Well here I am up early on a Saturday morning face one of our communities annual garage sales. Mind you I can think of many other things I would rather do than barter with an elderly lady trying to talk me down .50 for something I priced 1.00 that I paid $30.00 to buy 2 years ago. A root canal is more enjoyable than me selling my worldly possession for pennies on the dollar.
So I get up at what I think is an early time to get my stuff placed outside (6:30). As a member of our HOA I was in charge of placing the signs outside our community to direct traffic in which I did before I set up my “stuff”. We had advertised this event for a week in the paper and had a BIG sign at our entrance to let passerbys know that this Saturday we will have a yard sale so we were expecting a decent turnout.
WELL.. I haven’t done a yard sale for about 5 years but remembered that the “Early Birds” like to get there early to pick up any deal that an unsuspecting seller might give away unknowingly. Well I was not one of those sellers as I felt why being a Realtor who is a good negotiator could surely handle the best bargain hunters and price my wares properly.
Boy was I in for the surprise of my life. You would have thought my house was Macys having the Day after Thanksgiving Day once in a life time sale. I barely got my garage door open and in come the vultures. I began to feel them pecking my flesh away as they saw me panic in horror. I wondered if these people had camped outside the community just to be the first ones in. They were grabbing my stuff and yelling “How Much for this stuff”, “Will You Take $1.00 for this Stuff priced $5.00”, “I need a bag to carry this stuff”, “Will you hold this stuff for me”, and my favorite “Is there a warranty on this stuff”. AAAHHHHHH!!!!! Is there a warranty on the item I paid $300 for that is practically brand new and im selling for $20.00 that you beat me down to $10.00??? You have to be kidding. At the price your getting my stuff for it should be a crime. I tried to keep my composure but these people are real Pro’s. Don’t let the pocket full of change and sob stories fool you. This is how they break you down. What do you mean .10 is too much??? I paid $10.00 for it and it is in excellent shape. But..But..But.. ok you can have it for .05.
I tried to put up a good fight as i did want to walk away from this garage sale with something to show for my time. Time after time I kept getting beat down and at one point considered just throwing everything away to avoid the stress of haggling. I did hang in there and finished the day by atleast accomplishing one of my goal, to make enough space in the garage so I could use it for what it is intended for (my car).
As I said these people are Pro’s, The top of their field. If you think you have a chance at beating them, good luck. They will drain every ounce of energy out of you to save a nickle….a nickle…that’s right a damn nickle. Why more people haven’t gone off the deep end by having a yard sale is beyond me.
Well its all over and I have a pocket full of change. Im sure that the stuff I sold will be resold for top dollar at another yard sale. Time for me to go out and buy some new stuff.