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Father’s Day

For all the father’s out there, yesterday was a particularly great day. A day to be with your family, and especially, your kids.

I woke up early yesterday thinking about what I’d like to do with my son that day. I decided it was the perfect day to give him the bicycle I had recently purchased and put together for him. He was overly excited until we both realized he was still a bit too small to reach the pedals.

I then had to come up with a new plan and decided it would be a great day to take him to his first garage sale. This might seem like an odd choice, but I was first exposed to garage sales when I was right around his age, and I truly think it taught me a great deal of important lessons. I learned the value of money, the value and history of collectibles, and perhaps most importantly, I learned how to interact with people of all different backgrounds. And I learned all this from going to and throwing garage sales. So why not start my son out a few years early by taking a trip to a few different sales.

It was a fantastic day, not only because I was able to teach my son a bit about one of my life’s passions, but also because we found a few great items. We found a 5-string banjo with its original case for $35 as well as an antique, hexagonal, bamboo fishing rod for $25. After a quick bit of research, I found that I could sell each for over $100. If I took the time to clean up the banjo a bit, I could probably resell it for closer to $200. Not a bad find!

The moral of my little short story here (apart from the usual message of using a smart phone to help you find undervalued items such as these) is to be sure to take time out of your day to be with your children. And instead of taking them to the ball game, maybe it’s time to take them to a garage sale. Teach them early. It’s a hobby that could take them far.

Hope you had a happy Father’s Day!

- Aaron

To learn more about Aaron LaPedis, visit www.thegaragesalemillionaire.com or contact him at thegaragesalemillionaire@gmail.com.

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Used Books: Man’s Greatest Underutilized Resource

I read like there is no tomorrow. On a good week, I can read 5 to 6 books. It also means that I spend a lot of money on books and Librarians have come to have a love/hate relationship with me. However, I figured that I can still get my reading fix while not leaving my wallet gasping for air. Used books have become my best friends and here are a few reasons why used books are the way to go:

Used books are often cheaper than both their physical and electronic brethren. In addition, paper backs are even cheaper than their hardback counterparts. You can often find hardbacks for under ten dollars and paperbacks for under five dollars. It should be noted that pricing can vary from seller to seller. Generally, used books are kinder on your wallet than new books are.
Buying used books is a good way to give back to the Earth. It is no secret that books are made of paper and that often creates a lot of waste. Buying used books reduces the number of books printed and selling used books gives used books a new lease on life. Either way, you are helping out Mother Nature and you are making someone very happy by giving them to chance to read your book.
I find that when I go used book shopping, they always have some of the most unusual selections of books. Now, when I say ‘unusual’, I mean they are not typical selections you would see at a chain bookstore. This is pleasantly wonderful, because I get a chance to read books that I would not normally pick up. You can find some wonderful novels that way. You can also find older and rarer additions. It really is amazing some of the novels you can find at the bookstore.
Used Books have character. There is something wonderful about knowing the book in front of you has lived many lives. It is so interesting to think about the journeys the books could have taken. Maybe, it’s just that I read way too much for my own good and romanticize the idea of used books. Either way, there is something about used books that give them character.
You can always resell! You aren’t stuck with a book for life and you can pass it on once more. You get to give that used book another chance at life. One of the books I recently bought used was absolutely terrible, but I am going to resell it because I know there is someone who will treasure that book and enjoy it.

So, to sum up the article, used books are awesome and a great way to spread books around. I hope you have fun reading and that you get to go on many different journeys with many different books. I want to leave you with a quote that sums up one of the many joys of reading and I wish you a happy reading with your used books.

We read to know we are not alone-C.S. Lewis

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Garage Sale Tips

10 Tips for an Epic Family Garage Sale

Whatever you do, make BIG, BEAUTIFUL AND COLORFUL SIGNS!

1) Get Organized

Section a room or area in your home to be filled with the items you wish to sell
Be sure to obtain a permit from your municipality if required

2) Source your inventory

Categorize your items for display purposes, and create an inventory list of what you’ll be selling

3) Price your items

Use a pricing worksheet to outline the prices you’ll be asking and the lowest price you’ll be willing to accept. This is a good way to keep track of profits too.

4) Be creative in advertising your event

Utilize as many methods as possible to get the word out (post your event online (Tagsellit.com, Craigslist.org), Newspapers, Social Media, Create and Post Signs where permitted (be sure to remove them after the sale)

5) Be prepared to prove your items work properly

Have batteries, extension cords and tools handy to assist prospective buyers in their decision making process

6) Be knowledgeable of the items you’re selling

Once they’re sold you can’t ask for them back, be sure you do your due diligence before you sell jewelry or art

7) Recruit your friends for help

An extra pair of hands and eyes are always helpful when working a yard sale

8) Assume responsibility

Be sure your homeowner’s insurance policy covers you while having your event at your home
Be aware of items you sell that have been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission – you’re not allowed to resell these items!

