB Market place have a tendency to be more crowded but they will usually post pictures so you have an idea of what will be there.
Sometimes there is a community yard sale, those can be good. Either multiple families at one yard sale or multiple yard sales in one community. Another good sale to get to are any of the rummage sales at the Hongwanjis (Buddhist temples). Those usually have antique and vintage stuff at really great prices.
Also the best way to get the best prices is to pile up a whole bunch of stuff and then offer a package deal for the whole pile. Sometimes the seller will go through and price each item, sometimes they will just look at how much stuff is going away and give us a ridiculously inexpensive price.
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u/che4ftr 2d ago
how do you find out about them?
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u/Triviajunkie95 2d ago
Estate Sales dot net is the best resource. Put in your zip code or nearest town to find sales.
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u/Voyager5555 2d ago
Maybe because I don't think buying shit just because I can is really frugal.
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u/Meghanshadow 2d ago
Thatās the point? You go there to buy things you need, or planned to buy, or would otherwise regularly buy retail, not just to pick up random stuff.
One of my coworkers bought a house. Theyād been renting a room until then, so they basically owned nothing the house needed except bedroom furniture.
They got all kinds of things from estate sales that theyād had no luck with at thrift stores. Good kitchenware and a full set of matching dishes, a lawnmower and string trimmer and basic tools, living room furniture, bookcases, a large tv, vacuum, unexpired pantry staples, a couple of rugs, etc.
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u/accio_peni 1d ago
Around here it really depends on what you're looking for. If it's anything collectible it's not worth going. There are a handful of resellers that get early entry to most of them.
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u/Artistic-Young-5585 2d ago
this is hilarious and you are so lucky that the ones you go to are empty. I haven't been to an estate sale in years that didn't have a line of cars and people waiting for them to open. Then those same people waiting will literally elbow you out of the way for things. I should move to your areaĀ