Estate sales truly are about the thrill of the hunt for so many. The unique and unexpected finds, like that one cool item that's kind of kitsch and adds a pop of surprise to an otherwise sophisticated room. Or a fun element like an old brooch or cocktail ring paired with a nice outfit already in your closet. Other finds may be years and even decades in the making, alerts set for the item with every known estate sale, auction, and re-sell shop globally.
If you’ve never been to an estate sale, you might feel a bit intimidated. You might feel like everyone knows the ins and outs, and you’ll be at a disadvantage both in terms of getting the items you are seeking and naming the right price.
While there are practically “pro” estate sales shoppers out there in the world, most are curious folks out for some unexpected finds. Grab a friend and read our article to help ease you in and find joy in the hunt. You may even walk away with a story or two to share at your next party.
Finding an Estate Sale and Your “It” Item
Pop onto EstateSales.net, or your preferred estate sales website, to set a search radius (in miles) for how far from a location you’d like to be notified about upcoming estate sales. Some people like to stick close to home, and others love nothing more than a road trip for a great find.
Then you can start browsing upcoming sales in a way that was not possible years ago. Why? Because now many estate sales are hybrid, showcasing a catalog of items that are auctioned online and other items that will be available only in-person the day of the sale. The online catalog is your “personal thrifting assistant,” according to Marika Clemow, Senior Vice President of Auction Technology Group, boosting your confidence and helping you scope your goals.
While we’re all familiar with the expression, “Go big, or go home,” you might want to set that aside when it comes to estate sales and instead start small and focused. Set alerts and bookmark items of interest.
Now, the “day of” experience. You’re lucky, because the most irksome of estate sales attributes is transforming – the line! Traditionally you had to show up hours before the sale, add your name to a list, and wait in line, creating stress for you, subjecting you to poor weather, and often irking the neighbors. But things are changing! Agents who run their sales through EstateSales.net can now allow you to reserve your spot in line and be notified when it’s your turn. It’s just like when you get on the waitlist at a restaurant. That’s a major victory for all.
Once inside, what do you do? Very likely you make a beeline for the priority items you’ve scoped out online ahead of time. But if you’re just showing up unexpectedly or to be surprised, lovely, meander and enjoy.
Unlike a museum, you’re encouraged to touch and inspect the items. And you’re certainly encouraged to ask questions. Whomever is working at the estate sale should be well versed in the provenance and backstories of interesting items. If you’re lucky, they’ve Artifcted them and you can simply scan the Artifcts QR code to learn more and take that story home with you.
Who’s Shopping Estate Sales?
Estate sales generally have a little something for everyone. We’re lumping buyers into four categories to give you a feel for the type of people you’ll encounter and how who is shopping can affect the mood and dynamic at a sale.
The curious, #TreasureHunter. These shoppers enjoy the estate sale for the surprise finds and niche wins. It’s not about turning a profit. They are more inclined to negotiate, amicably browse, share their experience, and preserve stories, too. (Ahem, Artifct those finds!)
Value seekers, #BudgetConscious. Thrifting means saving money on life essentials —e.g., clothes, tools, appliances, holiday decorations, furnishings and more—by choosing well-made and good condition secondhand items. The bonus with estate sales, of course, is the abundant variety, cataloged for easy browsing. Hard to say that about most in-person consignment stores never mind thrift stores!
The curators and collectors, #CuratedNotCluttered. Still on the enjoyment and story side of the equation but with extensive research and knowledge and a very specific items or set of items on their target list. They will not deviate. They will look at the details to authenticate items. They will not be so inclined to negotiate with other buyers and will be prepared to drive a hard bargain with the sellers.
The flippers and hustlers, #TurnAProfit. Check out Reddit and you’ll find an abundance of complaints about this type of shopper for everything from vinyl albums and games to sporting goods. They may “hoard” items so they can assess the resale value on the spot, frustrating other shoppers behind them in line. But beware – outside of exceptionally bad behavior, a sale is a sale is a sale.
Uniting these four types of estate sales shoppers? Unlike people who may exclusively take their search online through the likes of Everything but the House, estate sales enthusiasts still love the tactile world of retail. To see, touch, learn in objects’ native environments, with the opportunity to ask questions is part of the experience they seek.
Who are Estate Sales Agents?
It’s worth taking a moment to discuss the person behind the curtain, so to speak. Who are the estate sales agents behind the businesses running these sales? According to a 2024 survey by EstateSales.net, 68% of estate sales business owners are over the age of 55. They've moved on to their 2nd or 3rd careers and bring with them incredible life experience.
But a new generation of owners is coming on the scene, too. A generation prioritizing mission driven work and ideally work that supports a more sustainable, earth friendly future. If nothing else, estate sales are certainly all that.
We talk about re-homing items we Artifct all the time to avoid landfills and waste, like in our story, “Who Wants This Rocking Chair?” Estate sales support sustainability, providing the means to upcycle and recycle remainders as second and third lines of defense. And they are working! Check out trends in estate cleanouts that we covered in, “Insider’s Look at What It Means to Clean Out an Estate.”
Not Ready for an Estate Sale? Try Virtual Sales and Auctions
If you’re not ready or able to show up in-person at an estate sale, we understand. The same channels through which people re-sell “pre-loved” items in lieu of or sometimes in addition to estate sales can become your testing ground for setting up alerts for items of interest to you and only buying what you’re truly seeking.
Check out these in-person and online retailers where you can browse and set alerts for items of interest.
Listed in alphabetical order.
GENERAL HOME GOODS
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- Auction Ninja, “The hunt starts here,” auctionninja.com
- Bidrush, "Local downsizing & estate online auctions,” go.bidrush.com
- Ebay, "Things. People. Love.," ebay.com
- EstateSales.net, “Find estate sales, tag sales, and auctions,” estatesales.net
- Etsy, "Global marketplace for unique and creative goods," etsy.com
- Facebook marketplace, buy and sell locally and nationwide, www.facebook.com/marketplace
- LiveAuctioneers, "Let's go treasure hunting: auctions for one-of-a-kind art, antiques & luxury goods," liveauctioneers.com
- OfferUp, "The simpler way to buy and sell locally," offerup.com
- Whatnot, "The live shopping marketplace," whatnot.com
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LUXURY AND OTHER HIGHER END GOODS AND COLLECTIBLES
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- 1stDibs, "The most beautiful things on earth: Antique and modern furniture, jewelry, fashion, & art," 1stdibs.com
- Auction houses, such as Bonhams, Doyle, Heritage Auctions, and Nye & Company
- Chairish, www.chairish.com
- Poshmark, "Buy, sell, and discover fashion, home decor, beauty, and more," poshmark.com
- The RealReal, "Where luxury is yours to define," therealreal.com
- Specialty antiques and collectibles dealers (too numerous to list - search online based on your item)
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