9) Have fun!

Keep a smile on your face, be pleasant and remember the ultimate goal is to get rid of as much stuff as possible, so keep an open mind when it comes to bartering, haggling and negotiating!

10) Donate your unwanted items to neighborhood organizations that accept them

Salvation Army Website – http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/

Goodwill Website – http://www.goodwill.org/

Local Houses of Worship

Tax Benefits, Charitable Donations Information – http://www.justgive.org/

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LIC Flea & Food

Starting June 15th 2013 and running every weekend this summer, Long Island City plays home to the newest flea and food market in New York City. LIC Flea & Food invites you to come enjoy some great eats, find a hidden treasure in the market, discover new artists and great local vendors all while taking in breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline. Just blocks from the 7, E, M and G trains as well as the East River Ferry and parking across the street. Bring your friends and family to kick off the start of a perfect weekend.

The Flea Market will run through mid-November. Approximately 60 vendors will set up shop for the weekend and roughly half of those will be local Queens-based food vendors. For more information about this new Flea Market or to become a vendor, check out the LIC Flea & Food website.

To locate more Flea Markets happening in your area of NYC, or anywhere in the USA, check out our Flea Market Directory on Tagsellit.com or be sure to download our Flea Markets App for the Android and iPhone!

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Lessons learned from another garage sale

I feel a bit like a broken record.

No matter how much I talk about advertising and promoting garage sales, people still don’t seem to heed my advice. A friend of mine had a garage sale this weekend, and even though I’ve given him pointers throughout the whole process, he didn’t follow through on the signage.

He did pretty well with the sale itself, but he made a few key mistakes when promoting the sale. He created nice, big signs, but then got a little fancy with the colors and letters. When you get too creative (ie. using a different color for each letter or making your font swirly or stylized) it can often be hard to read. Keep in mind that most people will see your sign for just a few seconds as they’re driving by. If it isn’t simple and bold, they won’t be able to figure out where they should be going. Not to mention, you have to include an address or arrows. My friend did not do this, and he lost a lot of business to a sale a few blocks away. Shoppers saw that sale first and assumed it was the one they were trying to find. Some never made it further down the street to the right sale.

This sign has the right idea. The sign is large, and the text is easy to read. Plus they included an arrow directing you toward the sale.

When it comes to garage sale signs, keep it simple. Here’s the basics of what you need to remember:

Make at least 20 large signs.
Use white poster board with simple red or black lettering. You don’t need to get any more fancy than that.
Include arrows and an address.
Put your signs up a few hours before the sale.

In addition, always advertise your sale on TagSellIt and Craigslist – they’re both free! Then let your friends know about your sale on Facebook, Twitter and any other social media sites you use. If you follow these simple tips, you’ll have a much better turn out at your next sale. And the more people that show up, the more sales you’ll have.

One last thing – Watch out! because you never know when I’ll show up at your garage sale and use your sale as the next topic on this blog!

Good luck, and happy hunting!

-Aaron

Watch out for my feature on Yahoo.com on Tuesday, June 11. You’ll get to see me help a New Jersey family throw a garage sale!

To learn more about Aaron LaPedis, visit www.thegaragesalemillionaire.com or contact him at thegaragesalemillionaire@gmail.com.

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Interview with Estate Sale Guru: Lisa Kroese

The Wonderful Ms. Kroese

Hello Everyone! I have had the fortune of interviewing Lisa Kroese of Expert Estates. Lisa recently released her Estate Sale Company starter kit to help out anyone who wants to start their own Estate Sale business. I had a lot of fun interviewing her and she really gave some wise words of wisdom.

Kate: What inspired you to get into the Estate Sale business?

Lisa: I was always interested in the business. I used to work for an auction house and I did appraisals. When we moved from Pennsylvania to Tehachapi, California, I realized how silly we were to pack and move all of our furniture. The move was expensive, the movers broke or damaged a lot of our furniture. In hindsight, we should have sold our things in PA, and used the money we made and the money we saved on the moving costs to just buy “new” things (from estate sales of course!) once we were settled. I didn’t know anyone here and I wanted work to do. Shortly after we settled in here, I developed my estate sale business plan.

Kate: Why were you motivated to create Estate Sale Company Starter kit?

Lisa: The number of people who tell me they would love to do what I do inspired me to compile my best resources together in this kit. I hear about wanting to open an estate sale company all the time from customers who shop our sales, to people I meet every day. I like helping people when I can, which is one of the factors that has allowed me to do well in this industry. For those who are ready to do the work of opening a business, my goal was to provide a set of professional documents that would help them succeed from the beginning. I opened with just $2,000 in startup money, our business plan set out to do $156,000 in sales for our second year in operation; we did $168,000 in sales in my second year. There is no reason why I wouldn’t want to help other new estate sellers to define and meet their sales goals as well.

