# trying to sell



## Juriathe (Jul 4, 2011)

Hey fellow LBers,
I have a question. I'm in a position finally to try selling my woodworks and I'm wondering if anyone has some advice or tips to help me do this. I'm listing smaller items on various sites, like Esty. the bigger things in Craigslist, and rented a booth at a local flea market. 
My husband recently got laid off and my job's not too stable,either. We are looking at this as a job, not a hobby, now. I could seriously use pointers that could make this more of a success. I realize it's not a get-rich-quick plan. 
Oh, and " start job-hunting" is the first thing we did..LOL..so no need to offer that "pointer".

Thanks in advance

Juri.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Keep exact records. What about sales tax at a flea market?

Did I say keep exact records?
Bill


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## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

Start looking for some wholesale or consignment gigs. Wine shops, fancy kitchen stores, coffee shops, etc. (Depending on what's appropriate for what you make) That will help out a lot in the process of getting your name out there.. and the chances that they keep you in mind later when they want something custom are also a bit better.


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## dkirtley (Mar 11, 2010)

Well, the first thing I would suggest is to get the materials costs down and keep operating costs low. How's that for obvious? I wouldn't get too excited about anything that requires shipping. That is a major expense in money and time unless you can get compensated for packing.

I see your posted projects are mainly from pine. Honestly, that is going to be a hard sell as stained wood. Even though pine has a long history in furniture, people are snobs about it. I would go for painted finishes.

If I were going for quick turnover, I would focus on things like baby stuff and kids stuff. Changing tables, small sized furniture. The big stuff is fine but not something I would build on speculation unless it was something I wanted to live with. You are going to have a hard time with regular cabinet/furniture competing with people that have big production facilities and crews.

Were I trying to make a long term living at it, I would go for something like green woodlworking (look up J. Alexander and Peter Follansbee as examples) and learn to make Windsor chairs and the like. Good solid stuff that doesn't really go out of fashion and people use. Doesn't cost a lot in materials and tools.


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## DrDirt (Feb 26, 2008)

Take a look and read through closetguy's blog -
he has two (big ones) One on craft fairs - - which may translate well for the flea markets and another about etsy and online selling. Covers a lot of the trials and success' he has had.

http://lumberjocks.com/closetguy/blog

I would worry about the flea market side depending on what you are selling…. as the flea market buyer is the consummate bargain hunter, so making profit can be pretty tough selling "new creations"


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

Get your sales and use license immediately and declare yourself a business, if you do not already done so. Helps you set up wholesale accounts for supplies. Assume you are working out of your house - take a look into the insurance aspects. 
Concentrate on the higher end markets in your area. I live in SE Tennessee, and the same wooden box in my county can sell for twice as much on the North Shore area of Chattanooga. 
Selling cheap will bring in cheap buyers. I sell more guitars now that I raised my pricing to people who don't chisel me as much. They do, however, expect almost perfection. 
Make your products look as high end as possible, pay attention to detail, knowing that discretionary spending in this economy is very low. 
Spend some time thinking out of the box. I know a fellow who made some nice coin making working tool chests out of exotic woods. Never saw anything like it. You know a jewelry box might be out of exotic woods, but a tool box? Commanded a premium price, mostly bought by females for their husbands.
Don't make anything a person can go to a Target or similar store and buy. Unique as possible.
Good luck!


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## Juriathe (Jul 4, 2011)

thanks for the input, guys.

I'll be posting up to date pics soon of some of the stuff we make. If I buy wood, yes, it's usually pine because I don't want to practice on expensive woods. Mostly we use pallet woods which makes it hard to know what kind of wood we have at any given time. We look for nice graining for most stuff; heavy/coarser grains are saved for things we'll paint. We have some really good sources of free wood to reclaim. Because of the unknown qualities, we don't make cutting boards or anything that would involve food, and we normally finish the piece to seal it.

We aren't into fine stuff, yet, I'm afraid. Boxes, benches,bookcases, and pet furniture is more our current style at present. Basic stuff that is only interesting due to design variations and finishes.

I'm gonna go read closetguy's blog now..LOL.. Once again, thanks, guys !!


