How are the yard sale prices in your area?

**nuisance26** · 07-21-2010, 08:59 AM

~Sales that I've been to in my area seem consistent with selection, pricing and ability to bargain as last year.
What's different this year is the crowds. It seems like there are less people shopping and buying which is surprising to me.
Is there a difference in your area this year?~

**krbshappy71** · 07-21-2010, 10:47 AM

Ridiculous!! Its obvious the people holding them lately don't have the concept of garage sale = just before donating the junk no one wants.

This lady wanted $35 for a small curio-shaped jewelry box. Excuse me? I would buy it new before I'd pay that for hers!! Absolutely ridiculous, wish I had a picture of it to show you guys.

Some of the "old faithful" garage sales can still be spotted, usually in the lower income areas where the people understand that 25 cents for a kids shirt is acceptable and $3 is NOT.

This is my skewed belief, it is probably not true but it keeps ringing in my head: the people holding these expensive garage sales have found themselves in a dire situation. They are trying to sell their belongings but don't realize that garage sale shoppers wont pay it. Garage sale shoppers already know what an "acceptable" price is for items, they already have a vague idea of what they can buy it for at Goodwill or Habitat. I'm sorry that you paid $50 for your curio thing, but I wont pay more than five for it. I don't have to, I just saw one the other day at Habitat for Humanity. I'm willing to wait six months to find one there rather than pay the $35 for yours. (if I wasn't willing to wait, I'd be right there with you paying the $50 at Target, ha!)

Sorry to rant, but I used to garage sale all the time and now I'm finding its a waste of my gas a lot of times as the prices are high. I'd rather surf Craig's List, offer a lower price sometimes, and get specifically what I'm looking for. (if I don't find it at Goodwill or Habitat or its an item I want right away but don't want new) It just seems more efficient than garage saling lately.

**Dixie** · 07-21-2010, 12:31 PM

I don't go to many yard sales anymore, but what few I have been to have sky high prices. I think they have mistaken ebay prices with yard sales. A few weeks ago, I saw a rack with $10 kids clothing items.

They were name brand, but still....

**Ali Lee** · 07-21-2010, 12:58 PM

I agree. I've stopped @ a few. The prices have been outrageous! And it's even the last day & afternoon! I leave empty handed.

**TigerGirl1226** · 07-21-2010, 01:50 PM

It varies around here. I went to few a couple weeks ago and the family was selling just junk. I don't even know if charity would take it, but they were destitute. I didn't buy anything, but I felt sorry for them. I went to another with good stuff, but prices way too high. The other one I went to I did buy a couple dress up things for DD to play in for 50 cents, but I could barely make the purchase because the woman wouldn't get off the phone.

**StartingOver** · 07-21-2010, 02:13 PM

I just had a garage sale in May and made a little over $800. I sold dd10 clothes, shoes, games, toys etc.....all little girl things. It was about 2 years worth of stuff that I've been saving till I had enough to have a sale.

I didn't have many people try to haggle w/my prices. I sold most of my shirts for $1.00. If they still had tags on them I put $2.00-$3.00. I don't bother putting .25-.75 cents on things..it's a waste of my time. People can ask if they want to go lower.

The first day...I do not go lower at all. I tell them to come back tomorrow and if the item is still here, I sell it to them. But I really don't have a lot of people try to dicker w/me.

What I had left over after 2 days, was enough to fit in one small box.

I still see lots of people out and about and they must be buying, as they are all carrying bags

**savvy_sniper** · 07-21-2010, 03:02 PM

The yard sales in my area are generally crap/garbage OR clothing that is over priced. I very seldom find ANYTHING I am remotely interested in purchasing.

**Jodie H** · 07-29-2010, 10:38 AM

My mom and I used to spend all weekend garage saling..filling up the truck and having to go home to unload and head back out. I used to find great stuff at reasonable prices...Little Tykes, little people etc when my kids were smaller. Now they want new prices for well used junk. I find so many of the garage sales to be dirty and you don't want to pick anything up...not all though. I find the "richy rich" parts of town have expensive junk. Also older people want better than new prices for their worn out coffee maker or thread bare towels. I usually go to the second hand stores or watch Kijiji and the local Facebook selling pages.

**Nana2two** · 07-30-2010, 11:24 PM

I use to love garage sales. The prices were great a few years ago. But since they started here back in March i have been to 3 and 2 were outragious.Why would i pay $5 bucks for a pair of boys jeans when the knees were all faded. Even on craigslist people want way more then the item is worth.

**Syn D** · 07-31-2010, 12:14 AM

Very mixed prices.. Some ask ridiculous amounts for items, like one I went to, they charged more than the store for the item and it was beat up..

**ahmom** · 07-31-2010, 08:31 AM

Since goodwill now has .15 and .29 items there isn't many sales. Why pay .50 for a shirt plus gas when you can get it cheaper at goodwill. Not many sales at all.

**Dixie** · 07-31-2010, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by Nana2two

Why would i pay $5 bucks for a pair of boys jeans when the knees were all faded.

Yep, that's what I saw, too. For a couple of more bucks you could go to a discount store and get brand new jeans.

**khaski** · 08-01-2010, 07:48 AM

Mixed bag here- some are fabulous, with good stuff cheap, some are junk you would have to remortgage your house for! Have done really well with toys lately, though. I can't stand the 'garage sales' that are really just collected antique sales- old license plated, glass bottles, that kind of thing. I have run into a few of those lately. I esp. love the garage sales for jewelry though- a lot of times items are .25-.50 each, I have had a lot of luck selling these pieces online for $4-10.

**savvy_sniper** · 08-01-2010, 09:19 AM

The majority of the garage sales in my area are TRASH and the owners want an arm and a leg for the stuff. In the past couple of years all I have purchased is a drying rack - 50 cents and a brand new t-shirt with tags - $1.

**Momto5RN** · 08-01-2010, 09:55 AM

i havent been yardsaling this year .

problem is people hear ohh this sells for so much on ebay
well yeah 7 years ago when there wasnt many old navy stores out there you could sell a pair of GENTLY used ON jeans for 5$ .

now you couldnt get much for them on ebay but people remember hearing that way back when and think thats what its worth.

same with craigs list and the fact that magazines tell yard sales holders to go to ebay to check prices and price that way drives me nuts because they may see someone asking 10$ but it doesnt mean it will sell for 10$ they need to check closed auctions,

amd when sold on ebay it has had the time taken into it to be clean - pressed- pix taken description written - packed nicely and mailed- you dont get the same price for a pair thrown in a pile on a blanket that has stains.

i see thrifts doing some of the same if it says gymboree on it even if stained they mark it up . they call anything old " vintage" -- someones grandmoms hot pink polyester pant suit is not vintage in the fashion world - its just old .

sadly they only hurt themselves because in the end 50c for a pair of ripped jeans comeoen may patch or use for crafting is more money in your pocket then not getting 5$ .