Kate: What does the Estate Sale Company Starter kit consist of?

Lisa: I provide three different PDF files to use as models for making their own custom forms. First is my 7 page business plan which includes a list of optional attachments you might want to add if you are showing it to your bank or a potential landlord if you have a storefront. Next are all of the contracts I use, there are 6 different contracts covering different kinds of estate sales, clean outs, and consulting agreements. Plus, I include marketing and customer service related materials, from an introduction letter to lawyers, to a press release, a settlement statement, a sample excel file, and a sample one page brochure that I include with mailings.

Kate: How is the kit designed to help the “just starting” Estate Sale Company owner?

Lisa: My kit contains everything someone would need for opening an estate sale business. I see a lot of folks who start just trying to help friends and neighbors with their moving and garage sales. One friend I have who wants to do some estate sales on the side told me she went on a consultation recently. The lady wanted her to run a sale, advertise it and to pay her with a few pieces of furniture. Creating your business plan, having professional contracts, and using good marketing materials will position anyone opening an Estate Sale Company in line with the established estate sellers, you can show up and let people know you are really in business and not just doing work for a hobby.

Kate: When you were starting out in the Estate Sale business, what is one piece of advice you would have wished that someone would have given you?

Lisa: You can’t do it alone, it is a lot of work. You need a good, honest, supporting crew. A lot of folks who want to work for estate sellers are just there on so that they can buy the best stuff before the sale, or they want to open their own company someday. Avoid those hires. I set a rule banning anyone, myself included, from buying before our customers have a chance to shop for at least the first hour of the sale. Setting policies like that will help with weeding out people who are not really interested in doing the work you need to get done for your clients.

Kate: That is really great advice. Anything else you wish to share with the budding Estate Sale business owner?

Lisa: Don’t sell yourself short, show up with your contracts and supporting materials prepared and be ready to explain to your potential clients why you are going to do the best job for them. There is a lot of competition, figure out your niche and define what separates you from other estate sellers in your area. I never say bad things about my competition, I just focus on what it is that I think makes me the best choice for the client.

Kate: That is some really great advice! I think people can learn a lot from what you have said in this interview and best of luck to you in your future endeavors. If you would like to purchase the starter kit or find out more, here is the link: http://www.etsy.com/listing/153169097/estate-sale-company-starter-kit-with.

Have a great day!

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What’s it worth?

Be it an attic, basement or garage, chances are you have some items that may hold more value than you think – or less. Have you ever considered checking out what they’re worth? Earlier this week the Today Show aired a short segment called “What’s it Worth?” Members of the Today Show brought in some interesting items they own and had them checked out. Take a look:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

So, what kinds of cool stuff is hiding in your home? Have you ever thought about getting them appraised? A great resource we recommend to many of our users is WorthPoint. WorthPoint is the largest resource for researching and valuing your art, antiques and collectibles. They offer individual users both a free trial and paid membership-based access to their experts. Be sure to check with your trusted local Estate Sale, Consignment or Pawn Shop professional about items you have questions about. Many of these professionals have expanded access to sites like WorthPoint or know Appraisers who can help you identify and price your treasures.

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The lessons learned at Denver Comic Con

This weekend, Denver hosted one of the top five comic cons in the United States. My art gallery set up a booth at the event where we sold Marvel super hero art, animation cels and artwork from the nationally recognized artist Fabio Napoleoni. It was our first time at this particular convention, and I thought it would be a great idea to have a booth in order to meet new clients and give the gallery a bit of extra exposure.

Any time I go to an event such as this one, I have the opportunity to observe other businesses to see how they operate. I’ve found that I learn a great deal from observing and allowing myself the chance to adjust and improve my own tactics in order to become a stronger gallery owner.

Observing other booths reminded me of a tip that I don’t think I’ve shared before. A lot of people don’t realize that no matter the situation, you can always negotiate a price. It doesn’t matter if you’re at a garage sale, an estate sale or a comic convention, prices are negotiable. The way to negotiate, however, is the big secret.

It’s always advisable to observe the seller before you approach them. Take the time to notice the size of the crowd at the location as well as how many people are actually buying. Instead of walking right up and making an offer, if you’ve taken the time to observe the environment, you can negotiate from a position of strength.

For example, from my booth, I observed our neighbors and the traffic at their booths. After just a few minutes, I realized that they did not have a lot of shoppers, and they weren’t selling much. With this knowledge, I would have been able to approach their booth with confidence, knowing that I could offer them a lower price for their items. They clearly were not having much luck, so they would have been more likely to negotiate down to a better price in order to move their product. (Please note that this does not mean you should offer an insultingly low amount. You never want to offend a seller and burn a bridge.) Had I not taken then time to notice their lack of sales, I may have made a much higher offer or else paid their sticker price.

