Steve – Sacramento Flea Markets

Sacramento Antique Faire Early Shoppers

Steve — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 22:20:40 +0000

Sacramento Antique Faire Second Sunday of Every Month (April 2013)

Steve — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:14:49 +0000

Auctions Distort Estate Item Pricing

Steve — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 15:57:59 +0000

This is a follow-up to our earlier blog about pricing antiques and collectibles. As stated in that blog, something is worth what you can get for it on the day your are attempting to sell it. And there are a number of factors affecting this price. We also mentioned the folly of the estimated price ...

Don’t Get Burned by Reproductions

Steve — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 22:23:09 +0000

Most serious collectors and resellers have all sorts of stories about being taken by someone selling a reproduction. It happens on occasion and each time it does, we feel cheated for some period of time. Reproductions are the scourge of the antique and collectibles business. And people who knowingly sell a reproduction without disclosing the ...

The Downside to Buying in the Dark

Steve — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 18:07:11 +0000

There’s good news and bad news about shopping at the flea market and buying stuff in the dark. The good news is that by arriving in the dark, you have a head start on most other shoppers and can have your pick of the rare items and under-priced items. The bad news is that by ...

Auto Swap Meets Are Really Giant Vintage Flea Markets

Steve — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 21:26:01 +0000

We include area auto swap meets on our flea market calendar for one simple reason — you can buy some great antiques, collectibles, and vintage items at auto swap meets. Auto swap meets aren’t simply a bunch of guys wondering around looking at rusty car parts. They are flea markets that lean towards car and ...

Pricing Antiques, Collectibles, Vintage Items

Steve — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 00:33:40 +0000

Written by Stephen Topper, Sacramento estate sale extraordinaire. One of life’s biggest mysteries is how to go about putting a “realistic” selling price on an antique, collectible, or vintage item. Here are some things to think about when trying to come up with a price for any item you are selling: If the second part ...

Come to The Flea Market Prepared

Steve — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 22:13:26 +0000

You arrive at the flea market early so you can find some great stuff before someone else beats you to it. You find a vintage pocket knife and an old lunch box with thermos that you just have to buy. The seller tells you that you can have both of them for $50. That’s a ...

Don’t Be a Cheapskate Buyer

Steve — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 23:02:53 +0000

If you want to get a bad reputation at the flea market, be a cheapskate buyer. There’s nothing more irritating to a seller than the cheapskate buyer who tries to become a repeat customer. Here’s how you know if you’re a cheapskate buyer — you ask for a better price every time you attempt to ...

The Best Time To Arrive at The Flea Market

Steve — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:19:26 +0000

If you are a shopper, the best time to arrive at the flea market is before all the other shoppers show up. This means arriving while it is still dark and the sellers are unloading and setting up their displays. After all, the sage advice is correct: “The early bird gets the worm.” Unfortunately, no ...