Good Quality Sofa, Bargain Basement Price – Why You Should Buy Your Next Sofa at an Estate Sale
If you are in the market for a new sofa but find that your budget is just too tight for the high quality you want, now may be the time to check out your local estate sales. In my search for good furniture I’ve come to love estate sales for several reasons. One, you will be more likely to get a really good buy because the mark-up will be less than if you find a comparable piece of furniture in a second hand store. Two, you know the furniture wasn’t gotten rid of because it was unwanted or worn out, because estate sales are ordinarily held after a person’s death, or many times when they’ve had to go into assisted living. Three, Because you actually go to the home, you know before you go what area it is in, for instance if it is in a high end area where people are used to having higher quality goods, as compared to an area with a lot of rentals that may have goods that are not as well cared for. Fourth, you find out if the house is clean, odor free, no bugs, termites, etc. You will get information that you would never get in a second hand store.
When I find an item I want, in this case a sofa, I examine it well. First of all, do I like the way it looks, does the color & style fit my decorating plan? Second, how does it smell? I’m not at all shy about doing the sniff test. I will get right down and smell the cushions, armrests, headrest, etc to make sure the item is odor free. I don’t want to lug the thing home and then discover that it smells like cigarette smoke or some particular fragrance that the previous owners used. Next, sit on it. Is it truly comfortable? How does it feel when you lie down on it, would it be a great place to take a nap?
If your item passes all the above tests, last of all make sure you examine the it as much as possible for good construction. This is especially important if you don’t know what company made the piece. There are some high end furniture manufacturers that you can be sure make good quality goods that will last for a lifetime. However, if you don’t have this information get someone to help you lift the sofa and look for the label for information about the framework. You want kiln-dried hardwood, with thickness referred to as 6/4. Joints should be triple doweled and reinforced with blocks. Not only screws, but also glue, should be holding it together, otherwise over time the legs can get wobbly.
Last of all, do you feel good about the price? Hopefully you’ve done your homework before starting out so you have a pretty good idea of prices of good quality new furniture, so you at least can know that your are indeed getting a bargain.
Shopping at estate sales is not for everyone, but if you love finding bargains you may, as I do, enjoy the adventure of the hunt!