I know this sounds heartless but, tough economic times are great for collector’s because while many folks are effected by a down turn in the economy and some are literally forced to sell-off their precious collectibles just to make ends meet, collectors are out buying up the rare and hard-to-find items, sometimes for pennies on the dollar!

I have seen more garage sales and parking lot sales this past year then ever before and these sales are going on 7 days a week instead of the typical Friday-Sunday as many folks are unemployed so they mize as well hold a garage sale during the week. In some areas folks are hauling their items down to empty parking lots on busy streets and standing out there selling their items.

I have also heard the stories of elderly and retired folks that were victims of Bernie Madoff and his ponzi scheme and have now been forced to sell-off antiques, jewelry and family heirlooms just to survive and because the economy is in such bad shape they are not able to sell their items at fair market value but rather at bargain prices. All this translates into “It’s a great time to be a collector”.

Here are some tips for bargain-hunting Garage & Estate sales.

•    The hunt often begins with taking a good look at the classified section of your local newspaper(s). You can pretty quickly scan the paper for the garage sale section and learn within minutes what is being sold and where. The Internet is also a great resource as many sales are listed on Craigslist and your local “4 sale” websites.
•    Try to get to the sale before the sale starts and ask if you can look around- most people don’t mind and this ensures you are getting “first pick” at items.
•    Remember to respect people’s stuff as the items were once owned and loved by them.
•    Items are generally “sold as is” so be sure that you are looking the item(s) over very carefully for flaws and damage.
•    If you are purchasing clothing, make sure the zippers zip and that all buttons and embellishments are intact.
•    Sometimes you can get a better deal if you select multiple items and ask “how much for All this” rather than negotiating on single items.
•    Negotiate – its practically expected.
•    If you happen to be at a sale where you are very interested in an item, painting, dinnerware set, etc…and the owner does not want to budge on the price, you can leave your contact information and ask that they call you after the sale ends if they haven’t sold the item and they may be more inclined to negotiate with you at the end of the sale.
•    If you have access to basements and attics go check it out as this is where many great items and deals can be found. I have heard many stories of incredible finds coming from these areas, be sure to go early though as the more people that look the less items will be left for you as the better stuff will get snatched up.
•    Bring a good amount of cash in all ranges as no one is going to accept checks or credit cards.
•    Be sure to put empty boxes, bags, and blankets in your vehicle so you can safely transport your items.

Check back, as I will be posting some articles on items I have bought and what they are valued at as well as what they sold for. It will be interesting, I promise!

Buyers and sellers are all looking for the same thing in the end and that is a “bargain”. The buyer is looking for a bargain item to add to their collection and the seller is looking for a bargain item that can be re-sold to the buyer for a profit.  Many people today still ask “Are there any bargains out there left to be had”? My answer is YES, you just need to know how to spot the bargain and have patience.

Treasure Hunting – as I like to call it requires lots of careful hunting, seeking, and searching to locate that bargain item.  Also, you have a lot of competition as you are not the only one out treasure hunting. With the popularity of online auction sites, antique & collectibles shops, more and more flea markets popping up regularly and shows like Antiques Roadshow, there are a lot of treasure hunters indeed. But, with that being said, all these venues for seeking treasure may actually make it easier to find a bargain…..that’s right, I said easier.

First, it helps to have an idea in mind of what it is you are looking for be it Furniture, Coca – Cola items, Black Americana, Marbles, Fine Art, Oil Paintings, etc…. Get to know what type of items are the most sought after by collectors and develop your keen sense of awareness so when you are out treasure hunting you can quickly scan the area you are looking in for that bargain.

Also, it helps if you can learn the pattern of when shops and stalls receive new inventory and wares and put it out for sale, being first in line to rummage about may indeed yield you a bargain.

Two of my all time best tips for treasure hunting in a antique shop/antique mall is to:
1.    Strike up a conversation with the booth(s) owner and let them know what types of items you are looking for and find out how often they rotate their merchandise. Also, if there is an item(s) you are interested in ask the booth owner if they would consider giving you a discount because you are ready to buy right now. Rental space is not cheap in top locations and if sales have been slow you might get lucky and receive a discount.

