Estate Sales: Is it worthwhile to attend the later days of a sale?

There have been a few estate sales in my area that I haven't been able to attend the first day of the sale. I decided to skip these sales since my reasoning was that most of the better items and good values would be already sold and whatever would be left would be the dregs that the professionals (collectors/resellers) didn't want and would not be worthwhile. I assume that if good items were left on the last day of the sale you would be in a stronger negotiating position to buy them unless the estate sale company had a clause in their contract to keep anything that didn't sell. Very large sales with lots of quality, higher priced items may be an exception and some of the good stuff may last to later days. Resellers may have more luck since they only need to find something to make a buck on not something they want to personally add to their collection.

Your Thoughts?

 

Generally I'd say you are correct. I've been able to get a few brown furniture items on subsequent days because of it's current unpopularity.

My solution has been to wait 1/2 hour to 1 hour after the doors open on the first day; you will still miss a few things but you'll still get to see the vast majority without waiting for an hour in line.

On a related topic, I've seen things I've been interested in seemingly "disappear" before I could get in the door, when I'm third or fourth in line. Coincidence? Maybe the first time. After the fifth time, no. Joe2007, do you have any experience with unethical behavior on the part of the folks holding the sale?

 

I've seen the same but it was over a decade ago, @Ghopper1924 , there would be some dicey glass and such that could be seen from the front window, but when I was let in, it would always be gone. Glass was more saleable back then, showy. It's interesting you mention this.

 

I've asked a few times about items and the standard response I've gotten is that family/heirs have withdrawn items from the sale.

Potentially true, I've seen family members grab stuff off of the "good" tables and just carry it off towards their vehicle several times at auctions and estate sales before it could be sold. Once the auctioneer asked them what they were doing and he and the heir had a shouting match in front of the crowd of bidders about contracts, breach of contract and such. Also smalls tend to go into pockets where they don't belong -- I believe I've seen this a few times but professional thieves are slick. Once an expensive piece of Roseville got legs and apparently walked away. Auctioneers tend to hire security at some of the more inner city auctions/estate sales I've been to but I don't doubt things go missing.

On the other I've heard too many stories from many people I deem are trustworthy and know many auctioneers who I can confirm are not to be trusted with anything of value. One friend I know saw an auction worker taking a high value binder of postcards off of a table and out to the auctioneer's pick-up truck. And I've heard stories of all the items that were in an estate and didn't make it to sale (i.e the auctioneer or their help kept them) and consigners were unhappy. One of my nurses at the hospital I regularly see sent her mother's stuff to auction and a lot of stuff has never sold to this day. There have been several auctioneers charged with fraud in our state for stealing from consigners and it is a wonder that more are not caught.

 

Yep, sometimes all of the above happens. I have a few friends that used to work for estate sale companies. They said it's not unheard of for something good to be hidden away, say under a bed, until a friend comes in, then it reappears.

I also go to estate sales about an hour after they open, I am so past standing on line from 5 am to get in early! Going the second day can work since usually the prices are 50% off. You never know what may have been left over from day 1 because it was priced too high.

Also, the companies around here will take bids on items. If I like something on day 1 but it is a little too high I can leave a bid. If it doesn't sell the first day I get a call and go back day 2 to pick it up.

 

@antidiem

Yes, that is exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about! Yep, glass too. A few years ago a top of the line Waterford vase appeared at a sale, and I went there for that one item. I was second or third in line, and by the time my foot crossed the threshold it was already gone. The same happened at a different sale with a Galle vase. Both episodes put me off going to sales for months.

Joe and Marie are speaking too much truth. It can be infuriating to deal with these "honest" salespeople!

 

Thanks, Ghopper I never mentioned it at the time because this was before sales were posted online. The day of the sale was always so hectic that I never actually asked anyone else, nor the salespeople, "hey, where'd that glass go?"

 

In the case of a few of the estate sales around me, yes, it’s smart to go in the subsequent days. For whatever reason they “stage” the sales in “waves”.

They don’t put it all out at once and bring out things gradually during the day/(s) until the sale is done. I have no idea why but it’s occurred a few times.

 

I have amazing luck after the first day. Of course the pros have already had their pick. However lots of good stuff is often left and the pros miss a lot of stuff, even the best. I’m not an early riser so I never make it for the first few hours. First day they often won’t take a large percentage off the marked price. Last day 50% off across the board is not rare. Then you can negotiate further from there. I often get stuff for 75% or more off the sticker price on the last day. They know if they don’t take your offer they may make nothing off of the item. I often don’t even bother going day one unless there is something I absolutely need or it’s one of those great sales. If you’re going for specific items then go day one early but if you’re just there to be opportunistic and shop then go two hours before the sale is over and get stuff for what you’re willing to pay. That’s my experience at least. It may not be everyone’s. I didn’t read most of the replies.

There is one guy who will price some of his good stuff so high sometimes that it scares everyone off, even the pros. I go last hour and offer 75% or less of sticker and take it almost every time.

I bought a lot of stock certificates a few months back for $30 during the final 5 mins of a sale. No one had bothered to look through them since many aren’t worth more than $5. I thought a few had potential. The sticker price was $75 so I got them for $45 off sticker price. I sold one recently for $475. I sold another a while back for $400. That was longgggg after the pros had been through.

 

I will go on the last day if I’m bored, like on a Sunday, only if it looked worthwhile in the initial advert.
I bought a Chinese pewter sweet meat dish on the 3rd day of a sale, price was $200, reduced from $400, I sold it on eBay for $2,300.

 

Round here after the first crowd the elderly looky loos come in and it's hard to even move around.

If you want good stuff you gotta be the first one with your hands on it.

 

Also around where I live sometimes there are so many sales happening on a given day or weekend that it’s impossible for people to buy all the good stuff no matter when you get there. Sometimes there will be over a dozen in a day. If you don’t pick the obvious all-star sale but one that you see has some good stuff you can do well. Especially if you see there’s some good stuff but they haven’t put it all at the beginning of the sales photos or there’s not a lot of pics at all. Sometimes I see sales that don’t have many photos but you can tell by the few photos there are that there is good stuff that’s not being “featured”. Most people will probably go to the one that is a sure shot I look for the “sleepers” to avoid the crowds and pros sometimes. You have to use your intuition here often.

 

I think there are times where some of the sellers offer items to regulars before hand, in one extreme case there was a pre-sale party for antique dealers only for a fairly hefty entrance fee the weekend before the sale. Kind of irritated me.

 

Interesting. Will have to try a few more.