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## Juriathe (Jul 4, 2011)

ok, I knew LJ's were good at helping but… as soon as I settled back in the shop today hubby got a call to return to work. YAYYYYYYYYYYYY !! Amazing !! Still, I'm taking this as a sign so I'm still continuing with my plans in case such a thing happens again. I'd rather be ready than scrambling. It just takes the urgency away. Now I can go back to enjoying our crafting rather than calculating what each item or idea might be worth to someone else.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

I've been rolling the same thing over in my mind but I haven't committed myself. I come up with Etsy, my website, craft fairs, and consignment shops. I'm afraid that I might take out some of the pleasure if I started building stuff to sell. I might be forced to do it if and when I retire.

helluvawreck
https://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## Juriathe (Jul 4, 2011)

yes, I've checked with a local Peddler's Mall, too. It's promising, I think. I could sort of store stuff there, and if it sells, great; but 80$ a month just to see if anyone likes our projects enough to buy makes it expensive "storage".


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

$80 a month expensive?

We rent a 10X12 storage unit for $60/mo. No electric, water or sewer or heat.

$80 a month sounds cheap to me.

We use to do flea marketing full time where my wife sold antique glassware. Our 12 X20 space was $400/month in South carolina.


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

there is a few blogs series here on L J about running a busyness 
who beside Big Tiny that did them I can´t remember now 
but his was a good serie …. you can learn a big deal from

one advise from me though is sit down and talk freely with all your ideas of what you 
want to make write them down and narrow them down to a few to start with 
you can allways add new thingas to it …. little like getting specialized 
do make them exsteamly well in the way they shuold be in the upper end of 
what the market expect in the income groupe you want to sell to

it doesn´t matter if it take a weekend or 3 month before you come up with a busyness plan 
with what you want to make , where to start , and what goals have you , whats the big dream 
just be honest to yourself and remember the big goal for a year has to be devided 
with 12 month and every month devided with 4 = a tiny goal has to be acomplished weekly
every week sit down and talk about what have you done and whats next 
plan forward so you don´t stand monday morning missing materials 
every month or every third month hold a strategy meating about how does it go 
do we follow the plan are you behind or better yet ahead of the plan 
so you always know where you are and in timely can adjust the schedule or change direction

but read Big Tinys blogs and the others here on L J 
and you will learn to avoid the biggest mistakes …. they are so expencive to make 

good luck 
Dennis


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Like Dennis said there are a great number of blogs and topics here on Ljs that ask the same thing ,they are very detailed and have great suggestions.,


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

The secret in selling is quite simple ( BUYING) if you can make it or buy it at the right price you can always sell it if not then prepare to learn to quickly.You will make mistakes don't be discouraged too quickly otherwise you won't last.Anyway best wishes to you. Now buy smart and take your time with selling at a good profit.Theres a lot of bluff when buying and selling. you need to learn the game that's all.I am trying to get my son into buying and selling. Alistair


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## Juriathe (Jul 4, 2011)

Tennessee, I've been trying to figure out what might sell the best around here in middle KY. I don't get out much to look around because my job has me working Fridays through Monday, so no flea markets or craft fairs to browse through. ( I'm currently on 30 days leave, so trying to make the most of it ) I agree that asking higher prices for well-made items is probably best, as you stated.

Scotsman, I think my biggest handicap is being a scrooge..err..bargain-hunter, myself. I tend to want to price things in the range I'd be willing to pay. This is a handicap ! I've bought several houses for under 5k, and never pay more than 2,500 for a car. 
I know my wood is free, but the labor we put into reclaiming it has a dollar value, along with gas costs and tools/equipment and consumables like nails, screws, paint and finishes. An artist once told me a good rule of thumb for pricing is cost of supplies plus 20 %. Does that sound reasonable for woodworking ? Hubby says he sweats over this too much for a mere 20 %...lol.

I think I've been reading so much stuff that I'm confusing myself.

Dennis, I think you have a good idea there. I do feel like a pup chasing it's tail some days. Hence my tagline. We are building our house as we live in it; refurbishing my parents house, have a project house on hold, plus working in our own shop as we can. Suddenly feeling like it was the only game in town had me rattled. I do need a focus point. Specializing might be a good thing.

