Estate sales offer shoppers upscale items at bargain prices. That's if you know what to look for, says Valarie Hale, an Atlanta-based certified personal property appraiser.
A member of the International Society of Appraisers, Hale specializes in antiques, residential property items and fine art. When it comes to navigating estate sales, she advises shoppers to "take a step back and look it over."
"One of the first things I always do when I look at an item, I kind of stand back and take in the whole piece," said Hale. "That gives you an overall feel of the item."
Hale recommends sizing up estate sale finds based on proportion, weight, design and workmanship. "Does the top look too heavy? Are the carvings nice? Sometimes you can see damage when you're not as close up," she said.
Try playing private eye before you buy
Hale also suggests testing a piece to make sure everything is functional. Pull on handles, open all drawers, lift lids, look under hutches.
"You want to make sure the piece is sturdy and also check for bugs," Hale said. "You don't want to bring any bugs into your home." This includes insects that might be eating the wood. Hale said to pay close attention to tiny holes in wood, and small piles of dust." These might signify bug infestation.
One of the ways you can establish quality of a piece is to lift it, said Hale. "How heavy is it? That tells me it's made of good solid wood versus having some plywood or being more of a veneer," said Hale. "You want to make sure you're getting a sturdy piece."
Looking for the Real McCoy
Popular period pieces, such as mid-century modern furniture, are commonly reproduced by big-box retailers such as Ikea. "It's much more difficult to discern a period piece," said Hale. She recommends paying attention to how the furniture was assembled. "The quality pieces that were made in Scandinavian or by U.S. designers in the 20th Century, are typically much better made. They are heavy. They are solid. They tend to be assembled in ways that are not visible. You don't see a lot of screws. You don't see a lot of joints. Everything's tight."
Hale cautions shoppers to avoid judging merchandise based on the address of the estate sale. "If I'm attending a sale in Buckhead can I naturally assume that everything in the house is A-1 quality? Even designers use pieces that aren't 100 percent authentic. They have a budget. So they may in a wealthy area decide to spend all the money on a chandelier, a couch and a couple of chairs and then throw in a knockoff."
During a recent appraisal job in Buckhead, Hale said she noticed a Bombay table, an inexpensive reproduction worth less than a couple hundred dollars, in the same space with a Baccarat chandelier, which can sale for six figures. "Just because 80 percent of the house is designer, doesn't mean everything in the house is."
Arrive Prepared
Hale recommends bringing cash. She said even if the estate sale accepts credit cards, they may charge extra fees. She suggests bringing your own wrapping material and friends to help haul things.
The following area listings, via Estatesales.net, include times and links to photos. Unless stated, addresses for these sales must be obtained by calling the estate sales company. To protect the privacy of home owners, most addresses are not released until the Wednesday before the sale.
Cobb County
• Harley Davidson Motorcycle & More. Through-May 14. 770-680-8758, Retro Betties Estate Sales.
• Exclusive Bentwater Estate Sale. May 18-21. Acworth. 770-596-0492, Creative Tag Estate Sales.
• Marietta Estate Sale. May 19-21. Marietta. 770-596-0492. Creative Tag Estate Sales.
• Eclectic Acworth Estate Sale. May 19-21. Acworth. 770-680-8758, Retro Betties Estate Sales.
• East Cobb Estate Sale. May 19-21. Marietta. 678-467-8990, Elegant Attic Estate Sales.
• Smyrna Downsizing/Liquidation Estate Sale. May 19-22. Smyrna. 770-572-0724, Smart Estate Sale Services.
• Fabulous Furniture, Mercedes and High Quality Goods. May 19-22. Marietta.770-696-3395, EstateSellers.
Dekalb County
• Octogenarian's Estate Sale. May 19-22. Stone Mountain. 404-457-4062. Estate Treasure Trove.
Fulton County
• Five-Day Multi-Estate Tent Sale. May 18-21. 711 Trabert Avenue, Atlanta. 404-28-3551 The Turnage Place Estate Sales Co.
• Lake Front Liquidation. May 19-21. Roswell. 404-234-1733, The Perfect Piece Estate Liquidators.
• Everything Must Go in Buckhead/Sandy Springs. May 20-22. Atlanta. 770-765-5381, Certified Estate Sales.
• Vinings Estate Sale. May 20-22. Gold Star Antiques & Estate Sales. Atlanta.
• Fabulous Transitional Home. May 20-21. Sandy Springs. 770-552-1899, Peter Brandi Estate Sales.
• Amazing Buckhead Estate Sale. May 19-21. VT Estate Sales. Atlanta.
• A $3.2 Million Estate Sale. May 20-21. Alpharetta. 404-260-0993. The Vintage Girls Estate Sale Company.
• Collection of Photographs by Acclaimed Fashion Photographer Michael Comte. May 24. Atlanta. 678-705-9798 Peachtree & Bennett
Gwinnett County
• Lawrenceville Estate. May 19-21. Lawrenceville. 404-861-0984, Sentimental Journeys Estate Sales.
• Divorce Sale. May 19-21. Suwanee. 404-974-7090, Bee's Knees Estate Sales.
• Dacula Home Liquidation. May 20-21. Dacula. 404-547-8400, Old Mill Antiques Estate Sales, Consignments and Auctions.
• Howell Wood Estate Sale. May 20-21. Duluth. 404-663-3737, Estate Sales Over Georgia.
Henry County
• 40,000 Square Feet Plus Time Capsule House, Trucks and Tools. May 26-29. Stockbridge. 678-705-9798, Peachtree & Bennett.
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