Estate tag sales are a great place to find basically any types of second-hand items and antiques at bargain prices. They usually attract collectors, antique dealers, interior designers and people who enjoy hunting for bargains. These people are well versed in how to shop at an estate sale. Here’s how you can shop like them:
- Know what you are looking for
You will come across a vast amount of stuff in an estate tag sale, so it’s important to make a list (even if it’s just a mental one) of what you are looking for. It is easy to get drawn to interesting items because everything is sold at bargain prices, which is why you need to focus on what you came there for.
- Research and budget
A reputable estate sale company lists their sales on their company website with the dates, times and main items – sometimes they will even put up photos. So check it out before you go through. If you can, do a bit a research to determine what the retail price of your items are. This will help establish what you are willing to pay for the items that you want.
- Understand the timing of it all
Go early if you want to have first choice of what is on offer, but don’t expect to haggle on the first day. If you want to push for additional discounts, its best to go in the last few hours, but by then most items could have been sold.
- Get comfortable with how it feels
You will be rummaging through someone’s stuff, so be respectful but make sure you evaluate the goods properly and enquire about details of the items that are important. Be prepared to haggle. You’d be surprised at the additional bargains you might get.
Contact Jerry, your local estate sales professional, for upcoming estate tag sales or estate appraisals. We’re located in Montclair, NJ, and serve all of NJ as well as parts of New York and Pennsylvania.
