10 best things to buy at estate sales


Estate sales are an expanded version of yard sales — except that virtually everything in the house is for sale. If you’re looking for a good secondhand bicycle, lawn mower or toaster, an

estate sale is for you. Of course, some items are hotter than others. China sets? Not so much. These days, “we’re more casual in the way we entertain and enjoy friends,” says Jacquie Denny,

founder of Everything But the House, an online company that runs estate sales.  “My mom would set up china and polish silver and never enjoy any of it because she was so worried about

presentation and cleaning up,” she says. “When my friends come over, we’re going to sit on the deck, probably have a few beers, and use paper plates.” Whether you plan to resell the stuff

you buy or just pick up good things on the cheap, an estate sale is the place to go. And many times, the things you can buy secondhand are sturdier and better built than the things you can

get new at the store.  Here are 10 items you should look for when you shop at an estate sale. ART ​If you have bare walls, estate sales can be a great place to pick up some nicely framed

art. “I tend to find a lot of abstract paintings, which I’m interested in just because mid-century modern is an aesthetic that I like in my own home,” says Kentin Waits, a writer for

MoneyTalksNews.com who specializes in secondhand shopping . “Vintage pieces that I find at estate sales are usually signed originals or really nice, low-numbered prints.” Everyone’s taste

in art varies, but if you find a painting you like, you’ll probably also find that the owners put it in a nice frame. You might even dislike the art but like the frame — and repurposing the

frame for your own art can save you considerable money in framing costs. BOOKS ​Sadly, books are not in demand — unless they’re first editions. Is it worth checking? Absolutely, especially

if the book is written by a renowned author. ​It’s not easy to spot first editions, but if the date on the copyright page matches the date on the title page, you’ve probably found one.

Sometimes the words “first edition” are on the copyright page, though you’ll generally need to get that verified by an expert. Even so, taking a flier on a book for a few bucks is probably a

better bet than the lottery, and you can still read it — even if it’s a later edition.​