Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Sara says somethin about: ESTATE SALES

Three-ish years ago, you couldn't have dragged me to an estate sale. They creeped me out for one. There's a somber "This person may be dead and I'm digging through their stuff" feeling at times. There's many houses I've been through where you can definitely see a life flash before your eyes. For two, I have a Granny (with a capital "G"), and I couldn't imagine hawking her precious vintage stuff. I mean, like, hundred-year-old family PHOTOS?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!?!?!

But some of you gentle readers may be going, "Wait, WTF is an estate sale?" The folks over at Pennsylvania Trading Co., a local estate sale company, sum it up nicely: "Estate sales are open to the public with no cost to enter and shop. Typically each item in the house is arranged for sale and priced somewhere between yard-sale prices and retail. Companies usually accept cash or check and a few will accept credit card payment. An estate sale is held to clear out possessions for a variety of reasons: significant downsizing of a home, death in a family, an out of state or country move... or any number of circumstances that leave people with a significantly greater amount of household items than they can keep."

I'd like to think of it as slightly more boojy junkin than going to a garage sale. While any kind of junkin is fun for me, estate sales are a tad more convenient (but you pay a higher price for that convenience).

So, what changed my opinion on estate sales? Mostly a developing taste for thrifting and vintage. I also collect these damn things, which I can find at almost every house I venture to. They're cheap, fun to hunt for, somewhat useful, and pretty! I also like to think that I'm "rescuing" and appreciating peoples personal items- a philosophy that helps to ease any "creepy".

Today I dropped by a sale by ANNA'S ESTATE SALES, on Overlook DR in Little Rock. I like this company because they have minions that tooddle around in golf carts and haul people to the estate sale house (and it makes me feel superior to walk instead). Now, usually sales are open Friday-Sunday, sometimes on Thursday... but today is WEDNESDAY! Folks... it must be good.

Ok, so it turns out that this is the type of sale/house that people may imagine when you say "estate sale". This was easily a $1 million piece of property, at least. 2 kitchens (3 fridges), double staircase, billiard room, library, gym (in a downstairs man cave no less), a pool, a fountain, and a ridiculous view. They don't call it Overlook for nothing!



Unfortunately, the prices matched the scenery- but, it was a fun house to walk through.


(^These are cute!^)


(^Why not? Oh, because it's $200.^)


(^Sweeping staircases! "OH RHETT!"^)


(^Funny-faced fountain.^)


(^Rawr!^)


Stay tuned for: Junkin Tips! Local Arkansas thrifty hot spots! Whimsy!

5 comments:

  1. I enjoyed reading your story, love your writing style. Please share more.

    I also love estate sales. This house looks super cool. Bet it was fun going through all the rooms. Sometime we sould go together. Just give me a call and I will be there!

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  2. Damn, girl. Your a great writer. Keep it up. Looking forward to seeing more.

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  3. @Jonda, thank you for cross-posting! I go pretty much every weekend I can/that there's good sales going. We should keep an eye out for good ones in your area!

    @Shea, thank you! I appreciate the complement as I basically write the same way I talk. :)

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  4. was it anna parks? just curious. great story.

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  5. Kayla, apparently her name is Anna Harper; I don't see her sales in LR too often (either that or she's been sequestered for the last 10 months in this ridiculous house). You know someone in the biz? And thanks. :D

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