Summertime is the perfect time for cleaning out the garage. Most of us have a bunch of stuff lying around that we’re not using anymore, and summer offers us the perfect opportunity not only to clear out the garage and find that rubbish, but also sell a bunch of your goods for cash that is otherwise wasted. Just a quick drive around town will show you that a ton of other people are doing the same thing. There’s always garage sales all over the city on weekends, and a quick glance at craigslist confirms that there’s lot of traffic for used goods at the moment. So if you’re in the position where you want to get rid of some goods, or if you want to take advantage of the influx of others’ items, here are three tips for craigslist to help you get the most of the season.

Explain Why You Are Selling

When you go to post your craigslist ad, let people know why you are selling the product. Getting rid of a bike in the middle of summer? Say it’s because you just upgraded to a new bike, or because you just don’t ride it anymore. The one thing you don’t want to do is to say that you are selling your goods because you are moving. When people know you are moving they’ll know that you are in the tough spot of having to get rid of these items before you move. You put a timeline on yourself and the item’s availability. If you give the appearance of having all the time in the world, you’ll have a better chance of getting a fair offer for your item.

Take Advantage of Others’ Time Constraints

Of course, you can turn that around on other people. If you see that there’s an item for sale because someone is moving, try to take advantage of the fact that they’re stuck getting rid of it. Wait until near the end of the month, and offer them a low ball offer. Give them your cell phone number if they change their mind. Even if they don’t get what they want for their goods, most people would rather get something back and see their stuff get used by someone else rather than see it get trashed. This can be especially obvious in college and university towns, where there’s an annual turn over as students come and go, a lot of them moving across the country and unable to move their beds, bikes, or cars.

Overprice Your More Valuable Goods

Sick of receiving those low ball offers? On your items that are worth more than $50 or so, add a premium on top of the asking price you have had included. That way even the low ball offers are within the realm of your ideal purchase price. Of course, you run the risk of simply never getting an offer, but if you’re in no rush to sell, then this can definitely help by just waiting for someone to look for a “good deal”. This usually won’t work if there’s other people that have the same or similar items up for sale at a significantly lower price, so do some market research before you try this. Sometimes overpricing your goods makes people think that your item is more valuable than the others that are listed – perhaps they assume it’s in better condition or newer. So if you have time to wait before the sale, try to put it up with a premium first, just to see if it the price is worth it to someone else.

What tips do you have for craigslist sales or purchases?