Saturday, October 12, 2013

Finding Bargains At San Francisco Bay Area Estate Sales

By Catalina Nielsen


One of the best places to look for bargains is by attending some San Francisco Bay area estate sales. Often with a little time and effort a buyer can secure a host of excellent deals. Furniture is one of the best things to look for. As long as buyers really know what they are looking for they can often find some unique pieces to add to their collection. Dining room tables, dressers and chairs are some of the most sought after items.

A sale usually takes place after the death of a home owner. The family inherit the estate and may not have the time or ability to deal with it. If the rest of the family live some distance away they just cannot devote the time to sorting out an entire house. Other times the family just does not want the hassle of going through their loved ones possessions. This is especially true when the deceased had collected a lot of junk over the years. It can take hours or even days to go through every room and box. This is best left to the professionals.

Packing up the contents of a large house takes many hours of work. Items have to be sorted, wrapped and packed. Most people just do not have the space to keep much of the stuff. They may salvage items such as photo albums and personal effects. Jewelry and small items can also be distributed amongst the family as keepsakes. But large items of furniture, quantities of books, even cars and other machines usually take up too much space.

Some items that are easily overlooked by the inexperienced eye are rare first edition books, real antiques and valuable paintings. It is very upsetting for the family if they find that they have sold a valuable item for a matter of pennies.

Buyers will often use a local estate sale to pick up furniture for their home. They may be looking for an antique bed frame or dresser. There are also tables and chairs that may be over a hundred years old. Finding really unique pieces for a large dining room can be a challenge. A beautiful hand crafted table really changes the look and feel of a room and also create a talking point. Many old pieces of furniture have their own story to tell and finding the history behind it makes it so much more special.

Private buyers can also pick up some wonderful items, sometimes at bargain prices. One of the most important things to remember is not to overpay for anything. Often buyers get carried away bidding on an item. Afterwards they realize it is not as valuable as they originally thought. Taking along an experienced friend is a good idea. They can tel the buyer if the item really is valuable or not.

Spending a day at an estate sale is always fun. Many people come home with someone really unique and special. This may be anything from a stamp collection to a set of silver goblets. Every home has some treasures tucked away just waiting to be found.

Everyone from professional dealers to interested neighbors can have fun and score some great deals at San Francisco Bay Area Estate sales. Many big old houses are full of great items. The prices are typically very competitive and there is something to suit every taste. Old china and glassware are often found at very low prices.




About the Author:



No comments: