What Do Buyers Buy at an Estate Sale?

What draws buyers to your estate sale? Here are the top 3 things buyers look for:

• Collectibles & Antiques: Nostalgia is king and buyers are looking for collectibles and antiques from their childhood. Items like Pyrex, Swung Glass, Made in Japan figurines and glass, Waterford crystal and anything Mid Century Modern - made in the period roughly from 1945-1969. Also don't forget the anything that is approximately 20 years old is "vintage" so think 1990s and early 2000s as well.
• Bargains: To most buyers "estate sale" or "auction" means bargain. They will pick up anything that is less than retail, including: household cleaning supplies, kitchen items, bathroom decor, wall hangings, etc.
• "Draw" items: When advertising your sale, we will look for 1-2 categories of items that will draw the buyer's eye to the sale. These items are particularly desirable to buyers: tools of all kinds, including lawnmowers and small engines, jewelry - including vintage, antique, costume and real gold/silver, highly collectible Mid Century Modern furniture or glass, high-end, unusal or designer furniture, 

There are also things that currently less desireable to buyers:

• China: I love a good China set (and have at least two sets!), but most buyers are looking for convenience - dishes that can go in the dishwasher.
• Clear glass and coffee mugs: We all have that extra set of wine glasses and too many coffee mugs - and so do estate sale buyers.
• Clothes: There is a very high retail markup on clothes and no where is that more evident that estate sales where clothes may be marked $1 or lower. Little-used designer clothes or new with tags clothes may be an exception.

Don't worry though! Usually buyers will pick up one or two less desirable items with the draw items. Also, there are exceptions - we recently sold an entire closet of clothes at an auction and trends change -- I can't wait until vintage China becomes desirable again!