How do you make Garage Sales work for you?

[Bolster]

Was just reading the pawn shop thread (summary: they're really hit or miss). Saw guys talking about how they do better with garage sales.

How the Heck do you guys do well at garage sales? You must have a formula. If I do a run of garage sales, I'll burn a ton of gas, spend the entire morning driving, hit maybe 10 garage sales on a good day, and return with almost nothing of value. People selling mostly clothes, children's toys, and the detritus that accumulates in the home.

How come you guys are successful and I'm not?

 

[Boiler]

I've had terrible luck with them. Almost any place that has "tools" will have a tack hammer and a pair of chinese channellocks.

I'd guess when you do find stuff you can get serious bargains, but it just takes so much time and gas money and frustration that its not worth it for me.

I've completely changed over from garage sales and fleas to auctions exclusively. I guess I'd still go to the local flea on sundays if the guy selling tools there wasn't a complete D'bag. Typical cranky jerk that acts put out because I'd like to know what he wants for an undpriced tool (none of them are priced).

 

[kc-steve]

I know of at least one guy that hits estate sales and supplements his income doing it that way. I doubt seriously successful people are going to give out their secrets.

But I have started checking ads that first say there are tools included in the sale. Then I also check to see where it is located. If it is in a "blue-collar" part of town I will check it out. And finally, I try to incorporate other tasks in the trip so it isn't a total waste of time.

In addition, I try to be first in line. On the other hand, some have said that the best "deals" are on the second or third day of the sale. In summary, I guess it is a matter of getting experienced at it, and yes I guess there is an element of luck.

Steve

 

[Bull]

I avoid them for the very reason you have mentioned. I hate driving to one, parking, getting out of the car and realizing within seconds that there is zero for me to look at, then shlumping back to the car to repeat the process. About as fun as a post-50 physical, IMO.

 

[Beerman]

I don't think there's any secret to it-most of it is just plain luck. I've seen deals at the flea market, pawn shop, and to a lesser extent garage sales. I've won a few and lost a bunch-usually because I didn't have enough cash on hand at the time or enough cash flow to spend what I had on me, to make it through until payday.

I posted this past Sunday, I saw a HUGE Matco top chest in great condition at the local flea market. I drive a Honda Civic and if you had a gun to my daughter's head, I couldn't have loaded it into or onto my car. It was marked $300. I spoke to the woman selling it and she even had the key. Double bank, ball bearing slides-a real beauty. It was/is her son's and she said they'd take $250. I'm unemployed at the moment and had next to no money on me, and even if I had, I couldn't have spent it-daughter wants to eat this week. So I got the guy's number, spoke to him myself and if I get the money together, by some miracle, I'm going to call him.

Did I do anything to facilitate this? No, other than getting the guy's number from mom, calling him and putting the bug in his ear that I wanted it if I could get the money together. Saved his # in my phone, so I can't lose it or forget it.

Another part of finding things is KNOWLEDGE. I've found a number of Facom or Hazet tools for sale at the local flea market. To most guys selling out there if it isn't C'man, it's foreign junk. I've bought 2-3 Facom ratchets over the years and paid less than $10 collectively for all three. Paid $1.25 around 1 year ago for a 3/8 Facom in brand-new condition.

Luck, knowledge and persistence is the key. Along with the funds to buy what you find, when you find it. I'll kick myself if I let that Matco box get away-but I'll always have a great "fishing" story to tell about it for the rest of my life.



Beerman

 

[american lockpicker]

I do very well at Yard sales but I go after antiques or EU made goods(people think its foreign junk...) USA tools tend to be all rusted up or cheap asian junk from a few decades ago. If you do see something good always ask a woman about it never the guy... Once I picked up a real Omega constellation that had a broken movement for a dime($0.10) the woman thought it was worthless but it was made of 18K gold and I later sold it in a pawn shop for $200 no questions asked. Another time I picked up a pair of RayBans for $2.

 

[Davefr]

Was just reading the pawn shop thread (summary: they're really hit or miss). Saw guys talking about how they do better with garage sales.

