Standing in line at an estate sale is usually a waiting game. But for a pair of resellers at Florida Pickers, the wait before the doors opened turned into the best start to a sale day they have had. While they stood second and third in line, one of them scrolled Facebook Marketplace and spotted a post, listed only ten minutes earlier, offering a bag of free Lilly Pulitzer dresses and a pair of Stella McCartney sneakers.
Her partner got in the car and went to get them. The pickup was porch only, first come, first served, and he was the first one there.
Both could hardly believe it. They say they have never gotten anything for free on Marketplace before, and it came down to right place, right time. It was early, the post was fresh, and the house was close enough that the drive did not take long.
Nine Dresses and a Pair of Sneakers
When they opened the bag, there were nine dresses in all, and every one was in excellent condition. They say they are not even sure the dresses were worn, and they look perfect. All nine appear to be extra large.
The Stella McCartney sneakers were in really good shape too, worn only a couple of times. They are not sure of the size, but they both thought the shoes were adorable. Their takeaway was a simple one. If you are waiting in line for an estate sale, it is worth checking Marketplace, because something good could be close by.
The Estate Sale Itself
The estate sale had a stressful start. The organizers said they would open both the garage door and the front door, so shoppers had to pick a line. They chose the front door, guessing from the photos that their target might be in the living room.
At nine, only the garage door opened. People rushed in that way, and some left the front line. The two stayed put, wondering whether the front door would ever open. It did, after a few minutes, and the garage turned out not to connect to the main house. Still, one of them had pictured everyone flooding in and clearing out the item she wanted.
That item was a stained glass pumpkin she had been hoping to find for a long time. She spotted it in the sale photos the night before, tucked into a Halloween section. She was not willing to pay $100 for it. When she found it, it was in perfect condition with no cracks, and it only lacked a light. They already own a spare light kit.
What the Pumpkin Is Worth
She ran comps, and says only two were listed, one at around $140 and another at $250. The last couple sold in the range of $130 to $150. The piece is marked Made in Portugal on the bottom. She says it will go in the living room as a place of honor, and she plans to display it right away even though it is not Halloween yet.
Smart Passes and Small Wins
They were not buying everything. A collector’s tin of Crayola crayons was priced at $20 at the sale, and they passed on a few things after checking resale prices. They also passed on reindeer and angel decorations they had mistaken for Cracker Barrel pieces, since they turned out to be from Walmart’s Holiday Time line, which does not sell for as much. Bigger 24 inch Holiday Time pieces, however, can still bring good money.
They did leave with a Pioneer Woman baking set for $12, which they say sells for around $40 in the Sweet Rose pattern, plus a small candle set, for a total of $33. They also tested a light-up piece by plugging it in before buying, and passed when it did not work.
Cheap Buys That Sold
Back at the studio, one of them shared a few recent sales to show how small buys add up. She found a Dixon Santa sleigh and reindeer planter for $10 that sold for $120. A cat-face pottery piece, which she paid about $4 for, sold for $50. And at a rummage sale she picked up three neck cushions taped together for $3 for the set. Two have sold for $30 each, and she has one left.
Her lesson is that old items with original logos can be worth more than you would expect. You just look up everything, she says, because there is money in everything, but how much effort you put in is up to you.
Tips for Estate Sale Shoppers
- Check Marketplace while you wait. Free and cheap listings can be nearby and posted that morning.
- Test electric items before buying. Plugging in a lit piece can save you from paying for something that does not work.
- Look up sold comps. Asking prices can be misleading, so check what similar pieces actually sold for.
- Know your brands. Holiday Time pieces sold at Walmart often bring less than similar looking Cracker Barrel items.
The pair says they plan to return when the sale opens its second phase, since bedrooms were not yet available. Until then, they have a stained glass pumpkin to admire, a Marketplace score they did not see coming, and proof that sometimes the best find happens before the doors even open.
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