Imaginarium train table flip

Like the color of the leaves peaking in the fall, the garage sales are likewise peaking. Just two weeks ago, there were so many sales that I actually could not get to every one! An unfathomable act for the Dude, but it just wasn't mathematically possible given the overwhelming amount of sales. Because of this saturation, I ended up missing about half of the yard sales. This is another one of of my garage sale pet peeves. Sellers don't seem to realize they're reducing the number of customers when they hold a sale during  peak weekends in the fall. If they held their sale earlier or later in the season, more people would show up! But that's a discussion for another day. Even though on this particular Saturday I couldn't get to them all, the ones I did get to produced some excellent scores!

Imagine this!

One of those scores was this Imaginarium train table found at a neighborhood yard sale. This table is sold by Imaginarium as a complete set and includes tracks, trains, and buildings. (Some of the pieces are not shown here and were stashed in the storage drawer.) If you've read some of my previous posts, you know I am a big fan of the trains tables, particularly Thomas the Tank and Brio. While this table wasn't Brio, it was pretty much the next best thing. When I spotted this bad boy in a driveway, I zoned right in on it. The thing you always have to watch out for however, is how seller's price their tables. It seems like parents either sell them very cheap in order get them out of their house, or very high, because that's what they paid for the table new. There just never seems to be an in-between when it comes to train table prices.

Knowing this, guess how this seller priced her Imaginarium table? If you said low, you'd be right. When I asked her the price, the lady quoted my $20 dollars. Working under my usual premise that it don't hurt to ask, I came back at her with an offer of ten dollars.  Amazingly, she agreed and the next thing I knew she was helping me load the big table in the back of my truck!

Now the proud owner of another train table, I commenced researching the actual retail price. To my giddy delight, I found "ToysRus" sells the table for $150 big ones! That was all I needed to know. After a few photos of the table in my garage, I posted my find on Craigslist for $125. While you might think that's a little high, I've found that when it comes to buying for their kids, many parents lose all common sense! If their kid wants that adorable train table, then gosh darn it, they'll going to buy it no matter what the price! 

My first prospective buyer did go against that mindset. This dad made an initial, feeble attempt to talk me down, but I was dug in on my price. Realizing this, the guy was on the cusp of buying the table when at the last minute, he cleverly did a little internet research of his own. The frugal dad then attempted to work me down with his new found research, informing that with an on-line coupon, he could buy a new Imaginarium table for about what I was asking for my used one. He then made it sound like he was doing me a hugemongous favor by taking the table off my hands for his offer of $90. I didn't doubt that this frugal dad could get a new table for my price, but I also knew I could easily find another buyer. I responded back in a understanding tone, telling him that buying "new" is always nicer then buying used. Which I don't actually believe, but I wanted to end the negotiations on an upbeat, friendly note. But what that dad didn't factor in was all the painful hours he would spend assembling a new table. By the time his sore, blistered hands turned that last screw, he'll have wished he bought my completely assembled table! 

Fortunately I didn't wait long for another buyer. While I was still e-mailing with ToysRus dad, I also had a mom making inquires about the table. I liked her e-mails much better...no ToysRus price quotes, low ball offers or guilt trips. She only wanted to know when and where her husband could come to pick it up? This mom was my kind of buyer!  I made arrangements to meet her husband at a local convenience store on Sunday morning. When I arrived at the designated time and place, he was waiting for me with arms crossed and a cigarette dangling from his lips. He was a little gruff and not the most personable guy in the world. But I guess I'd be cranky too if my wife made me he get up early to drive nearly an hour for a train table. Despite his shortcomings, I liked the guy very much after he forked over $125 dollars to me! I helped "Grumpy" slide the train table into the back of his mini-van and away he went, smoking and grumbling all the way home!  

So that's how easy a flip can be during the fall garage sale season. I turned ten bucks into $125 dollars in just a few days time.  Kinda makes you wish Fall could last forever, doesn't it?

Have you made any great fall flips? Share your story in the comment section below.....















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