How the Heck do you guys do well at garage sales? You must have a formula. If I do a run of garage sales, I'll burn a ton of gas, spend the entire morning driving, hit maybe 10 garage sales on a good day, and return with almost nothing of value. People selling mostly clothes, children's toys, and the detritus that accumulates in the home.

How come you guys are successful and I'm not?

I'm happy with G Sales. Here are my tips:

1. Read the CL ads the night before and start out with a plan for the ones that look the most interesting.
2. Suppliment those in #1 with others that come up during the drive.
3. Avoid the newer neighborhoods. (too much baby ****)
4. Do drive bys - don't park and get out unless it looks interesting.
5. Skip any G sales unless they started that day
6. Neighborhood or block sales can be good since you can see a lot of stuff all at once.
7. Work in some estate sales too. Especially the ones that aren't run by professionals.

It's a numbers game. For every 3-5 sales their might be one worth stopping at. For every 3-5 you stop at there might only be a couple items worth buying. However once you hit a killer G-Sale it's makes it all worth it.

If you start out looking for specific items you'll be dissapointed. You need to cast a wide net. "***** out" the stuff you don't want on Ebay. (There can be a very high profit margin).

If you don't actually enjoy it then just don't do it.

 

[GreenGooey]

I've had pretty decent success with estate sales. Better than the garage "here's-****-we-don't-want" sales, too many baby clothes.

 

[kc-steve]

I'm happy with G Sales. Here are my tips:
. . .It's a numbers game. For every 3-5 sales their might be one worth stopping at. For every 3-5 you stop at there might only be a couple items worth buying. However once you hit a killer G-Sale it's makes it all worth it. . .

Very good tips! I think you are right about the numbers. I recall a fantastic estate sale when I first tried it and I didn't have something with me to carry all the small stuff out nor did I have a lot of money with me. I regretted it ever since.

Steve

 

[Theloniousmonk]

Also, look for Proud to be Union signs in the front yard - especially if it is put on by a retiree... I've found plenty of good indust/trade tools at those.

 

[Rickster]

I start reading the craigs liat ad's on Monday. You have to look at what they wright very carefully. An ad that says "tools" is not going to be as good as one that says "TOOLS". Also where it's located in the description, at the end is not as good as at the begining. Look over the description for other items that indicate the guy is a gear-head like; air compressor, jack, car parts,... Anybody "cleaning out Grandpa's garage" or and "estare/garage sale" is worth a second look at their description. I like to search on "tools" in the garage sale section, but don't forget to search "guy" for guy stuff and "man" or "men" for man sale or men's sale. Plan to get there early. If they open at 9 am be there at 8:30 and check them out while they're setting up. Don't **** around in the morning at the sales, scan for tools and split to the next one. You have to nail as many as you can by 11 am, after that most anything good and/or affordable is gone. First day sales ONLY. Hope this helps.

It's Thursday afternoon and I'm sitting here in pain from my strained back muscles. I've been laid up for a couple of days now and it's killing me because I had 5 really good sales to hit this morning and I can barely walk right now. I'm going to **** it up and head out tomorrow for sure. Maybe I'll luck out and find a cane at the first one.

 

[mkdive]

Great thread....lots of good tips...subscribed!

 

[woody 73]

I have never gone the auction route although I want to try it someday. Garage sales are somewhat tricky,yes it is a big hit or miss thing and yes it is loaded with tons of baby clothes. Sometimes if they leave a phone # I will call and ask if they have some tools(although that sometimes backfires),they say oh yes we have tools and you make the long drive only to see a small box of junk.

I have never had much luck with our pawn shops so for now I have given those up. I will let you in on a little secret my best luck comes from finding venders that carry everything under the sun. Some people are very knowledgeable with a few different categories,but I have never found a person yet that knows everything.

So the person selling dolls might have some screwdrivers that have no meaning to them,just this week I picked up some very desirable ones for not much money. On the other hand I could have picked up a $2000.00 Dollar doll and never known it was worth anything.

