"estate" sale.

[vash]

i ride my mountain bike to the trail head.

yesterday, i'm doing this mundane hill climb up to the trail, and i pass this tiny sign that says "estate sale". 8x11 sheet of paper, with a sharpie.

i ride by and give a quick glance down the long driveway. i see a lone elderly lady sitting by a blanket with some kitchen stuff. i peek stainless. screech!! u-turn and pedal in. i see a 12"all clad skillet. essentially the one thing that would kinda complete my franken-set. tiny sticker..$25. i got her chatting..and she starts crying. apparently this is her husbands cooking stuff. he passed away recently. i dont know if she is the BEST salesperson ever or what..but next thing i know, i am in the big chainring sprinting home for my wallet. i drive back and buy the thing..+ a carbon steel wok. $30 total. she had a 14 or 15" all clad saute pan for $40. too big for me and my wife..but a smoking deal. i think that thing is $300ish new.

i am gonna stuff a lightweight nylon backpack into my camelback..and some spare cash. i pass "estate sales" all the time. riding up that hill the second time was worst than the first..but i did get to wave at the old lady again.

you garage sale guys might be on to something.

[Noah930]

Good for you. Condolences to the little old lady. Maybe find out what's her favorite dish, cook her a meal in that kit and bring it over one evening?

[WolfeMacleod]

I bought a 1967 Fender Bassman amp head at an estate sale several years ago for $125. Virtually stole it...

Picked up a nice older milling machine for $1200... one of the best buys I've ever found.

Estate sales are the best. Garage sales are the trash.

[Erakad]

Estate sales are the best. Garage sales are the trash.

True that, from furniture to art, I have even found some decent tools.

[LeeH]

I like estate sales that are being run by the family. Too many estate sale companies come in and price stuff higher than eBay prices. When the family is doing the selling, they have to make the stuff go away and they have no emotional attachment to the goods.

There are people who have garage sales where the just want the stuff gone too. Charity garage sales are great as the people selling frequently have no idea what they have.

No exaggeration... EVERY room in my house has multiple items that came from garage sales, estate sales, and thrift stores.

This stack of Parasound stuff was basically free. I paid $350 for all this and then some at an estate sale... then sold the "and then some" for a total of $350.

[aigel]

Nice score. The only ones I ever pass by and check in on have old people's junk, including their crutches, walkers, toilet chairs, bath tub lifts etc. - it is a testimony of their declines - all you really want to buy after going to one of those is a .45.

G

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by LeeH

Looks like the sound system in my garage

[crb07]

I picked up a Mcintosh 2500 amp for $1200 in perfect condition.

[LeeH]

Originally Posted by AZ_porschekid

Looks like the sound system in my garage

With a continuous output of 400 watts per channel, I'm glad I'm not your neighbor!

[KarlM]

Where do you guys find these estate sales advertised?

[Baz]

Cliff that was a killer deal on the wok and pan!



Not exactly the same thing, but I dug out about 12 large Croton specimens today from a property owned by a friend who will being renovating the house - and the Crotons would have been smashed so I called dibs!

They are sitting in pots now in my front yard going through some shock but they usually transplant pretty good and will ultimately be some very nice accent specimens for future projects.

In total there were about 8 different varieties!






This one is real cool....it's called 'Pictatum'


This one is my fav. - not sure it's name but will find out...

[LeeH]

Originally Posted by KarlM

Where do you guys find these estate sales advertised?

I found the estate sale where I bought the Parasound stuff on Craigslist. Lots of bad pics with a stack of black boxes in a corner. Sent e-mail asking about stereo equipment. The guy responded back with a list of everything. I was cruising up and down the street an hour before the official open time as he didn't have the exact address listed.

My part of Phoenix is well known for its Saturday morning garage sales. People come here from various parts of town. Lots of higher end homes with really good stuff for sale. Up until recently, the Goodwill in our neighborhood has been a goldmine for good stuff. Now, more people are selling their own stuff on Craigslist and Facebook. Except for clothes, donations appear to be down at Goodwill and their prices have gone up.

[wdfifteen]

My grandmother had an estate sale a lot like the one in the op. Few people showed up and I started buying stuff at crazy prices. My cousin kept telling me I could buy this **** at any garage sale for pennies and I kept gritting my teeth and saying under my breath "this is ourgrandmother". I wanted her to have the dignity of knowing her stuff was worth something, and paid $500 or so for stuff I could have gotten for $50 elsewhere.

[sixbanger]

I went to the same sale. Pans were gone but you should see the Porsche she sold me for $500 bucks that was in the garage. It was also her husbands.

[targa911S]

found an Allclad Emerilware 8" fry pan at the salvation army thrift the other day for $2.50.

[dave 911]

Originally Posted by sixbanger

I went to the same sale. Pans were gone but you should see the Porsche she sold me for $500 bucks that was in the garage. It was also her husbands.

hilarious. was it a 356 speedster, or a long hood 911?

[vash]

Originally Posted by sixbanger

I went to the same sale. Pans were gone but you should see the Porsche she sold me for $500 bucks that was in the garage. It was also her husbands.

Haha. Sucks that he killed himself in that car.


Sent via Jedi mind trick.

[targa911S]

oh the stinky 550 Spyder? I saw that but she wouldn't take a check...