The Tale of The $2,000 Piano: When Estate Sales Go Terribly Wrong

What we didn’t know ~ but probably should have ~ is that estate sale listings are something like real estate listings.  We all know that ‘adorable fixer upper’ really means is ‘not horrible from the front, but the ceiling is falling down, its painted violent purple on the inside, and raccoons have nested in the kitchen’.  So ‘too many items for us to be able to tag it all’ and ‘you pick the item and we will give you a price’ should have clued us in.  It didn’t.  We’re still new to this and still wearing slightly rosy glasses, though they are fading slightly.

Because it was listed in an upscale area where many people have vacation homes we decided to take a chance.  Good Grief.  OK, when we pulled up there were clues ~ piles of … junk scattered around the side yard, the questionable stability of the front porch and the absolute filth of the front door. 

We sat in the car and discussed whether or not to go in. The Middle One is brave, very brave. She suggested we just give it a chance “you never know”.  Uh huh.  

So in we went

Once in door, I couldn’t move. Just stood there rooted to the spot fighting the urge to turn and run. The Middle One was in about the same state, she looked at me and whispered 'I'm sorry'. I would say we took a deep breath, but we didn’t. We did however stand up straighter, fold our arms and move forward.  To our left was the kitchen ~ I use that term loosely ~ then a staircase going up one floor. Being unsure of the structural integrity of the building, we elected not to venture up.  So we chose to turn right, down a dimly lit, slightly questionable hallway and into a bedroom.  We knew that because on one side of the room was a bed that looked as if someone, who had had a very restless night, just got out of it. Stacked around the outside walls were some piles of stuff, junk really. 

But there, in one corner, sat a huge, ornate, beautiful piano.  That’s right a quality antique piece, with a $2000 price tag. Astounding Had we been in the market for a piano, this would have been a beautiful find. I’m sure there was some haggle room. Where did the piano come from? What was the story of this stunning instrument? We know there had to be a story.

We left the room, (there was a smell) and ventured back down the hall and out the backdoor and straight into more adventure.  More piles on the ground, smelling faintly of decomposition – which we prayed was garbage. A couple of outbuildings for tools long gone to rust.  A white storage box, half opened, filled with old Christmas ornaments and months, if not years worth of rain water, oxidized to a rusty brown color.  I exclaimed ‘oh no’, the Middle One looked inside and proclaimed ‘that’s a box of Christmas tragedy’.

Now lest you think we were the only shoppers, no no. There were probably 30 people there. And people were going through those piles, despite their smell. And people were going through the outbuildings. We don't have enough experience to know what they were finding. We're not sure we want that much experience. 

By now we were done, we skirted the piles of smelly junk, picked our way across the rough yard, got back in the Jeep and after a moment of silence, just laughed at ourselves. Then teared up a little wondering about the story and the piano.

The lessons of the $2000 piano?

1.   Read between the lines on the sale listings

2.   Don’t pin your hopes on a sale because of an area, neighborhood or zip code
3.  Never assume you know a story, there are a million untold stories out there

4.   You never know where you’ll find a $2000 piano

The Five Things Every Estate Sale Diva Needs

Heading out for your first estate sale adventure? What to bring, what to bring... Here's a short list of the essentials we wish someone had told us to bring!

1.    A plan. Yes, you need a plan. While stopping by the sale you just happen to pass while driving is always to be encouraged, for regular outings its best to plan ahead.  Register with a local estate sale organizer. This is easy, it usually involves giving your email address, and in the classier establishments – a yellow legal pad with a rather grubby pen for jotting down your info. Now that you’re registered - scan the site, most will not only list the sale, but the address, a quick description, and a few photos of crowded tables full of possible treasures.  We use the photos to choose our sales and narrow in on the treasures we are most interested in. This is where zooming in can be your friend, 'the Middle One' is great at finding the one item with a visible price tag and using it to gauge the reality of the price structure.

2.    A Bag.  Bring your own bag. From time to time you will run across a sale that does not allow it, but in general most will.  Your arms will fill up with items quickly and you need a way to carry it all. Some sales have staff that will gladly ‘take your items to the front and create a ticket’. Sounds lovely doesn’t it? While a nice gesture, it makes it harder to bargain. Feel free to make it a cute bag, after all, you have an image to maintain

3.    Cash, checkbook, credit card. Yes. All three. Some sales do not accept plastic, so you will need an alternative. Cash is great, but do you really want to wander around an unfamiliar neighborhood with a wad of cash in your purse or pocket? On that note, I’ve found that carrying a purse can just be a hardship.  Find a small credit card case that will fit in the front pocket of your stylishly cute jeans. Put a check, your credit card, your ID and your cash in it and shove it down to the bottom of your pocket for safety!

4.    Lets talk transport.  It is expected that you take items with you upon purchase…can you really fit that darling dining table and all four chairs in your Chrysler 200?? We take the Jeep. It has a fair amount of room, I keep a mover’s blanket in the back for cushioning. Its not a bad idea to leave a couple of empty boxes in your vehicle also. This is where that planning in step one can pay off. 

5.    Wet wipes and hand sanitizer…by the case. Seriously, trust me on this. The reality is that most of the items at an estate sale have been stored for quite awhile, sometimes decades. Many of the houses are dusty and a wee bit grimy. You will want to clean at least your hands when you get to the car. And while we are on the subject – dress accordingly. I know those peep-toe, sling-back, heels look adorable with your skinny jeans and Gap top, but you will regret this fashion decision. It wont be cute when you trip on the small tear in the worn carpet and fall against a card table laden with fragile glass collectables. This is the day for your older jeans, tennis shoes or Doc Martens and comfortable shirt. By no means am I saying go as a slob, but be practical and well put together!

Now that this is out there, what do you suggest? We'd love to hear the items you found essential after your first adventure!