 

[Danglerb]

Strongly avoid, or just don't go to; professional estate sales, weekend public auctions, and flea markets that are all assigned stalls (no "real" junk selling).

Look for auctions that have things I want, but that are incidental to the main stuff.

Look for estate sales that are total liquidations, not disguised furniture moving sales.

Google the address, do a street view, print out maps, and don't drive too far out of the way unless something seems very good.

Always talk to the people, and inquire about things that interest you.

Ebay has changed the whole marketplace, now many people make a nice living on the side buying and selling, competition for the good stuff is a fact of life.

Know whats valuable outside your normal area of expertise, read a book or two if you need to.

Money and transportation and storage need to be immediate and flexible.

 

[Bolster]

Strongly avoid, or just don't go to; professional estate sales, weekend public auctions, and flea markets that are all assigned stalls (no "real" junk selling).

How can you tell when professionals are running an estate sale?

 

[Davefr]

How can you tell when professionals are running an estate sale?

From the CL ad they usually list their website, name and/or have lots of images.

During the drive the signs usually give it away. They usually say something like "______ Estate Sales" and the sign looks professionally made.

Private estate sales signs look homemade. (just like G sales signs)

At the sale itself it's even more obvious. They'll have a numbers list, bid box, credit card machine and lots of helpers with name tags.

 

[Cameronl]

First day sales ONLY.

Around here, first day of sale is Fridays, which ***** for us M-F 9-5 guys.

Pros and retirees clean up, us working stiffs are stuck with the dregs on Saturday morning.

Still, once in a blue moon I find a score (not just tools).

 

[jim m]

I have never gone the auction route although I want to try it someday. Garage sales are somewhat tricky,yes it is a big hit or miss thing and yes it is loaded with tons of baby clothes. Sometimes if they leave a phone # I will call and ask if they have some tools(although that sometimes backfires),they say oh yes we have tools and you make the long drive only to see a small box of junk.

I have never had much luck with our pawn shops so for now I have given those up. I will let you in on a little secret my best luck comes from finding venders that carry everything under the sun. Some people are very knowledgeable with a few different categories,but I have never found a person yet that knows everything.

So the person selling dolls might have some screwdrivers that have no meaning to them,just this week I picked up some very desirable ones for not much money. On the other hand I could have picked up a $2000.00 Dollar doll and never known it was worth anything.

Good point there is a lady at our swap meet that sells kids toys she has bags of toys for 2 dollars to 6. As well as bigger toys the kids love to stop here. We looked around they each got what they wanted went to pay and I see a box of tools got a snap on tm 70 1\4 ratchet 5 1\4 snap on sockets and 6 snap on hard handle screw drivers for $8 would have never had looked there.



Jim

 

[Hiball]

Frankly Garage sales dont always work.. There are many tips that have been discussed here that can greatly improve your chances of scoring some deals but most importantly its being in the right place at the right time. I basically hit them all, Garage sales, Pawn shops, Antique shops, Auctions and Flea Markets. I suspect out of every 1 great Find there are 7-10 failures, I feel the same way about Ebay. Id say On average i can estimate what something is gonna bring but occasionally i set my Sniping program and steal some items. I scored some Snappy goodness today of Craigslist, It was a Awesome day for me and ill probably have to walk 20 Garage Sales to repent my sins, Any Deal Seeker will tell you that 1 Home Run find will quickly make you forget about the 10 strikeouts.

 

[Bolster]

Well it sounds like "having your line in the water" is the magic elixir, to borrow a fishing expression.

 

[alex71]

Around here, first day of sale is Fridays, which ***** for us M-F 9-5 guys.

Pros and retirees clean up, us working stiffs are stuck with the dregs on Saturday morning.

Still, once in a blue moon I find a score (not just tools).

Exactly, except around here they start on Thursday. I've pretty much given up on them. Every once in a great while the ad on CL looks so good that I'll stop there on my way to work on the off-chance that it will be as awesome as the ad makes it sound. Doesn't come up much.

