come to my house???

dereksbicycles

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This is for people who sells stuff from their house. I don't care what it is. It would be a lawn mower, dresser, leaf blower, or bike.

Now the question is:

Will you feel comfortable giving someone your address so that they would come pick up your bike or couch?

Does it make a difference whether you own your house or are just renting it?

Does it hurt your sales if you told everyone to meet at Walgreens or gas station?

Try to think....if I wanted to sell a bike, I would always ride to Walgreens, then walk back home. I would not want to carry a couch to Walgreens, then walk back home. That will be too much work.

I ask because I always have customers coming to my house all the times. My girlfriend has said that when we get a place together, she doesn't want any customers coming to house. I had thought about renting a storage unit nearby. Meet customers there. That way, no one will know where I live.
 
This is for people who sells stuff from their house. I don't care what it is. It would be a lawn mower, dresser, leaf blower, or bike.

Now the question is:

Will you feel comfortable giving someone your address so that they would come pick up your bike or couch?

Does it make a difference whether you own your house or are just renting it?

Does it hurt your sales if you told everyone to meet at Walgreens or gas station?

Try to think....if I wanted to sell a bike, I would always ride to Walgreens, then walk back home. I would not want to carry a couch to Walgreens, then walk back home. That will be too much work.

I ask because I always have customers coming to my house all the times. My girlfriend has said that when we get a place together, she doesn't want any customers coming to house. I had thought about renting a storage unit nearby. Meet customers there. That way, no one will know where I live.

If you really want to buy and fix things things and resell and its irks your GF, its time for you to get a office. I wouldnt get a storage unit.. It would still be a red flag for me if I had to meet someone there. You need to get a business plan together and contact an disability advocate and ask for help. they will help you with ideas how to get a cheap place. You never know, there might be someone else needing shop space, but can't afford it alone.
 
Agree with Radioman....maybe a small business loan and a small shop, do some advertising to get it off the ground....
 
I do not like people coming to my home. after the behavior of several annoying buyers, I chose to meet future buyers at a neutral public place.


and ~
I will never have another "yard sale" as people kept trying to enter my home to find more deals... rude 'tards. it is a "yard sale", yard is the key word there ignorant 'tards. :roll:
 
I do not like people coming to my home. after the behavior of several annoying buyers, I chose to meet future buyers at a neutral public place.


and ~
I will never have another "yard sale" as people kept trying to enter my home to find more deals... rude 'tards. it is a "yard sale", yard is the key word there ignorant 'tards. :roll:

Feel somewhat the same...had a yard sale awhile back (was down-sizing)...and so many early-birds showed up, some at 7AM...I was still i my jammies and on my first cup of java.....(not a good idea to irritate and barter with me that early).....Even people coming over after the sale was over asking if they could take what was left off my hands....(free, of course)....

I did rent at booth at the Flea Market years ago and did quite well. Some Churches, even Clubs (such as the Lion Club) will let you go in with them for your sales.
 
I agree with both of the above ^ on yard sales. I have had 2 and that was like 4 too many. Both were before moves and just seemed to add to the chaos of the move. I would of rather donated EVERYTHING I needed gone than put up with the people at a yard sale.

On the "coming to your home" portion, I have in the past been ok with it. But to be honest, after having some stuff wander off on its own and with crime just increasing around here, not real comfortable with that any longer.

An interesting side note on the property crime, the evening news reported last summer that do to budget cuts the local PD will NO LONGER investigate property crime.

Guess what......................wait for it.............................PROPERTY CRIME SKYROCKETED ! Wow......really ? Huh.

That too has made my decision a bit easier. I do not buy or sell much so it is not a huge deal to me, but I would hesitate to let anyone around to do any window shopping. I am in a rural setting and we get enough strange stuff going on around here as it is, not sure I need to invite any newcomers.

Just my opinion
 
I've had a few people come to my house to buy stuff. I don't let anyone in the garage or house though, all transactions took place outside. So far most of them were decent, a couple were scamming asswipes, and a few were downright strange.

The weirdest one so far was when I gave away free drywall sheets. The sheets were warped from leaning against the wall, so they were not worth much. A lady with 2 kids showed up in her Ford Explorer to collect the 4 sheets of 4x8 drywall. I looked at her and asked if these will fit in her vehicle, she said "it doesn't matter" and proceeded to break the drywall sheets into smaller pieces in order to make them fit. No, I am not kidding.
 