Thanks again, guys, for all the input !


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

Pricing goods properly isn't easy but the concept is pretty simple once the numbers are broken down.

First you'll need to figure out how many hours a week you'll have to devote to the business venture. Secondly, determine how much profit is needed to make it financially viable. Divide the dollars by the hours and you'll have the minimum profit per hour that you have to get for your work.

To get the actual price of the product determine how much time is needed to create it then add expenses on top. Don't forget that as a business owner you'll have to pay the self employment tax so figure that into the cost of doing business too. Also try to figure out overhead if possible. Overhead includes the time spent doing non-productive work.

Once you've got the cost of the product then you can do some research to see if your stuff is marketable at that price. If it isn't, then you'll need to see what can change. Either expenses or hours have to decrease or the price needs to increase.

My own rough ballpark figure for my work is 33% for tax, 33% for materials and 34% for my profit. However, since I do high-end custom work the numbers vary quite a bit. Often my profits exceed materials quite a bit since quality work is labor intensive.

As one more bit of advice, don't allow a gut level reaction sway you away from pricier materials. Bear in mind that time equals money and sometimes spending a little more on materials results in a much nicer product without additional investment in time. Pine may be cheap but you need to be sure that you aren't dropping the value of your goods too much by going that route.

Another idea is to think small. When projects are small, it is often possible to use the highest quality materials without causing a significant increase in expenses. Pen turning seems to fall in this category. People say that pens made from fancy exotics tend to sell better than ones made from cheap woods.


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## MNgary (Oct 13, 2011)

I certainly don't have the answers, but I do have a lot of thoughts on self-employment and woodworking.

While pricing based upon cost of materials, time, & depreciation of equipment is one route; I recommend an alternative. First, think of a finished product within your ability level and available equipment. Next, research what people would be willing to pay for it. Finally, decide if you want to produce it after considering your time and costs.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

If you want to hustle, get good at shabby chic and faux painting
type effects. Don't focus on working wood…. buy old stuff
and repurpose or re-combine elements. Hit flea markets with
your stuff, give out a lot of cards because the flee market becomes
a showroom that will drive inquiries about custom work.

You can put pieces on consignment in coffee shops and gift
stores. Try nurseries too. Focus on quick, rustic and shabby.

Most people don't own custom made fine furniture not because
they don't like it but because they can't afford it. Find a way
to crank out affordable pieces (I just told you how) and you'll
sell stuff. Some people like totally beat-up furniture and providing
it to them gets you off the hook in so many ways.


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## MrsN (Sep 29, 2008)

I didn't read super close, so I appoligize if this was mentioned.

You are using re-claimed wood so use that to your advantage. people love being green, re-purposing, recycling re-claiming are all awesome tag lines to use. Do a little research and get good at talking the talk, many people who like green stuff wont buy from someone only green for the money.


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## Juriathe (Jul 4, 2011)

great suggestions, guys ! thanks bunches.

JA, the idea of 34% as my profit made blink; I knew keeping good records was the first point made on here. I wondered how to allow for the taxes.

Loren, I love repurposing stuff but I don't know if I'd be good at the shabby chic concept from what I've seen others creating. I have a towel rack at my outdoor shower made simply of old barn wood and cedar branches. Silly thing works great but I'm not sure I'd bring it to a sale for fear of getting laughed out. It's definately "rustic" ! I can make affordable yard furniture, so far. I have one piece I keep tinkering with that I'll post soon. It's sort of a Morris chair crossed with an Adarondack only it has arching legs. ( wood magazine plans ). It's so neat.

MrsN, we are definately "green" here. www.builditsolar.com is one of my fav sites. Recycling and repurposing is intergrated into our lifestyle.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Well, you have to find a balance you know. People may not
go for rustic and barn-woody in the bathroom because they
want that room to feel clean and sanitary, but in another
room it might be charming. People are emotional in why they
buy and there are easier things to sell than furniture.

You can order legs from mail order suppliers or have a local 
turner with a copy leg or carver make them for you in sets,
then paint them up with milk paint and a crackle finish and
a glaze, etc. Make some skirts and do that the same then
the table top you make out of natural wood and beat it
up good and then finish clear. You tell them it's "reclaimed" 
and maybe the top is but the legs and skirts and the
paint work is orchestrated for emotional impact.