 

[mooman]

We need Mickey O to chime in on this subject. he seemed to have the magic touch.

 

[finallap]

I gave up on garage sales, most of my finds are either on CL in Tools specific section, Ebay, or here.

Too much work waking up early on the weekend, gas, without any guarantee that you'll score a good deal (at least in my experience.)

I'd rather spend a few more $ buying exactly what I need/want at the comfort of my home.

 

[StupidHippie]

Don't shoot me.

"Karmic wandering"....Think about what you want before hand and look for it.

Have a look at the paper or CL or Kijiji and see where the sales are and head for that end of town. Stay away from the 'new' areas and never stop at a yard sale that has red and yellow plastic on the front lawn.

If you aren't finding anything, switch towns. I'll drive twenty minutes to the next city and start again...some days you find nothing, some days are amazing.

Try to find the poorer, working class end of town and start there. Don't haggle over anything less than five bucks and ask if there's more. What's it hurt to ask...maybe the old widow couldn't carry the toolboxes up from the basement and you can help.

Be polite....always greet the vendors. There's always time for 'hello' They are gonna see some grumpy pros and a happy face will be welcome. Dealers tend to dig they're own holes by being gruff. Treat people with respect...some are having a garage sale to make space, others are selling because they need money. Don't abuse someone who is down on their luck...you will be repaid at the next yard sale. Trust me on this.

In the height of summer we'll hit 40 or 50 garage sales on a Saturday....odds are I'll find a tool.

Bring a thermos, and some munchies. Stopping for coffee eats precious minutes. Fill the tank the night before.

Bring small bills and enough change that it's dragging your pants down...or leave a bucket of coins in the truck. Don't make the sellers break a twenty for a dollar item.

Don't show up more than half an hour before the advertised starting time but most importantly....get there before me.

Rob

 

[WNYflyer]

Many great tips here. But I think it highly depends on what kind of area you live in or is close to you.

Me, many small cities and first ring suburbs inhabited by retiree's from the many manufacturing plants and their offshoots and unfortunately many of that generation are passing on. Plus many small farms/rural properties being sold/liquidated when grandma and grandpa pass. In our area many of the children and grandchildren move away so when people pass they seem to just want to get rid of stuff because of the distance thing. That being said, for me

- Craigslist garage sale - ads with tools and especially TOOLS. Many people are still not that computer literate so less competition
- Local newspaper ads - much more competition but I find many un-advertised sales just driving to the advertised ones.
- Blue collar/working man's city or burb ? then neighborhoods within.
- Farms/rural areas, google earth/Bing to make sure the house/farm is older rather than a McMansion. Any out buildings ?
- Get there the first day when they open.
- For every 1 hit maybe 8 strike outs but I am getting more selective in my stops.
- I live in a relative compact easy to drive area thus can make good time and mileage doesn't usually get out of hand. But if you did include mileage some stops wouldn't make sense, but it is one of my "things" and we all have our vices/things we spend money on that if you really look at it they don't make financial sense.
-I am typically looking for older (40's thru 70's) non truck brands thus easier to find, more unknown thus cheaper. Fine for a non pro.
- I like the thrill of the hunt and the rush from striking paydirt.

You don't think I have given this stuff much thought do you ?

 

[wornoutoldman]

Look for signs like this one:

 

[rsanter]

the secret is in your attitude and approach.
you seem yo be looking for a specific formula that if you do X you will get Y and make Z$s from that. it dosent work that way
you go yard saling because you enjoy it and want to get out of the house. you are gambeling you time and money on an unceetain result and need to be happy with no result at all other than some relax time away from the house and perhaps with a friend or spouse.

when we go I am looking for tools, lionel trains, antiques, and any other interesting thing that I can get a good deal on. sometimes I get nothing and sometimes I score

rule 1
look at CL and the clasifieds for yard sale listings that say tools or garage stuff.
start with those and assume that TOOLS means one chinsses wrench, a no name screwdriver thats bent, a rusty shovel and a paint brush.
anything that you find better than that is good and anything you find is a good enough deal to buy concider a score