I've had a few people come to my house to buy stuff. I don't let anyone in the garage or house though, all transactions took place outside. So far most of them were decent, a couple were scamming asswipes, and a few were downright strange.

The weirdest one so far was when I gave away free drywall sheets. The sheets were warped from leaning against the wall, so they were not worth much. A lady with 2 kids showed up in her Ford Explorer to collect the 4 sheets of 4x8 drywall. I looked at her and asked if these will fit in her vehicle, she said "it doesn't matter" and proceeded to break the drywall sheets into smaller pieces in order to make them fit. No, I am not kidding.

:laugh2:
 
I don't have any problem at all when people come to my house for freecycle or yard sales. I have this massive 180lbs animal sitting in my yard acting like a vulture hawking above all those people. I caught one guy who just arrived and he said "holy sh*t"... Now that everyone know what kind of dog I have in the house. It's peace of mind.
 
I've had people come to my house for Freecycle stuff with no problems.
 
My parents have had yard sales (the most recent one being in 2007) - the customers haven't entered their house.
 
Probably not. I don't want strangers in my house to scope out what I have for later.
 
Probably not. I don't want strangers in my house to scope out what I have for later.

Kinda' reminds me of that movie "Home Alone"...Burglars riding up and down the street.....casing the neighborhood.....Don't want strangers in my house. We've had some things stolen before by some of my boys friends....And I do keep an eye out for strange vehicles/people on the street.....
 
Same here. No one entered my house during our yard sales.

My parents have had yard sales (the most recent one being in 2007) - the customers haven't entered their house.

your customers would not include thieving knuckleheads from NY & NJ. during the last 10 years, the dregs of society began escaping NY & NJ and invading this once peaceful hole-in-the-wall. :roll:

one 'tard even seemed to be intentionally provoking my dog. another guy, an enormous morbidly obese man, even leaped from my front porch. possibly to be hurt and sue my homeowners insurance. :hmm:
then while heading to the bathroom. a women walks out of my bedroom, demanding that I sell her my antique bedroom set for hundred dollars. not sure how or when she entered my home. she must of slipped in through the basement door...
so yeah, I would rather not have idiots around my home. no idiots allowed, unless they are a relative...
 
Kinda' reminds me of that movie "Home Alone"...Burglars riding up and down the street.....casing the neighborhood.....Don't want strangers in my house. We've had some things stolen before by some of my boys friends....And I do keep an eye out for strange vehicles/people on the street.....

most theives have already entered your home before. google: "Things a Burglar Won’t Tell You"
 
If you are a fixer on things and sell them, ebaying it is much better than a storefront because of lower cost overhead. When you do ebay, ship it to that person's address. If you like to give away, give it to Rescue Mission, Salvation Army, or Goodwill Thrift stores. Thrift stores are hot these days.

I also recommend you, like others here in this forum, is to take them and go to a flea market or farmers' market. Usually cheap like 25 dollars (around here, they do cost 25 for a space). Get a truck and do this for a living. More people are doing this.

You do not need a business plan if you are going to sell stuff on ebay or at flea/farmers/antique markets IF it is not many. If it is, then get a tax ID number and do it for a living. However, the latter do at some places requires you have a tax ID number and an insurance! True.

For now, try to stick with garage sale style at flea markets. Then grow from there if you see the potential for the market you want to be in. Do your research.

You do not need to get a disability advocate do this. You can even use legalzoom.com to set up a sole prepreitor or an LLC business plus the ID, and business certificate at the county.

Garage sales.. you can not do more than 2 per year according to the town I am living in. I think my homestate NYS has similar laws. If you want to sell more than 5 cars in a year, you have to have a dealer license. So, check out the zoning laws and business laws in your county, town, state, and federal.

Many towns do NOT allow businesses run from home IF it has heavy customer traffic. You are allowed according to IRS law, 25 percent space of your home to be zoned business and have home business IF your business does not include customers arriving at your home on regular basis. You can handle office at home, internet based business, you can repair stuff in garage like fixing that bike up, etc. But if your mate wants your business not there, then that is a problem. I know because I have my wife act same way. Haha. True!

That is something to think about when dealing with someone special coming into your life and home.

You could do is have building that is old fashioned that has an apartment or apartments upstairs as storefront downstairs. You can use as an investment. Own the building and rent out and sell your finds at the storefront. Usually you can find those type of buildings in the city. Great for urban renewal.

Just being thoughtful from a business man.
 
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