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## KarenW (May 29, 2012)

You've gotten some great replies in this thread! Not much I can add except this (and I apologize if someone's already mentioned it and I missed it). You have to figure out what people want to buy. I know that's a simple statement and some will be reading this saying, "yeah, duh, no kidding" but it's essential that you find a few things people want consistently rather than trying to do 50 different things in hopes that someone will be willing to lay down the cash for it. Then factor in time - materials are one thing, taxes another but your time is what you're actually making (or what you're actually getting paid for).

I work in partnership with an unfinished furniture store with a large variety of things and I can tell you what their best sellers are-bookcases, end tables, coffee tables and one door pantries. Their outdoor furniture sells extremely well too but the bookcases and pantries go out the door as fast as they come in.

Best of luck to you and your hub! I know what a leap of faith it is to strike out on your own with this when so much is riding on your success!


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## Juriathe (Jul 4, 2011)

Karen, I agree ! One thing I love about LJ is how friendly and helpful everyone is. I have a friend who works at Big Lots in the furniture dept and she has told me bookcases always sell there. I look at what they sell; cheap stuff. Cardboard backs, pressed wood. I know ours' aren't that kind. I love to read so I have a need for them as well, so I feel like I know what a good bookcase needs to be. Thanks for the tips.

Loren, I think that's a good idea, too. My goal is to earn enough to buy a lathe from Harbor Freight once the bills are paid…LOL. My reward to myself. I've never learned to use those faux finishes. Are they hard to use? Most of the things we make look store bought new by the time we are done.


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

Taxes are a real bear to figure out for business the first time it's done. It's also painful if you don't know about the self employment tax ahead of time since you'll start by thinking that income taxes are the biggest item on the tax return and find out that for low income businesses that isn't the case.

The 33% estimate I use is pretty good for a business that's not pulling in 6 figure profits. It wouldn't hurt to do some research though to get a solid idea of what you'll actually be filing on your returns. I got started with the book Self-Employed Tax Solutions by June Walker. It's very down to earth and geared towards individuals that need to keep their tax approach as simple as possible. It won't turn anyone into a tax expert but it helped me get through my first tax return as a business owner. A library should have something like that but I recommend staying away from the 600 page tomes.

Hiring an accountant to do the actual filing may still be advisable but I did my own for a few years just because I like knowing the details of the business finances.

An interesting thing about faux painting is that some techniques that look fancy don't require special materials at all. Faux marble can be done with assorted colors of leftover household paints. Apply a base color then add veining slowly with multiple applications. Apply a clearcoat of water based finish over the paint to give it shine. Like everything else it takes practice but it helps if you ever get a chance to watch someone do it. Properly done, it's hard for the average person to tell it apart from the real thing.


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## lunn (Jan 30, 2012)

Location, location, location, Add something else besides wood that people are interested in. Also look around at the types of homes. For me log homes all over the place. So anything rustic sells from barnwood picture frames to pye safes.


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## Puzzleman (May 4, 2010)

Hello. You have been given a lot of good ideas of what to make. Making and pricing the product is only half of the battle. You have to learn how to sell your product.

For example, If I were you, I would never tell anyone that I use pallet wood. first off, they make think that is a type of tree and not realize that it comes from old pallets. Sell it by" I only use 100% reclaimed, recycled wood. By using this wood I keep good woods from filling landfills."

You will also need to show your enthusiasm for your products. Talk to your customers about what they like and don't like. The best ways to do this is to do craft and art shows. Don't go after the little shows. You want to sell to people with money so look for shows in areas that have a high average income. I personally try to only do shows with a minimum of 75K average income in the surrounding area. You can find this info on the web. Ask lots of questions about your products to people who come in and if they give a flat response, take that as a no. People don't want to tell you no to your face. This is how I develop new products and update existing ones. In fact, I ask people if they have a minute to give me their opinion about a new idea I am working on. I tell them that it is still in prototype stage and I want their input and opinions. I have gotten good info about ideas and have killed some of them because of no interest. Not all of my ideas are good for my customers.

