There are many issues that people have to deal with when they are thinking about how to sell second hand furniture. There are many reasons for wanting to sell old furniture, for example, you might be looking to replace it, you may want to get rid of some unwanted furniture or you are moving house. However, selling it at the right price is a real challenge. This is because the people who may be buying your furniture are smart and look for negotiable prices, as well as the usability of the secondhand furniture they may buy. Here are 7 great tips on how to sell your old furniture.
1. How to price your used furniture
Determining the value of your old furniture can really be a challenge. You have to think whether the furniture you are selling is in good condition or not. If you feel it is not in very good condition, and that refinishing will add to its value, go for it. Once it is refinished you can sell it at a decent price. Things to consider when selling old furniture include the price you paid for it when you bought it, if you got it custom made or if you bought it from a branded shop, how long you have been using it and its present condition. If you are still unable to set a price for it, you can look online at the Internet sites where used stuff is sold and get an idea. If you are selling upholstered furniture, it will be more difficult to sell. People usually prefer to buy furniture that is not upholstered.
2. Hold a garage sale
If you don’t plan your garage sale, it can really be very frustrating. It is better to streamline the process so that you can hold a well-planned garage sale. Identify the furniture that you want to showcase in your garage sale. Pick a date and time. The best days are from Friday to Saturday, but you can add Thursdays too. Check on the weather before you display your wooden furniture in the garage sale. Collect all your unused furniture from your attic, basement, garage and home, clean it nicely, polish it if necessary and throw it into the sale. Remember, people will try out the furniture before they buy it. They will open drawers, sit on chairs and even lean on tables to see how sturdy they are. Make sure that you can fix the damaged items or get them fixed by someone else.
3. Create an attractive ad
It is always a great idea to create an attractive ad about your second hand furniture sale. The ad should describe what you are selling and should be catchy. However, don’t provide false information. Homeowners know what they want, and any false information will make them lose interest and you may lose them forever. You can include a photograph of your furniture items in the ad. If you are planning to put an ad in the newspaper, photos are not needed, but your ad should be impactful. However, if you are planning to put your ad online, then you can easily include photos. As a matter of fact, most online platforms where second-hand furniture is sold encourage users to post photographs of the used items. This increases the chances of selling the item by almost 70%. If you are holding a garage sale, you may like to create some boards and signs announcing your garage sale.
4. Think about what you are selling
Hardwood furniture made from oak, maple or teak is very durable and lasts a long time. People won’t really want to buy furniture made from pine, cedar or Douglas fir as these are soft wood. If you happen to be selling any laminate or veneer furniture, ensure that you have fixed any veneer that is coming off. The fact that laminate can be glued back if it is coming off makes it an attractive option to buy. Metal furniture is great if you are holding a second hand furniture sale. People love to buy furniture made from wrought iron. Remove the rust and repaint the metal furniture if you want to get the best prices. But don’t be surprised if people buy rusted metal furniture also. This is because a new coat of paint will breathe new life into it.
5. How to negotiate
Negotiating is unavoidable. There are very few buyers who will buy old furniture without negotiating. You want to get the best price for your old furniture, while your buyer is looking to get the best deal. Obviously, there has to be a point where both of you will have to agree. This doesn’t mean that you will sell your furniture for peanuts. But you may actually feel lighter and find value in just getting rid of it. You can even auction your most valuable furniture that you don’t want any more. There are many auction houses that sell furniture. However, at auctions you will find that people are very discriminating. They select quality furniture at good prices. Basically you will get a better price than with your classified ad.
6. Refinish if necessary
Refinishing old furniture before displaying it for sale is a good idea. Refinishing wood and other materials in a waterproof finish will protect it. Think from the buyer’s perspective. You may want to refinish to hide those defects, but don’t overdo it otherwise you may ruin it. If your old furniture had been reassembled, make sure that it doesn’t creak. Also, do you still have the original pieces or have you replaced some of it? Selling upholstered furniture can be a challenge. However, if you reupholster it before selling, it will add value to the furniture. Some people will buy second hand upholstered furniture that was built using quality components, and all it will need is a face-lift.
7. How to sell antique furniture
Collectors value antique furniture. Most antique furniture is traditional and if you have modern décor, then you will want to get rid of it. If your furniture is not old enough, but still a collector’s item, it will attract a great price. Before selling antique furniture, it is a good idea to get professional help on assessing its price. Things to consider here include how much you paid for it, how long it has been in your home, if your family has owned it for generations, who made it, and its present condition. You can find out about its value by looking for similar furniture in antique stores.
If you follow these tips on how to sell second hand furniture, you will find that it is exciting and rewarding. Whether you sell refinished furniture or some that is as-is, you will love the fact that the money you have acquired is very satisfying. You can get more information here about selling old furniture.
