As somebody who enjoys a well organized estate sale, you know one thing to be true: there’s plenty of competition when it comes to the top items.

With this in mind, you may have the idea of making a purchase ahead of the sale. In other words, you make an offer before the first day of the event.

While this sounds like a good strategy, it’s not likely to work. And here is why: most reputable estate sale companies only offer items for sale during the advertised hours of the event.

Even if you make a solid offer, they want to be fair to all customers who will be attending the event in the future. Remember, these people attend with the idea that they will have access to all of the items that are advertised.

There may be companies that pre-sell some events, but those with a long standing reputation for being professional never go down this path.

If you have your eye on a particular item, the best thing you can do is arrive at the estate sale plenty early. After all, it’s not uncommon for others to arrive as early as the night before (but more typically 5-6 AM). This will ensure that you’re one of the first people to see the item, thus increasing your chance of success.

Are you interested in attending an estate sale in the near future? We have many on our schedule, so don’t hesitate to mark them down on your calendar.