Garage Sale Guide | ResellMode

Finding Sales

Craigslist: "Garage sale" section, filter by date
Facebook Marketplace: Search "garage sale" + your city
Yard Sale Treasure Map: App that aggregates listings
Nextdoor: Neighborhood sales posted here
Newspaper classifieds: Old school but still used
Driving around: Signs on corners, especially Saturday mornings

💡 Pro Tip: Plan your route the night before. Map out sales, prioritize by neighborhood (wealthy = better stuff) and keywords (estate, moving, downsizing).

Timing Strategy

Early bird: Arrive first for best selection (some sellers hate this)
Posted time: Respectful, still good selection
Late arrival: Less selection but better deals—people want stuff gone
End of day: "Make an offer on everything left" works

Best Days

Saturday: Most sales, most competition
Friday: Less crowded, multi-day sales freshest
Sunday: Leftover deals, motivated sellers

What to Look For

Electronics: Vintage audio, video games, cameras
Clothing: Check all labels fast—designer hides in piles
Toys: LEGO, vintage toys, collectibles
Books: Textbooks, non-fiction niches
Kitchen: Cast iron, Pyrex, quality cookware
Tools: Snap-on, Craftsman, Milwaukee
Sports equipment: Golf clubs, weights, brand names
Jewelry: Ask if they have any—often kept inside

Negotiation Tips

Always offer less: "Would you take $X?" is expected
Bundle deals: "I'll take all these for $20"
Cash talks: Flash the bills, people love seeing cash
Be friendly: Chat a bit—people give deals to nice buyers
Walk away: Sometimes they'll call you back with lower price
End of sale: "What'll you take for everything left?"

💡 Golden Rule: Don't lowball aggressively on obviously underpriced items. If something's already a steal at $5, don't offer $1. Build goodwill for future sales.

Efficient Route Building

Map it out: Use Google Maps to plot efficient loops
Wealthy neighborhoods first: Better items, start there
Multi-family/Neighborhood sales: Most efficient—many sales in one stop
Time per sale: 5-15 minutes usually enough
Trunk space: Know what fits, don't pass up deals for space

Quick Research

eBay app: Scan barcodes, check sold listings
Google Lens: Identify unknown items
Amazon app: Price check retail items
Know your niches: The less you need to research, the faster you move

Speed Tips

Scan tables with your eyes, don't examine everything
Check clothing racks by running hand across labels
Ask "Any electronics/tools/jewelry?" to save time
If nothing good in 2 minutes, move on
Always check the garage/basement if accessible

📱 Tools

Keep a running total while sourcing with our Tape Calculator, and plan your route with the Sourcing Planner.