So the next time you go to an event with the intention of buying, take a minute to look around. Don’t rush into an offer. In these types of situations, being the tortoise rather than the hare can often be the better choice.

Good luck and happy hunting!

-Aaron

To learn more about Aaron LaPedis, visit www.thegaragesalemillionaire.com or contact him at thegaragesalemillionaire@gmail.com.

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Pawn Shop Rules

Pawnbroking has existed since the Ancient Greek and Roman Empires. When the economy gets tight, pawn shops become even more popular, so what’s the attraction? Pawning items is a quick way to get some cash, but be sure you become familiar with some of the rules pawn shops must follow:

First, how it works:

A Pawnbroker estimates the value of the item you bring before them
They may offer to buy your item outright, and you are welcome to haggle over price
Don’t expect a huge change from their initial offer
You can take a loan from the broker and leave your item there as collateral
If you sell your item, the pawnbroker will try to profit by selling it for more than what he paid you
If you opt for a loan, you have a predetermined amount of time to repay it, sometimes one or two months, possibly longer
If you don’t repay it, the pawnbroker can sell your item for any price they want

Pawn Shops must follow Federal Laws:

Each state has their own set of rules and regulations for this business
USA Patriot Act – Designed to stifle terrorism-related activities, and for you it means you can’t do any business with a pawnbroker unless you have a government-issued picture ID, like a driver’s license, and you may have to give a fingerprint
Truth in Lending Act (TILA) – The pawnbroker has to explain to you clearly and in writing all of the terms of your loan, such as interest rate, fees, etc.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Safeguard and Privacy Rules to protect your personal information – including your name, address, phone number, and bank and credit card account numbers, etc.
Federal firearm laws, including record-keeping and background check requirements for buyers/sellers
IRS rules on reporting cash transactions over $10,000

State Laws:

Each state has its own set of laws to regulate pawn shops
In most states, pawnbrokers must apply for a license or register with a state agency, such as the state consumer protection agency and state tax department
Some jurisdictions require pawnbrokers to have a license for the municipality where they do business
Interest rates and fees on loans are capped or limited in practically every state, however, you can generally expect to pay anywhere from 3% to 25% in interest on your loan and on top of that, most states let pawnbrokers charge a service fee in money (like $10) or interest (20 percent), each month

Record Keeping:

Usually, pawnshops must keep detailed records of everything they buy or take as collateral, including serial and model numbers, brand name; precious metal type, gemstone description, etc.

Reporting:

In some states, pawnshops have to give reports of their purchases to local police to help identify stolen goods. In other states, a shop has to honor your request to check their inventory for stolen goods if you give it a police report on your stolen property

For Your Records:

Pawnbrokers must give you a ticket if you take out a loan that shows what item you pawned, how long you have to repay and how much you have to repay. In some states, you’re automatically granted a grace period (usually 15 to 30 days) after your loan period expires. You have that additional time to pay your loan and reclaim your property before the shop can sell your item.

Ready to visit a Pawn Shop?

Do your due diligence, be sure it’s a reputable, licensed shop. Ask to see their license, check with the state agency in charge of licenses, and check with your local Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can even check out sites like Yelp or Google Reviews to see what other customers have to say about their experience.

Keep your pawn ticket if you take out a loan. If you lose it, you can’t get your property back. In some states, you may be able to file a report with the pawnshop to stop someone else from using your ticket.
If you can’t pay back your loan in time, ask the pawnshop for a time extension. Be prepared to pay more fees and interest.

Pawnshops can be an ideal solution for anyone who needs quick cash or has valuables they no longer want or need. If you play by the rules, you can get exactly what you need without a problem.

Questions for Your Attorney
What can I do if a pawnshop loses or damages my property before I can reclaim it?
Is my credit rating damaged if I don’t repay a pawnshop loan?

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Advertise your Consignment Services

The goal of our Consignment Shop Directory is to provide an informational resource for customers seeking professional Consignment Services in their area. Consignment shop owners and service providers are welcome post items for sale on our website, tagsellit.com, with photos and advertise store sale events for free.

As of this posting in May 2013, Tag Sell It lists approximately 3,000 Consignment Shops and Service Providers from around the country!

What are the benefits of joining our Consignment Shop Directory?

We create a full page listing on our website for your shop and services
Your shop’s logo and photos can be displayed alongside your listing
Your shop and contact information can be located when people search our directory or use our App
We include a link to your website so customers can visit your site when they find it on ours
Feature article on our blog, 2nd Hand Social
Become a contributor for our blog
Customer Service – we’re here to help, that’s why if you ever need to update your page’s information or just have a question, our team is ready to help and support your business

Pricing: The 2013 Permanent Listing Membership price is $20.00.

Ready to get started? Click here to add your company today