When discussing garage sales, everyone seems to say things like “Go early.” “Show up before they’re set up.” “Be there before the sun rises.” “If you hear roosters crowing, you’re too late,” …get the idea? We tend to assume that earlier is better. In terms of getting first crack at the best items, this is definitely the truth, but there is definitely an advantage in arriving late.
When it comes down to the eleventh hour of a garage sale, most people just want things gone. If it’s left behind, they have to either pack it up and donate it, or put it back in their house. Either way, it’s a lot of work that most people would prefer to avoid. That’s why sellers tend to start grouping items and lowering prices at the end of their sale. At this point, you can comfortably offer the seller one tenth of what you would have offered at the start. If you show up in the last hour of a sale, I guarantee that you’ll get a better deal than you could have imagined.
So when you head out on your next garage sale adventure, be sure to swing back by your favorite spots at about 3 or 4pm when things are winding down. There may not be a lot of awesome items you’d want to take home and keep, but if you want to be a garage sale millionaire, you have to keep in mind that it isn’t about keeping things. It’s about reselling them. You need to find something you can easly flip for twice what you paid. If you keep this in mind and your smart phone – or other price checking guide – in hand, you should have some serious success. Good luck, and let me know how it goes!
Happy hunting!
Aaron