7 Ways To Find Estate Sales In Your Area Before They Start

Shopping secondhand can be a great step towards sustainability. By giving new life to an item otherwise destined for the trash, you can help reduce waste — all while being kind to your wallet. However, if you're not finding what you need at your local thrift stores, you may want to branch out your endeavors, leading to the hunt for estate sales.

Estate sales are similar to a garage or yard sale, but they often include far more items, and items of greater value. This is because you'll often see estate sales after an individual's passing as their family seeks to sell any belongings that they don't wish to keep. Because of this, the availability of estate sales can vary, and finding those in your area before they get started can be a difficult task. Fortunately, while driving around looking for signs with information about an upcoming sale can be a valuable method, it isn't your only choice. Instead, thanks to technology, you can find more information faster, whether that's through a website dedicated to estate sales or social media.

Before diving in and looking for your first estate sales, you may want to brush up on how to prepare for shopping at an estate sale. This can involve learning more about payment options and following proper estate sale etiquette. After all, these do commonly occur after a death in the family, and it's important to be respectful while searching for your next vintage find.

One of the top places to find estate sales in your area before they start is to check out the dedicated websites. Estatesales.net is a great place to start, but you can also look up local estate sales online. There are a variety of websites whose goal is to curate and share information about upcoming estate sales, from the location and date to a glimpse of the items that may be for sale. Some even offer online estate sales so you can shop from home. Estatesales.net also has an app available that you can download for information on the go.

Nowadays, there are dozens of social media platforms to spend time on, each one with its own niches and communities. Not only can you find estate companies posting about sales happening in your area, but you may also be able to find community groups where the hosts themselves share information. Social media sites like Nextdoor or your neighborhood's Facebook group are the perfect places to learn about any estate sales that may be happening in your area.

At first glance, it may seem like online marketplaces (which are also known as buy and sell sites) are only good if you're in search of certain items. However, these marketplaces, such as Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, can be a great place to search for upcoming events in your area — including estate sales. In many cases, you may find that these are held by families themselves and operate on a smaller scale rather than through estate sale companies. Just keep in mind that you may need to create an account to access some of these platforms.

There's nothing quite like old-fashioned marketing, and driving around neighborhoods on the hunt for signs can be a great way to find estate sales. Most estate sale companies will place signs the night before or early the morning of, so you can be prepared (slightly) in advance. Hunting for signs while out and about can be hit-or-miss, however, and you may end up finding signs for events that are almost over. Of course, while showing up at the end of a sale usually means the good stuff is well and gone, it's also the best time to hit up an estate sale for the lowest prices.  

Community boards are another go-to option if you're struggling to find estate sales in your area before they start. Depending on where you live, post offices, libraries, grocery stores, and local coffee shops may have a community board. Here, anyone in the neighborhood can post flyers with information about upcoming events, like garage sales and estate sales. If you don't pass in-person community boards while out running errands, you can reach out about any virtual community boards for your city as well.

In a world where information is available at your fingertips thanks to modern technology, newspapers may seem a little outdated. However, when it comes to local events and estate sales, newspapers can be the perfect way to be in the know about what's going on in your city. Along with subscribing for regular deliveries, you can often find newspapers available at many markets and grocery stores. Most cities also have their daily newspaper available online. 

Of course, the best way to find out about estate sales in your area is directly from the horse's mouth. Get to know the companies behind the estate sales you visit and sign up for their e-mail lists so you never miss a sale. Networking with other other bargain hunters in your area, or with local real estate agents is also a good idea. Estate sale shopping can be a hobby for many, and developing a community can help you and others find their next big chase.