Buying at Garage Sales for Ebay Resale

Garage Sale Fever can be very addicting!

I never thought I would succumb to perusing other people's hand-me-downs. I blame Ebay for this strange turn of events. I started selling my old toys on Ebay and was completely hooked! I was in withdrawl once I ran out of my own stuff to sell. So a garage sale junkie was born.

I typically spend Friday and Saturday mornings running the roads looking for the illusive treasure that will make me rich. In reality, I typically make $10-$50 dollars in profit per item that sells. There is the occasional item that I pick up for under $5 and sells for over $100. Those provide the rush that keeps me going.

Tips for Successful Garage Sale Hunting for Ebay.

Going with your Gut.

Check out the ads in the paper ahead of time and make a plan based on their potential. Estate sales are great for finding lots of good items. They are a little pricier than garage sales though. Church sales are typically very cheap so they are worth checking out. Town wide, neighborhood and multi-family sales give you more bang for your gasoline dollar in this day and age.
Once you have chosen your sales, get out a map or go on-line and see where they all are so you can plot a course. I always start with any estate sales and work from there. Having a route in mind also saves $$ on gas. Of course, you will likely come upon some good sales on the way that weren't advertised as an added bonus.
Get up early! You will need to get to the sales early to get the good deals. Many swear by going an hour before the starting time. I tend not to do this because it is a hassle for the owners who are trying to set up. It is up to you how early to go.

Estate sales are a different story. They often give out numbers so go early and get in line. Some only let you in in groups of 10 or so. The early arrivers at these sales are dealers who know what they are doing. They tend to get the good deals first if you let them.
Now that you are actually at a sale, what should you buy? Start with something your know. I knew something about vintage toys that I previously sold so I began looking for those. As I bought and sold more toys, I became more familiar with what sells well in that category.
If you find something you might buy, PICK IT UP! Chances are it will not be there when you come back after thinking about it. It is also a good idea to bring a bag to carry your stuff in. I have jostled around items in the past and it is not fun. You can also ask the owner if you can set some items down near the cash out area while you continue looking.
If you are not sure about an item, leave it, write it down and research it on Ebay once you get home. You will be ready for the next time you see it. If it is going for a buck or so, go with your gut and buy it anyway.
The more you see what is available out there and the more you research, the more you will get familiar with what sells well. The easy way to research Ebay items is to check 'completed items' when you do your searches to get a real feel for the selling price.
Once your get your feet wet, you may decide that you want to start selling glassware, for example. There are many books out there on antique glassware. Visit your local bookstore and check them out in person. On-line reviews are also very helpful in choosing the best resource books.
You will make mistakes and buy things that just don't sell. I do it all the time. I have my own garage sale to get rid of many of those items and usually make my investment back.
The most important thing is to have fun and you will likely find a treasure for yourself you never knew you needed!

My Own Success Stories Quiz

I will be updating this section with new quizzes periodically and provide the answer for the previous quiz.

Which item do you think brought the highest profit? Consider buying and selling price.

^#1

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Captain Kangaroo Vinyl Lunchbox

In very good condition.2 points

^#2

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Lot of 120 45 RPM single

Included some old Beatles.1 point

^#3

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Fun Flowers Thing Maker

Complete with plasitgoop.0 points

My Best Finds!

I plan to update this section with my fun and profitable finds. I'll start with my first $100 profit.

My hubby and I were at a village wide garage sale and happened upon an elderly man selling a video disc player and a pile of video discs. I don't mean DVD's. These are the movies that looked like record albums. They are large and heavy and so was the player.

I had never seen one of these before and wondered if there was a market for it. As we debated back and forth the old gentleman yelled to us that we could have the whole lot for $5. That clinched it.

What a deal that turned out to be. I broke it up into 3 auctions. One for the player and I divided the discs into two auctions. Well, the player went for over $100 and the discs added $30 to the mix.
I bragged about it for weeks! Feel free to leave me a comment with your best finds.