Finding good, quality furniture is not an easy task. Let me start out with that statement. However, there is good furniture out there in your community to be found. Once you know the tips and tricks of obtaining these gems, you can save yourself tons of time , miles and money.
Locating furniture is easiest from an on-line source. We search our local market place daily. On market place you can find single pieces and sometimes it is a place where they advertise estate sales or moving sales. This is a great way to collect maybe a few pieces and save your self some time and traveling.
We love community yard sales. In our area we have towns that organize a yard sale where the entire town participates. This way we can put aside a day to pickup furniture , again potentially collecting several pieces in the same location. This is a great time saver.
As a furniture flipper one of my favorite ways is our local Auction Services. In particular we have one that holds the entire auction on line. I can pick ones that are within say an hour of travel time. Being able to purchase from home makes it so much more enjoyable. The best part is I know what I purchased and can plan to bring the proper vehicle. I can set up a trailer to pick up if needed. Most auction services will have a scheduled pickup day and time that is really not negotiable. So be sure you check the dates and are certain you can arrange to be there. Most auctions include the entire content of the home. This is by far my favorite resource. I have come to know the auction service we deal with and they have very good descriptions, you can message with additional questions if something is not clear. Be sure to ask because once you purchase it is yours as is.
If your search is on line here is a few questions you should ask before you purchase or waste your time traveling. If your purchasing in person you can use this list to go over. Sometimes I’m in a hurry and I don’t think to check certain things. A dresser can look real good, even if free. Till you start opening the drawers to find one is not working. These are things you need to know. I don’t like to do repairs, so I want zero issues. I would rather pay a little more for a dresser with smooth drawers and good bones. Here are a few questions to keep in mind.
1. Is there any significant damage that I can not see from your photos?
2. Any major cracks, dents, missing parts, broken legs or drawers?
3. Any large missing pieces of veneer or molding or water damage?
4. Is there any loose parts, legs?
5. Do the doors and drawers operate without sticking or other issues?
6. Where is the furniture located? Upstairs , ground level or in a basement?
7. Do I need to carry the piece out myself?
8. What are the measurements? Be sure it will fit in your vehicle or space you eventually want to put it in.
9. Is this real wood? What material is it made of?
10. Are the drawers dove tailed? Why? Because if they are I know almost certain it was built well.
Once you have a good vision as to what your going to purchase you want to do your own inspection before the transfer of funds. Choosing your furniture is super important. As a furniture flipper who enjoys painting my finds it makes the next process so much more enjoyable. Not to mention , I want my product to be the best quality to sell. I really hope this helped you in your search for quality used furniture. You should go check out our painting video of this beautiful piece! Catch the technique we used here!
