Saturday, July 26, 2008

Garage Sale or Flea Market?

Many people comment that the Flea Market is nothing more than a glorified garage sale. There is a distinct difference among the two. Here is a good rule of thumb for you to follow, if you're cleaning house.

A garage sale is a recycling center for new products that are in boxes that still have a useful life. Family heirlooms, children's toys, and items that predate 1960 are popular and should be on auction sites or flea markets, not in a garage sale. Now a days, if it predates 1980, it probably has collectible value. People today, especially the younger generation, buy back their childhood, the things they remember. Childhood items really have a nostalgic value that transcends garage sale stuff. (source Reuters 5/30/08 Patricia Reaney)

If you ask the young girls who commented on the train that "Footloose" was a classic, they would probably tell you anything pre-dating 1990 is an antique. If you're unsure if you have junk or an antique, your best bet is to do some online research before you toss it out or sell it. If you have an item of value, and don't want to deal on E-bay, many of the same dealers at the flea market, are also the best buyers. Negotiate your price so the dealer can mark it up to resell at his next event, and you'll be leaving the Flea Market with more money than when you came - don't forget to grab a BIG bag of Sugar Momma's Cheesey and Caramel popcorn on the way out!

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