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Date aired:  Saturday, July 22, 2006
Topic:  Yard Sale Mistakes II

On this week's ABC WNEP TV 16's Home & Backyard, Dr. Lori visits more area yard sales and tells hosts that they should take items back in the house or re-price them before they lose a lot of money.  

As mentioned on this week's program, if you want to alert Dr. Lori of your upcoming yard sale and post an ad for shoppers to attend, you may do so by listing it on our website for free.  We also will email you customized signs for your sale.

Watch video of this week's segment with Dr. Lori.

Penn State Proud

One of the sales I visited on this week's show was that of newlyweds and fellow Penn Staters, Dan and Kim who recently bought a new/old house in Pittston, PA where they held their yard sale. The house was 105 years old, but it was new to them. Embarking on a typical rite of passage, these new homeowners decided to update the home's outdated chandeliers and wall sconces with new recessed lighting and ceiling fans. As a result of this home remodel, a selection of vintage lighting fixtures were available at their yard sale. 

Dan offered two early 1900s brass and glass sconces for $5; a brass chandelier and a wrought iron lighting fixture for $50. Dan was thrilled when I showed any interest in the lighting fixtures. As I browsed, Dan reported that a guy who bought the other chandeliers earlier that morning didn't care about these fixtures. Dan would soon discover that his early morning buyer bought something valuable and passed up something valuable, too.

Priced at $25, valued at $700  based on actual sales records.

Shed some Light

The total asking price for Dan's two sconces and two chandeliers was $55. Dan's eyes bugged out when I told him that replacement value on the wall sconces alone was $75 and the wrought iron fixture would command $500 in most markets. Yet, it was Kim, the home's senior interior designer, who gasped when I told her that the solid brass chandelier with the $25 asking price that she described as "ugly beyond belief" was worth $700. At a total replacement value of $1,350 for the four fixtures, these Nittany Lions would have had a yard sale loss of $1,295, if they had sold the fixtures for $55. In all, saving these yard sale hosts some money should remind us that it is to your benefit to know the value of items before offered at a yard sale. 

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7/22/2006
Dr. Lori on Home and Backyard

Yard Sale Mistakes II
Watch Dr. Lori surprise yard sale hosts telling them they almost lost $1,295 on light fixtures just because they felt the pieces were "ugly beyond belief".