How to Find Great Estate Sales and Goodies

by Dianne Drinkwater 01/10/2021

Online tools make it easy to find good estate and moving sales. Here's how to catch the best of the local offerings.

Your Smartphone Can Keep You Posted.

Do a search for find garage sales near me and you'll immediately see online apps that work on your phone to tell you about yard sales and estate sales in your area. These even show you the photo albums, lists of major available items posted by sellers, and routes to the sales.

Use the app you like to set up a free, weekly alert. You can request a listing of all sales within 10 miles of your home.

Except for a few weeks in the winter, you'll get more listings every week than you can possibly plan to hit in a weekend. Choose about three sales within five or six miles of each other, and hit them all in one foray. If one is so-so, another may be just what you wanted.

Extra Weekend Time? Hit the Sales!

We're big fans of local estate sales, and here's how we make the most of them:

Look for cues in the listings. When you see the term "huge, multi-family," it often isn't. The real gems generally turn up in the architecturally interesting or older homes.
Look through the pictures posted online by the seller. These will show you whether the focus is knickknacks from the attic, office furnishings, antiques, or something else.
Bring cash. Most sellers take local checks, but a limited wad of cash helps you get a nice bargain for the items you pick out.

Weekend events run by professional estate sale companies are more expensive. All items have price tags. But the professional sellers managing the sale often have permission from the homeowner to bargain.

What Are the Top Estate Sale Finds?

Top finds are chairs, tables, and desks. Estate and moving sales are fabulous for offering older furniture. Well-made furniture can last generations. Focus on pieces 20 years old or more. Worn upholstery or mildly scratched wood can usually be renovated.

Estate and moving sales can also be the source of beautiful dishware and like-new kitchen gadgets. Some are treasure troves of Tiffany lamps, fireplace tools, useful touches for home offices and gardens, or vintage albums.

Meet People. Appreciate Their Stories.

The early bird is overrated. Get the best bargains on overlooked finds late in the sale schedule. It's a less hectic time, and a time when sellers are most willing to let their hair down.

Hear seller's stories, appreciate their life changes, and, if it feels right, you may be able to pitch in with a little moral support.

About the Author

Dianne Drinkwater

Dianne is a full time, full service, state licensed Realtor®, member of Northeast Florida Regional Association of Realtors® (NEFAR), St. Augustine/ St.Johns County Board of Realtors, National Association of Realtors® (NAR), Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR), and Northeast Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service And St. Augustine/St. Johns (MLS), Shearwater Certified, and Military on the Move Designation.

She provides a unique blend of leadership, sales acumen, project management, technology, and world class customer relation skills to enhance Watson Realty Corporation's values in the real estate sales and mortgage marketplace. She is a decisive take action solution-oriented professional with 25+ years of progressive business experience who efficiently utilizes technology to improve results. She has lived in the St. Augustine/Jacksonville area since 2005 and has seen the area continue to flourish and stays well informed of future growth plans within Northeast Florida.

Let's take a look at the lighter side of Dianne. She loves life is artistic loves music, the arts, yoga and genealogy! She loves to explore and hates to be bored. She loves the outdoors, especially plant life and wildlife. She has been a Master Gardener in Florida and Maine; as a photography enthusiast she has the eye to spot the perfect shot, which spills over to the photos she makes of the properties she markets AND frequently hires the best specialized real estate photographers/drone and videographers who make the difference in the sale. And, she loves to share her knowledge of the local real estate market and all aspects of the process to guide you through each step as a coach rather than a salesperson.

So, let's sum it up. Buying or selling your home is an important life decision. Reasons can vary greatly from change of lifestyle, to relocation or life challenges. You need someone you can trust, count on, respect and help shoulder the stress, anxiety and time commitment involved. Doesn't this sound like someone you want working for you?

So, what's the next step? Contacting Dianne of course. It is all about YOUR needs, goals, timeline and DREAMS! She's here to help you achieve them and she looks forward to hearing from you.

What are you looking for in a Realtor? - Someone who will really listen to your wants and needs? Someone who will expertly market your home until the SOLD sign adorns your front lawn or if you are a buyer tirelessly researches your wish list to find that perfect home? - How about someone who will always be honest, holds ethics in high regard as a realtor, who works aggressively to get you the best price for your home and someone who knows the market?

Selling or buying a home is a partnership with your trusted advisor- Dianne Drinkwater