Rule 2
as you drive just stop by at random any yard sale that grabs you attension. its a roll of the dice not a certain chance

Rule 3
any day you wife spends less than you at the yard sale is a good day

Rule 4
any day you actually like what your wife bought at yard sale is a good day

bob

 

[Arnie C]

My tips:
1. If its a small town or you don't canvass a large area, get a pedal bike with a rack and panniers. You can travel a lot faster than a car for short hops, parking is always the best, cost is $0 for gas, and its great exercise and fun to be out and about. I used to hit my good sized town of 13,000 people on a pedal bike before I moved to the big city.

2. Fat stack of cash. Carry a fat stack of cash $1000+, including small bills. Never know when some crazy deal will come up, and if you dont have cash, you might be SOL. Most garage sale runners will gladly hold an item for a few hours if you are on a pedal bike once its paid for. I take a check book and a few ATM cards just in case. Would hate to miss a screaming deal because I was $50 short.

3. Established route. Get to know the good areas. Poor people and new rich people have bad sales. Older established upper middle class areas have the best. We wouldnt even bother hitting the east side of town because it was typically all Mexicans selling baby stuff and true garbage.

4. Have a few hired goons. My mom hits a lot of estate sales during the day and early on the weekend when I am usually sleeping off a wicked hangover or waking up somewhere I don't know where I am. I have given her a list of things I am looking for including hand tools, with ballpark prices on the list and descriptions. Anything she is unsure of she can call me on the cellie for confirmation.

 

[Bolster]

OK well you guys have helped me figure out why I'm having such bad luck with garage sales. I have not been hitting the "upper middle income blue collar" part of town.

 

[chopper1]

In my area garage sales start on Thursday. We get a local neighborhood paper on Wednesday and I check all the ads that list tools and hit only those. It is still hit and miss. I remember one promising sale last summer and hit it an hour before it was supposed to open. When I asked about the tools she showed me a shovel and a pair of grass shears.
As said, I avoid the newer neighborhoods.
We vacationed on Sun City Center, Fl the past couple weeks [still traveling home] and I did hit some garage sales - Sun City is a retirement community I picked up 4 big SO angled wrenches 1-1/4" [don't remember the other sizes, they're buried in the trunk], 2) 4" Ward adj wrenches, 1/4 SK rat, 1/4 Cman breaker, a bunch of sockets, a bunch of box and DOE wrenches and a small double distributor wrench - 3/8" & 5/16"

 

[spencejm]

I scored some Snappy goodness today of Craigslist, It was a Awesome day for me and ill probably have to walk 20 Garage Sales to repent my sins,

Did you buy those tools listed in Mexico? I saw them last night but don't need any SAE stuff and, to be honest, really have no idea how much that stuff was really worth.

Joe

 

[Hiball]

Did you buy those tools listed in Mexico? I saw them last night but don't need any SAE stuff and, to be honest, really have no idea how much that stuff was really worth.

Joe

Yeah.. He had them listed here in Mexico.

 

[bargainzplus+]

Pretty much summorizing many of the testimonials, but you have to:
First and foremost, have a friday off of work since most start on Fridays here with the occasional Saturday Only sales.
Lately, I have been limiting my yard/garage sale visits since everyone is selling trinkits, clothes and or baby items. However, I have stopped at one of those 'baby/junk' sales and found an entire crate of cordless Milwaukee, Porter Cable and Dewalt tools along w/ misc. hand tools for only $5. So that's always in the back of my mind and most of the time stop if there are boxes that I canot see into driving by.
Estate Sales are the place to stop first. Since they are most likely posted in the newspaper, CL and estatesales.org, the good stuff goes first. But, 90% of them around here are "everything must go" sales so you can get some steals, especially if you put together a box of stuff.
From weekend to weekend, you may hit gold or you will be wondering if it is worth going the next weekend.
Needless to say, you have to have the love of the chase and once you get addicted it is hard to stop - so watch out!

