If you are going to spend time visiting estate sales, it only makes sense to set the goal of finding “treasures” of either monetary or personal value (or both).

While some estate sale hunters never have much success, others have a strategy that points them in the right direction time after time. As a result, they continually find the best deals without breaking the bank.

Do you want to join this exclusive group? If so, here are three points of advice that will put you on the right track:

1. Timing is everything. It goes without saying that you want access to the goods before everybody else. If you are unable to get in line early in the day, try this: arrive during the last hour of the first day. There are still plenty of deals to be found, and you may be able negotiate a better price.

2. Learn from the professionals. Keep a close eye on the art and antique dealers who are sure to be scouring the estate sale. These serious collectors know what they are doing, and you may be able to learn quite a bit by observing their every move.

Tip: if you become friends with one or more of these people, they may be willing to share some advice (as long as it does not harm their chance of getting a killer deal).

3. It is never too late to do research. The more you know heading into an estate sale the better off you are going to be. But did you know that you can continue your research as you shop? From phoning a friend to using your smartphone to dig up information online, there are options for researching a particular item that has caught your eye.

The top estate sale hunters have been following these three tips for many years. Even though the information above is important, here is the one thing you should never forget: you will never find what you are looking for unless you show up at the sale. Even if you don’t make a purchase, you can still pick up knowledge that will help you in the future.