Yard Sale Tactics

Salvation Army is my preference.

The realm of meth and heroin users has changed the game when it comes to having traditional activities like yard sales, and camping in public campgrounds, and picnics in the park.

Figure up an honest estimate of what you might bring in. Probably find that sending all of it to goodwill, or such, will be a lot less hassel.

You've received some good advice regarding your garage so I'm not going there. I've been to yard sales where the seller tries to get what he/she priced the item at and won't come off the price. Some items are probably well suited for that type of pricing BUT not all! People like to haggle over the price of an item and the main thing to keep in mind is that you're trying to rid yourself of items no longer needed so be willing to sell for less than how it's priced. I've walked away from many a yard sale for that very reason.

George P said:

I placed a blanket over it and the HUGE Steelcase ten drawer chest with 65 gun stickers on it and no one was the wiser.

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But they knew you had something under those blankets that you didn't want anyone to see.

JeffG said:

The realm of meth and heroin users has changed the game when it comes to having traditional activities like yard sales, and camping in public campgrounds, and picnics in the park.

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IF that is what is happening where you live, then I understand; that has never been the situation where I lived. I used to sell guns at my garage sales

My thoughts on this is I try not to own things that I don't want and feel I have to sell to strangers that would come to my home. I don't like the idea of having strangers on my property.

George P said:

This is getting into the realm of the absurd - this is a freaking garage sale where items cost >25 to a buck for most. WAY too much paranoia. I have held over 30 garage sales in 7 different neighborhoods, and except for the last time where my safe was actually IN the house, the safe was in the garage, I placed a blanket over it and the HUGE Steelcase ten drawer chest with 65 gun stickers on it and no one was the wiser. Folks hitting garage sales fall into two main categories - those with flea market stalls looking to buy stuff for resale like tools, fishing gear and similar, and the second group looking to give you $1.00 for 50 hard back books or buying a used lawnmower.

Anyone who is that paranoid should just donate the stuff to Goodwill and be done with it.

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That may be George, but at every yard sale I ran with my now elderly mother a few years ago, several items would disappear. Many were antiques of hers and, as far as we knew, none were particularly valuable. And this was in an area of southwestern Illinois, not too far from St. Louis, not in a "big" city.

My last few sales before I moved were a group sale involving my neighbors on either side of me. One side had a widow who is now 93 and still driving and mowing 4 other yards besides her own. The other side is a couple where the husband is also 93 and the wife is 82. These folks could be easily strong-armed, but that doesn't happen. If someone steals an extra baby outfit that was worth .25 or a paperback book, who really cares?

George P said:

Folks hitting garage sales fall into two main categories - those with flea market stalls looking to buy stuff for resale like tools, fishing gear and similar, and the second group looking to give you $1.00 for 50 hard back books or buying a used lawnmower.

Anyone who is that paranoid should just donate the stuff to Goodwill and be done with it.

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They behave at the sale for the most part. Now they have the layout of the house, locks etc. That info is useful to home invaders at a later date.

JeffG said:

They behave at the sale for the most part. Now they have the layout of the house, locks etc. That info is useful to home invaders at a later date.

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How do they have all of that from a garage sale where everything is in the driveway?

Done. Of course, you're right.

Ask around. I have absolutely seen group garage sales in rural areas. US50 has one across Indiana about once a year IIRC. The main value of yard sales is people driving by notice it, so you want to be on a yard sale weekend.

Don't assume everything will sell at a yard sale. As mentioned, big and valuable stuff, better to post. Try CL, Nextdoor, etc.

Look for local flea market / swap-and-shops. Yes, seen these even in rural areas. Look it up and ask around. Often a very nominal fee like $5 for a table (and usually: bring your own damned table) and then you get a built in audience. You still won't sell everything.

You want stuff out in the driveway so it looks like a sale. A sign saying come inside is not as good. People want to see what you got. Only estate sales are inside.

If you want to get rid of stuff, price like 80s garage sales, not like eBay or CL. Ask a get-rid-of-it price, not the true value.

As mentioned: if you really want to get rid of it, just give it away to your favorite local charity. Some have trucks and will come by and pick up. Again: ask around.

Stop being paranoid. The vast majority of people are not out to get you. If you don't want people casing your house, do not put on anything even remotely like a yard sale, ever.

And a fair number of the buyers are worried you are the murderer, won't want go in your dark dusty basement with just you for that one item.

I have had as many flea market vendors as I have suspected illegal Hispanics coming through looking for bargains. "Value" and "worth" only have meaning IF it means something to you. Selling a baby stroller because your last kid moved out 5 years ago means get rid of it now. I always ask quietly if the owner has any guns or reloading stuff for sale. Amazing how many times I get a smile and a nod to follow him while hie wife works the rest of the folks. ARs, BP pistols, you name it...........

Nest or equiv. Security cams for long term security. It will give you peace of mind. I have no excuse for not having any myself but we do alot of electrical work in second homes and it's pretty cool how as soon as we enter the premises we hear "hey there, are you the electrician or the plumber" all the while the guy asking is 4 states south and can see everything.

I don't know as I'd continue on through someone's home stealing if they were watching me, much less talking to me, especially if you told them you were right around the corner and were on your way to confront them...
but failing that faux cams are better than nothing and will be a better deterrent than nothing.

If you are not sure about it, take pics of your items need to go and put them in local web newspaper or similar.
No risk involve, if someone is in mood to get them, just wait out side of your house to do transac. (door closed.)

Good Ol' Boy said:

So my wife and I are planning our first yard sale at our first house in a few weeks. We've hosted yard sales before just not at our own personal house. I'm a bit skeptical myself.

The point of this thread are things one can do to minimize folks "casing" your place.

We do live fairly rural so I dont know how much traffic we'll even get, and those that do stop by will likely be distant neighbors, still I'm being overprotective I guess.

The only area that would be open for viewing would be my beloved 25x40 garage with many thousands of dollars worth of things in it.

So for folks that have gone through this I'd appreciate advice.

If this doesn't meet the criteria for this forum then by all means close it. I figured it kind of dealt with home security type issues.

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THE REASON,that I don't hold 'sales' even though I was a antique & "treasure" dealer before I was an LEO.

Too many in the neighboring AO would know me and that would not be OPSEC,in my not so humble opinion.

I could sell a ton of 'stuff' but it would only take one clown to case me and ruin BOTH our days.

czhen said:

If you are not sure about it, take pics of your items need to go and put them in local web newspaper or similar.
No risk involve, if someone is in mood to get them, just wait out side of your house to do transac. (door closed.)

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Better yet, arrange to meet in the parking lot of the local police station. They don't need to know where you live, and if it's a bad actor planning to take your item without paying (and maybe do worse), they likely won't show up, you'll only be out the time to drive back and forth to the PD.

In your case I would sell online. There’s more “foot traffic” online than you think. More marketing and security than opening up your personal space or your house to the public.

Ship the item and if not possible to ship, meet up at a safe place; a few example would be a local PD station, a Bank, Open Public place, gun stores, coffee shops with security cameras to name a few...

This Thread is a couple of months old I'm sure he's had his garage sale and it's done

Had a "Rummage Sale" as we call them here in Wisconsin, many years ago.

Based on the amount of time, energy, resources and effort it took to set everything up and man the sale, we determined it was better to just list the expensive stuff on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. The cheaper stuff was donated.

It's always nice to have people pay and haul stuff away. So you don't have to make a trip to the dump.

Good for you, trouble free.