 

[toolmiser]

It is definately a **** shoot, and probably the most gambling I do. I go thru weeks or months without much luck , and then find a bunch. I don't golf, or hang out in bars so I think of it as a hobby. I could easily spend a bunch of money throwing booze down my throat (nothing against drinking, been there done that), but it's kind of like hunting or fishing, some days are good some not so. I picked up some tools at one today, and the lady asked about some of her other prices, so I took about 10 minutes and helped her with pricing, and organizing. Note I did this after I bought my items so I didn't look like I was pulling a stunt. She was more than thankful, and I was happy to lend her a hand. Look at garage saleing as an activity not a job or it will be one.

 

[december45]

for me.....generally speaking, you have to hit a huge number of garage sales to find that "great" deal. If you do them week after week, you can quickly identify the professionals, the garage sales for hire, and the fakey estate sales. there is a group/business in town who will do your garage sale for you, (garage sales for hire) they cater to the out of town relatives getting rid of the estate or for people who just dont want to take the time to actually do the garage sale... at any rate the stuff has been gone over by the whole crew before any thing comes up for sale... i skip them. for me its in the shear number of garage sales you attend to find that good deal.. being lucky helps

 

[hamma]

You just have to check'em out and hope to hit luck. A lot of times "tools" means old rusty sledge hammers, hand saws or battery powered tools. The good thing is when you find some thing half decent, if its small, the person will say $1. Sometimes the hunt is better than the kill.

 

[spongerich]

Strongly avoid, or just don't go to; professional estate sales, weekend public auctions, and flea markets that are all assigned stalls (no "real" junk selling).

Around here, it's the weekday auctions that are tough because it seems like there's too many professionals etc who are willing to pay a lot more for the tools because it's a business expense for them.

I went to a hardware store liquidation yesterday (place had been there since like 1890) and most of the new tools were going for 70-80% of retail, some seemed like they were even higher.

I did have some luck with the oddball stuff like 2 big drawers of ratchet repair and wrench parts for $10, and 80 Armstrong carbide cutters for $10, but the Armstrong, Channel-Lock, and Rigid tools were out of reach.

 

[mrholeshot]

I look at Craigslist early in the week and if I see "Toys for boys" "Tools" "Man Stuff" or anything to do with men selling stuff I write down the address. Hopefully I run across one with a phone number and I can call to get a general idea of what they have. Then on the way to and from the yard sales I'm going to I stop at the ones with signs up. I section out the county I live in by 4 sections. I cover one section that peaks my interest first starting with the sale of most interest first the as the wife drives I'm punching in the address's in the GPS (yard sale addicts best friend) and take the van with no rear seats. Carry plenty of cash because often times you will run up on something thats a great deal but out of the realm of the 5 for $1.00 crowd. I normally carry 1000 dollars when I'm out doing the yard sales. I have had to sit with some items while the wife goes for more cash. I buy to resell so I'm not afraid to spend the cash when I know I can at the very least double my money. I haven't been in some time but from Thanksgiving until about Feb the super deals come along. I try to buy enough to resell for 2 weeks and the 3rd week buy more. I buy a lot of tools, generators,air compressors. Not only that but Black Friday sales are like yard sales. HD had Ryobi 7 1/4 Circular saws on sale Black Friday for 19 dollars each. I bought 20 of them last year. I sold them at the flea market 2 weeks later for 35-40 each. The trick is only put them out one at the time. If people think it's the only one there they tend to scoop it up quick.

 

[ecotec]

i go on estatesales.net and look at the pictures.

http://www.estatesales.net

i have passed up so many good tools because i did not know what i was looking at.

 

[mrholeshot]

i go on estatesales.net and look at the pictures.

http://www.estatesales.net

i have passed up so many good tools because i did not know what i was looking at.

In my area estate sales are often overpriced. Auctions are an OK place to go to buy something you need but for resale I rarely ever get enough decent deals to bother going anymore. If I can't double my money I don't buy it for resale. At auctions you pay more for it than anyone else would have