2.    Booths that are going out of business = bargains! Some locations mandate that booths sell x and bring in x in sales and if this does not happen then the booth must close up and leave. If you can be one of the first to rummage the going out of business booth you stand a fair chance of finding a bargain.  Usually these booths are in the midst of getting packed up and have 50% – 75% markdowns in the hopes that the owner does not have to haul all his wares away. I can personally attest to these going-out-of-business booths being a great source for bargains as 9 times out of 10, I do find bargains. Also, if you are in a booth that has furniture or cupboards with drawers and doors, open them and look inside as you NEVER know what may be in there or hidden under some paper and linens; I found a lovely Limoges of France pillbox this way!

Perhaps antique shops and malls do not appeal to you for your treasure hunting and you prefer the slew of 2nd hand shops, vintage boutiques, thrift stores, buy-the-pound shops, charity shops, or consignment shops and that’s great as bargains can also be found in these venues. I have found competition to be fiercer in these venues as folks are usually lined up bright and early waiting for the store to unlock their doors and then everyone makes a mad dash to get to the areas they prefer to treasure hunt (house wares, clothing, toys etc..) Sometimes folks are grabbing items so quickly and discarding what they don’t want just as quickly that the items get damaged in the process so the chances of finding a bargain are not only slimmer but, the chance of finding a damaged item that is a bargain are higher.
Did you know that you can actually negotiate for items in a consignment shop? If there is an item(s) you are interested in have the shop call the owner and see how much you can negotiate off the price. Also, in many thrift shops, and 2nd hand shops they have discount days where they mark all items with red tags down to 50% on Wednesday or on Sunday all items in clothing are 25% off (discount days differ from store to store). Also, if you are a senior citizen many of these shops will give you a Senior Discount every day or days deemed Senior Discount day as well as you can apply your Senior Discount to those 50% Wednesday red tag sales etc……  Bargains galore!!!

Quick comment on thrift stores and geographical locations: I have noticed that prices on the West Coast at Goodwill, Salvation Army, Value Village, Deseret Industries etc.. to be quite a bit higher on merchandize compared to these same stores in the South. I wonder how East Coast pricing compares.

Finally, the best place I think to get a bargain is online auction sites. Many sellers offer the “Make an Offer” option and you can negotiate without leaving the comfort of your home! Auctions end 24/7 so if you happen to be awake at say 3:00 AM and are the only bidder on an item that had a start price of .99 then wow – you will get one heck of a bargain!

Most important is to have FUN and Enjoy your Treasure Hunting endeavors!

Sports Card, Antique & Collectibles Show
Taylor, MI
2/5/2010 Fri Noon-9pm, Sat & Sun 10am-6pm
Gibraltar Trade Center North, Inc.

The San Francisco Arts of Pacific Asia Show
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2010
Caskey & Lees

Brevard Antiques and Collectors Club Meeting
Melbourne, FL
2/5/2010 10:30am
Brevard Antiques and Collectors Club

West Palm Beach Antique Festival Spectacular
West Palm Beach, FL
2/5/2010 Fri noon-5pm; Sat 9am-5pm; Sun 10am-4:30pm
Puchstein Promotions, Inc.

Serendipity! Antique Show
Fresno, CA
2/5/2010 Fri 10am-8pm, Sat & Sun 10am-5pm
Serendipity! Shows

Antiques Show & Sale
Wakesha, WI
2/5/2010 Fri. 10am-7pm; Sat. 10am-5pm; Sun. 11am-4pm
Transitions of Wales Ltd.

Urbana Antique Show
Urbana, OH
2/6/2010 Sat. 8amn-4pm; Sun. 10am-3pm
Urbana Antique Show

The Great Lehigh Valley Antique Show
Allentown, PA
2/6/2010 10am-3pm
Valley Rail Promotions

Ilustration Art
Dallas, TX
2/11/2010
Heritage Auction Galleries

Comics & Original Comic Art Auction
Dallas, TX
2/25/2010
Heritage Auction Galleries

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