I finally switched from going to estate sales on Saturdays to Fridays instead

For years I always went on Saturday mornings like everyone else but last month I tried a Friday preview day at a sale in Bellevue and it was night and day. The house wasn't picked over yet and I snagged a vintage Pyrex set for $20 that would have been gone by Saturday morning. Has anyone else noticed a big difference going on different days?

2 comments

2 Comments

margaret_bennett35d ago

Saturday crowds keep things honest. I've been to those Friday previews where they jack up prices knowing the serious collectors got first dibs, saw a beat up table lamp marked $85 that would have been $30 on Saturday morning. Plus half the stuff isn't even priced yet on Friday so you're just guessing what they'll want for it half the time. The real deals still happen on Saturday afternoon when sellers get tired of hauling stuff back home and start accepting real offers. Last weekend I got a full set of Fire King for $12 at 2pm on a Saturday because the guy running the sale just wanted it gone.

amy8585d ago

and that's exactly why I don't even bother with the Friday previews anymore. The whole point of estate sales is supposed to be about finding hidden gems for fair prices, not getting gouged because you showed up early. I've watched people grab stuff on Friday that was marked way too high and then sit on it all weekend trying to flip it for triple online. Meanwhile Saturday afternoon rolls around and the same stuff that was $75 on Friday is suddenly $20 because they're desperate to clear the house out. The Fire King score you got is proof that patience pays off. I always bring cash on Saturday and just start offering half of whatever the sticker says after 1pm. Works more often than you'd think.