Will my large furniture sell at an estate sale?

Some estate sale items are harder to sell than others, so the real answer is "it depends." One rule of thumb we tell our clients is - the bigger the item, the less likely it is to sell. There are several reasons why many large items have lost their value, but one thing is clear: Millennials don’t want them.

Times have changed, and younger people live differently than Baby Boomers and the Great Generation once did. First, technology has made everyone more mobile—people are changing jobs and locations more, instead of staying close to home. As a result, they don’t want to accumulate things they’ll have to haul around. They’re more likely to spend money on experiences rather than trinkets they can display in a china cabinet.

Younger generations also entertain differently than their parents and grandparents did. Often, they’d rather go out, and if they do entertain at home they’re not likely to serve a multi-course dinner on delicate china at a heavy wood formal dining table that seats 12.

All that being said, there is still hope! Refurbishing or upcycling furniture is all the rage. All you need is one shopper with a vision and a can of chalk paint to come along and make a sale. The important thing is to have realistic expectations. Yes, you may have paid $3,000.00 for that giant entertainment center back in 1990, but you are not going to recoup your money at an estate sale on it.

A good estate sale company will take special pains to market your items to the largest audiences in order to try to sell them. They may even advertise large items separate from the sale itself in order to generate interest. Let's face it, most people don't head out Saturday morning estate sale-ing with a plan to buy a whole dining room or bedroom set. On the other hand, someone who is in need of one of those items is likely scouring the local want ads or facebook marketplace looking - and if your items are showcased there, they are much more likely to find a buyer. Ask your estate sale company how they increase the likelihood of your large items selling. If they don't have a creative marketing plan in place for them, you might want to reconsider whom you hire to handle your sale.