Sorry to go on so long but in addition to the great info about pricing and profits (which is very important), being a sales person is hard to do. It was the hardest thing for me to learn and I am still learning at it. At shows, people will buy from me not because of the product but because they like me. Don't sit in the back of the booth, but stand up and talk to people as soon as they enter. Say hello or another greeting to every person who comes in. When no one is in your booth, greet people walking by. You might get someone to stop and look in. Then if they stop, someone else will wonder what they are looking at and will stop as well. Then when they look, ask their opinion of how to make it better. Let them know that you are new, just starting out and value their opinion. Make them feel important to your work. This is called test marketing. You will be surprised at the feedback and maybe the sales as well.

I have been doing shows full time for over 10 years and know several others who do it full time as well. Salesmanship is very important to all of us. If you watch, the people making the sales at the shows are talking to their customers and the ones who don't talk to their customer, won't make sales.

Remember that making the product is about the customer, not you. They will only buy what they like. No matter how great YOU think it is, if the customer doesn't like it, they won't buy it. The goal is for them to buy it. I do some products that I would not put in my house, but my customers love them and pay me money for them. I am not stupid, I make them and sell them.

Sorry for the ramble, but I am really big on talking with customers and making sales. Remember that they people on this forum are not your customers. Your customers have no clue about this forum.


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## Juriathe (Jul 4, 2011)

Jim, thanks for the advice; I didn't think it was a ramble at all ! I do know from personal experience that the vendors who sit back talking to each other or friends and ignore me browsing their stuff makes me feel unwelcome at their booth, as if I were an intruder. I once overheard a vendor telling another that she wished people who weren't buying would just " stay the hell home ". That was rude, plus detrimental to her business. I was actually interested in an item.

Setting out to hit the fairs in higher income areas just makes sense, doesn't it? I hadn't even thought of that aspect. One thing I do wonder is how to locate these shows/fairs. I've tried researching but I often only find after the event information. Are there lists a person can find, or mailing lists I can get on ? I have met many people who have made livings doing things like renfaires, rendezvous, and powwows their entire life and envied them. I'd like to do this, too, with my crafts. It's scarey to cut loose from "normal" work/paycheck to pursue this interest despite having thought about it for years.

When I started this thread I was under a lot of stress with the need to make it work as fast as possible. Now I can breathe again and invest time in getting things organized. I have things I've made as gifts for friends that were going on the block instead. These things were designed for a specific person. I had no idea if they'd sell, but I was bound to try. Now that things have balanced out again, I want to get started more than ever because I don't like how fast the bottom dropped out from under us this time.

I sincerely appreciate everyone who stopped to read this thread and give some advice. I know you have all given me things to research and think about, and I hope anyone else who is trying to do this finds this thread helpful as well.


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

I haveta add my pair o' pennies after Puzzleman's post.

He's right.

My wife is the salesperson in our family. I'm not and we both know it. She enjoys talking to people, believes in the products she sells and knows what she is talking about when she discusses the product.

Have you ever been to a flea market or festival stand where the vendor was sitting there talking to a buddy and when you walked in didn't even acknowledge the fact of your presence? Did you buy from that vendor or just pass on out of the booth?
Customers want to be recognized, not ignored and made to feel that they are imposing. Even though I'm not good at sales, I greet every customer and let them know that I'm there to help THEM. 
It would behoove you to look to the successful sellers you meet at several places. Talk with them for awhile, especially while they have customers coming in and out. You get a real education while watching successful sellers.
Go talk to some used car salesmen to get an idea of how to treat customers. Yeah, I know, "Used Car Salesman" Ugggghhhhh! But they sell or they don't continue in business. They may know something you don't.

On the topic of what to make…. ummmm,

I have a friend that makes what I would delicately, like to call 'Statuary' inspired by the Kama-Sutra. She uses exotic woods and makes a bundle, (in the high $30K range per year, net).

Another person I know makes something similar, (I won't elucidate), and only does in the $10K range per year.

Both go to the same places to sell, but the difference is in the projection, packaging and personality.

I'm not recommending this venue for you, but want you to look at what you are comfortable selling that you can believe in.

Good Luck!

