by Cheryl M. Keyser + photos by Jason Turner
BIDDING FOR BARGAINS
AT LOCAL ESTATE SALES, SAVVY BIDDERS CAN SCORE AUCTION BARGAINS, AMAZING COLLECTIBLES AND ONE-OF-A-KIND FINDS.
All of the personal property was laid out along the entrance to the old farmhouse— boxes stuffed with everything from artificial flowers and Christmas decorations, to household appliances, family photos and books— all the“ stuff” that once filled the homes of the two families whose goods were now up for auction. Buyers milled around, examining items and exchanging information.
This was an on-site estate sale in Waynesboro, Pa. Most of the sale’ s items are personal property,“ normal household furnishings that anyone would have,” says Tom Bikle, director of marketing and real estate for Cochran Auctions in Boonsboro. Cochran sells up and down the mid-Atlantic, from South Carolina to New York, and even as far away as Texas.“ We have six buildings on 26 acres outside Boonsboro,” says Tom,“ and we use them all.”
TV shows and news reports aside, the chances of discovering an overlooked treasure that would equal hitting the lottery at an estate sale is not that common.“ The really good finds are quite rare,” says Donna Neilands, an experienced auction buyer of more than 20 years.“ When someone passes away or enters a nursing home, and their property is sold, these are known in the trade as‘ compelling reason auctions,’” she says, and they draw the biggest crowds nationwide, adds Tom. Family members often rid themselves of higher-quality pieces, and buyers know that the best items will go under the gavel.
56 March / April 2013 Hagerstown: The Best of Life in Washington County & Beyond