I MAKE BIG PROFITS BUYING AND SELLING USED FURNITURE

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Try to arrive at each of the events you attend at least a half hour early, and preferably a full hour. This will give you ample time to inspect the merchandise. I recommend that you carry a pad and pen and write down the names of the items you're likeliest to buy (and what prices you're prepared to pay for them) as you walk around. These notes may keep you from paying more than you should for an item during the excitement of bidding. (It's been known to happen!)

When the appointed time comes, the auctioneer will step forward and loudly announce that he is going to begin. He'll state the terms and methods he will use, and the general order of what he's going to sell first and the items he'll get to last. Then he'll stutter and stammer, wheeze and holler until the item on the block (be it a table, hay wagon, or whatever) is sold to the highest bidder.

The main thing to remember is to stay alert and pay close attention to what's being bidded upon. You'll be amazed, sometimes, at how fast the bidding will be. If you're not quick enough-or vocal enough-your bid may go unnoticed ... or you may find that you've bought a rusty old washtub instead of that nice oak rocker you had your eye on. So stay on your toes!

Also, when you do manage to get that final bid in, be sure to jot down the name of the item-and your final offer-on the back of your bidding card. Do this each time you "buy" a piece, so that you'll be able to keep track of your total spending as the night (or afternoon) wears on.

ANOTHER GOOD SOURCE OF INVENTORY: ESTATE SALES

An "estate sale" occurs when someone decides — for whatever reason (divorce, death, etc.) — to sell everything that isn't bolted down in a home. More often than not, the house's owner will hire a professional to do the pricing (all items at these events are pre-priced right where they sit) and conduct the sale. For this reason, the goods sold at estate sales are often no less expensive than the equivalent items would be in an antique shop.

It's sad but true: Estate sales are becoming more and more a seller's market every day ... mainly because of the throngs of people that flock to these gatherings at the first sight of an ad in the paper. Still, if you have a sharp eye and you're in the right place at the right time, you can make some good buys at these events.

The best estate sales to go to (from the standpoint of low prices) are those that are little advertised and which occur in small towns. Arrive at these sales either very early, when there is still a lot of unsold merchandise, or very late (when many buyers have gone home, causing the prices of the few remaining unsold items — in many cases — to be cut in half).

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