Suggestion on community yard sale.

I heard from my neighbor that the community yard sale was at each seller's home/garage. Homes were marked on a map. I like to share my experience this past Sat at my girlfriend's community yard sale in Arlington. I'm not into yard sales but this was amusing.

Located at a community parking lot. Each seller had 1 parking space which they paid $10. My gf shared it with another friend. I didn't think she could recover her $10. Parking lot was sold out and they had to draw new "parking lanes". I have never seen so much junk in one place in my life - toys, clothes, junk, junk, and more junk...

Well between the two, they sold over $140 of stuff. Keep in mine almost all of her stuff were $.50 to $2, some no more than $5. I couldn't believe what people were buying. The guy next to us had high end crate and barrel furniture and couldn't sell it even tho it was below half what he paid. His stuff was too "nice" for this crowd.

I think it might be a good idea for the next Broadlands community yard sale to have it at the nature center or one of the community parking lot. Broadlands can change a small fee to help pay for clean up or use the funds for an activity later on. I saw that the central location made it easier for the browsers and buyers. Even the sellers where buyers. Kinda made a community social event thing too. I know Broadlands is big but I thought it might make sense to have it at once central location. But it does make it inconvienent for the sellers since all they have to do it step outside their home with their stuff instead of trucking it over to the parking lot.

-Teak

 

This is only the 3rd community yard sale we've had (we haven't had more, have we?). This was the 2nd one I've helped out with. We improve our advertising with each sale. Last fall, we got signs pointing to the maps. This time, I added garage sale signs to some of the areas - to supplement the many put out by residents. Next time, I want to have more signs pointing to the community yard sale (Ashburn Farm, Ashburn Village, 3 Greenway exits, etc..).

This time, the web committee had a great list of houses with items for sale. I think we should try to print this item list to have with the maps instead of just the address list - but there's a space consideration.

This year the flyer offered a central location - at no cost -to interested residents. I think it's a great idea - but we only had about 5 houses sign up for this. And only one family actually came that morning and I don't think one family was quite the draw.

If it's something others are interested in, we can do it again. As we offer it more, more will know about it and it might turn into something like your gf's experience. Your point about lugging all the stuff to one location is valid though, as it was enough for me to get the items from house to street.

Speaking of that, I would like to add a donation drive-through after the sale. In the fall, the yellow bag people were timely in that they came through the Monday after the sale. Not so lucky this spring. Does anyone have a special charity you'd like me to contact to try to arrange this in the fall (September 20th, 2003)?

Remember, the events committee can always use help. If anyone wants to volunteer to help place signs or organize the central location, please contact the events committee, listed in the newsletter front page. The next newsletter is coming to your mailbox at the beginning of June.

Jan Newell (HOA)