Brace yourself for the truth about furniture

Furniture feels like a part of our wealth. We spend a lot of money on many of the items in our homes, because good furniture isn’t cheap. Heck, lousy, particle-board-with-plastic-laminate-that-won’t-last-two-years furniture can be expensive.  But, when we move—especially into smaller quarters- we find that no one wants to buy our furniture for very much money.

The joy I had in buying my daughter’s college couch for $20 on Facebook Marketplace quickly dissipates when I’m on the other end of the buyer/seller market.  That was a GREAT couch for $20. But that means the last owners basically gave it away to us for that price.  And, it turns out, it wasn’t because they were good people (although they seemed to be that, too). It was because the market just can’t handle high prices for typical “used” furniture.  Have a chair Louis XVI sat on? OK, call Sotheby’s. But have a chair in pristine condition that you bought last year which won’t fit in the new home? The market is less excited. 

Add to that, tastes have changed. That big, heavy, carved oak sideboard and china cabinet you brought back, at great expense, from when you lived in Germany likely won’t get many high-price offers when you don’t have the space for them in your new home.  Your kids and grandkids may love that furniture in your house because they are part of being “home.” But many just can’t see moving the same furniture to their house. Nor can their peers in the greater community. 

Then, there’s the “it’s in great shape, but…” conversation.  Does it need to be reupholstered or fixed? In many cases, a quality reupholstery job costs as much as new a mid-grade replacement (or a lot more than a good find on Marketplace).  Is there a BBQ sauce stain on it that didn’t bother you, but someone else may wonder about its provenance? Compounding the problem, there are even fewer buyers who will buy something that needs to be fixed.

Here’s a real bummer: some furniture is just out of date.  No one wants an entertainment center anymore. Because today’s TVs are almost the opposite of their 1990-2000s counterparts—the biggest TVs of the era had very deep CRTs to allow for the larger screen surface area. Now, with our super-thin, wall-mounted TVs, these large pieces of furniture just don’t make sense in most people’s homes.  Just like some of us may have eschewed telephone stands and armoires of our parents and grandparents, today’s consumer is less interested in furnishings such as magazine racks, vanity tables, and file cabinets. 

When Susan’s parents were moving last year, neither the antique and quality home furnishings buyer wanted a beloved china cabinet and the movers were talking about sawing it in half just to move it, given how heavy and unwanted they are in today’s market. 

There are exceptions to this rule, of course.  Marketplace, eBay, and other resale options are the choice of budget-conscious individuals, so if your furniture is in good shape and not outdated (think CD rack), there’s a reasonable chance you can sell it if the thought if it being disposed of is unpalatable. Just be prepared to not get what you expect financially.  Instead, revel in the knowledge that it lives on with another family. 

Other exceptions? Furniture does come in and out of fashion—so if you’re lucky, you may have pieces that are prized by current collectors.  Mid-century modern, which I outfitted my first apartment with in the 90s from thrift stores for pennies, has had a comeback for a few years—and experts say that it’s “timeless” so supposedly will hold its value for a while.

Bottomline:  Most of our furniture won't be worth as much as we think it should be on the second-hand furniture market.  But do your homework if you have pristine furniture from a distinct era—there may be an unexpected market. And then regardless of what happens, be prepared to accept that you got your money’s worth by enjoying it in your home.

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