What is the best way to sell antique furniture? In today's market there are many places that one might attempt to sell antiques. The first place would be a garage sale, or an estate sale, but these places are filled with treasures that are just decaying or need a good cleaning. Many people will have inherited their old antique furniture from both parents, some from grandparents and other family members. Then there are the pawn shops, and the flea markets, but these places can also be overwhelming and can be confusing in terms of what to sell, how much to sell it for, and what condition it is in.

Knowing what to sell antique furniture for is important before putting your furniture up for bid. If you are unsure about whether or not the items you have are worth selling then you could consider visiting local auctions or garage sales in your area. At an auction you can find buyers who are willing to pay more than you might expect, and at a garage sale you can find buyers who are willing to spend less than you might think. Some collectors choose to buy entire families of furniture from a wholesaler and then turn around and sell it themselves, although this way requires a lot more work on their part.

Now you know what to sell antique furniture for, the next step is to figure out what price to ask for it. There are many ways you can do this, and you should give some thought to how the price fits into your lifestyle. For example, if you have a comfortable living space and enjoy spending time relaxing with your family, then you may want to list your furniture for more than someone with a small and cramped house. On the same note, if you have a large family who likes to come and go between homes, then you may want to list your antique for far below its true value. Keep in mind however that if you are in a buying mood, then you may be inclined to offer more than you should for your precious possessions, so you need to be aware of this when considering how much to pay.

The next question you need to answer when learning how to sell your antique for top dollar is 'What condition is my item in?' This question may seem self-explanatory, but you would be surprised how many people don't ask this question. You really only need to look through the history of furniture in order to answer this question. Usually items were stored in a dust-free environment for years until they became antique, which means they were left in pretty much the same condition they were when they were first put out on the market. If you want to list your item for top dollar, don't forget to examine the surface of your item closely to determine if it is in great shape.

Another important aspect to answering the question 'How to sell my antique for top dollar' is to determine antique furniture evaluation. Most antique dealers charge based on the year, piece number and grade (which can also be done by hand, although I would recommend using software) and most online dealers will allow you to enter a base price and a range of prices from which you can negotiate. Use these values in your negotiations with potential buyers and be sure that you understand how to use the keywords terms they are likely to enter into the search engine so that you do not waste time looking for the right terms when someone searches for antiques using keywords such as "old pine furniture" or "hand crafted oak cabinets."

Selling your items for top dollar will require patience on your part. You will probably have to set aside five to ten hours in order to find buyers and although many antique dealers will be willing to wait, it is up to you to pry them out of their comfort zone and into the arms of a willing buyer. The last thing you want to do is alienate any potential buyers while trying to close a deal. Keep these tips in mind the next time you start feeling frustrated during a turn-around with an old purchase.