 Saratoga
MLS Search Property
Alert
Featured Saratoga Homes Saratoga CMA FSBO's Client
Login
Garage Sales Saratoga CA
We find that many families use a change of residence as
an opportunity to dispose of many outgrown and no-longer-wanted
items. It beats taking the items with you and can even
put several hundred dollars in your pocket toward buying
furnishings for your new home.
As Realtors®, we are expected to be wise in all matters
relating to a change of residence. Even though garage
sales are far from our primary field of expertise, allow
us to pass on the best advice we have picked up over the
years.
Planning
Allow plenty of time – three to four weeks –
to prepare. Choose a date that will not conflict with
holidays or other events that might lure prospective customers
away. More people are likely to show up on weekends than
weekdays. Your sale is likely to attract more customers
if you join together with neighbors in a larger effort
with more merchandise – some homeowner groups sponsor
neighborhood sales that are proving popular.
What to Sell
Practical household goods, bicycles, children’s
toys and clothes, sports equipment and garden tools are
popular. Adult clothing has less appeal – price
accordingly. All items should be clean, polished and in
good repair.
Display
Merchandise your items attractively in neat, clean surroundings.
Paper tablecloths offer a pretty setting for glass and
ornamental items. Cluster things in categories. Place
more desirable items toward the back so browsers can notice
other merchandise on their way to the most popular items.
Have a 25-cent miscellaneous table for young shoppers.
Clothes should be sized accurately and hung on a temporary
rack.
Logistics
Locate your appliance table near an outlet so customers
may try before they buy. Set aside adequate parking and
a place to load large items. Have plenty of bags and boxes
on hand for packing and newspapers for wrapping glass
items. Ideally, a place for trying on clothing should
be provided.
Promotion
Place a classified ad in the local papers – include
three or four of the more tantalizing items for sale,
directions and other pertinent details (you may or may
not want to include your phone number). Take advantage
of free publicity provided by bulletin boards in grocery
stores and other public places. Provide directional signs
to your property using an indelible pen. If your house
is listed for sale, have your Realtor® hold an open
house on the same day, thus increasing traffic for both
the house and the sale.
Pricing
Visit other sales to get an idea on how to price things.
Remember that garage sale shoppers are looking for deals,
so be prepared to bargain and lower your prices. Really
valuable items such as antiques should not be sold at
a garage sale; they are not likely to bring the desired
price from bargain hunters. Nothing is too worthless to
be valuable to someone, so have a giveaway box for old
magazines and other assorted odds and ends.
Staging
Post a notice that all sales are final and payment must
be in cash. Keep ample change in a cash box in a protected
spot. Keep a record of sales, especially when there are
several sellers. One recording method that is simple and
efficient is to use small adhesive stickers to price items,
then transfer the sticker to the name of the seller when
the item is sold.
Contact us for more
info on Garage Sales in Saratoga |