DF

-30-

edit

Find these helpful hopefully.

http://www.festivalfinder.com/
http://www.bluesfestivalguide.com/
http://www.southfest.com/
http://www.artandcrafts.com/


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## Juriathe (Jul 4, 2011)

Dallas, thanks for the pennies' worth ! I understand what kind of venue they are selling and I admit to a few such statues myself; just basic clay, and I'd make them if people wanted them…LOL. I like art in many forms, so it's cool. My overall goal before I die is to carve a life size carousel horse. Ok, a small horse, not a Clydesdale. Anything up to that point is warming up to that.

I've been thinking about horse tack since I was a race horse handler for 27 years and I know the business inside and out. Tack boxes, equipment totes, saddle and bridle racks; blanket racks. Bandage boxes, wall boxes ( cabinets ) for the liniments the groom needs for his horses. What I'm not certain of is how to market them. Most race tracks have tack shops that order these things for the stables.

My husband was in sales many, many moons ago and always says if you can get an item in a customer's hands, you are more likely to make the sale. Sort of like the used car guy urging you " to take 'er for a spin". The ones who won't touch it I suppose you just be friendly with and hope they come by again.

I thank you for the links and the advice. I'll check them out.


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

You bought houses for 5k is that a misprint or what?Alistair


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## Doss (Mar 14, 2012)

*SCOTSMAN*, speaking for *Alistair*, I'll say it's not a misprint. I watch foreclosed, tax forfeit, etc. housing all the time and see some properties go for as low as $1500 (in my neck of the woods, we're anywhere from $75-175 sq ft with most houses at 1000-2500 sq ft).

Most of these properties are in dire straights or in need of repair, but as investment properties they're usually pretty good. Even the ones that sell at 25-50k aren't bad investments.


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## Juriathe (Jul 4, 2011)

not a misprint. we've bought houses for 1$ to $3500. The place we live at now, and are building our own home on, we paid 700$ an acre for 5 acres of old woods. If you can do the work it's great. We have to hire out the electrical since neither of us are certified electricians, but carpentry, drywalling, installing kitchen cabinets, yep, I love it. Add being able to create my own custom cabinets and it's a woodcrafting dream….. or nightmare..lol.

You have to go in with your eyes and mind wide open. It's not a 6 week flip that we do; some houses take us a while. Our current project house is months away from a selling date. It's more a hobby for us, but one heck of a learning experience. It's more fun than a big box of Lincoln Logs, with Tinker Toys tossed in on the side. You have to be aware of many things like back taxes, or things that won't meet code and are expensive to bring up to standards. Our current project house had an outhouse and no running water on the entire street, for instance. Teaming up with neighbors, we privately ran the water lines a half mile to get city water on the street ( $ 1500 per house ). No septic system ( $ 4500 ); no footer under the piers-still dealing with that, four piers at a time. That doesn't even touch the inside. Kitchen floor dropped 10 inches due to the failing piers; celebrated the day we got that floor back up and leveled.

Still, for 3500$ you can do a lot and still make a profit. Eventually. We do this out of our pockets, no mortgages, so we work slower.

use IE and check out www.realtor.com My browser is Opera and realtor doesn't work with it. Put in any zipcode you want to search houses. Starting price $1.00, ending price high as you dare; I usually set that at $20,000.


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## Puzzleman (May 4, 2010)

Hell Juriathe. I have found the website Festival Network Online very helpful. Lots of venues and tons of information about the shows. How to find high income areas? Simple way is to google the zip code with the words " median income". You will get the information. I have found several shows this way. Another way that I have found shows, is that when traveling to a show I went through Dallas. Noticed that at one exit ramp there were several luxury car dealers. When I got home, I found the zip code, googled it and the numbers were good. Then went to FNO and looked for shows within 20 miles of that zip code. I found a show that none of my friends were aware of, with over 250k attendance and a median income over 75k. That show is a good show and I am building a clientele in that area.

Another way to find good shows is to attend a show, find a vendor who is busy with customers and wait till their done. Explain your situation and you are wanting to know what shows they do. Another way to find shows is to look at other crafters websites. Most of them will list the shows where we will be. You can check out my list on my website.

I think you are doing the right thing in not slowing down on this avenue and get it up and going by counting on yourself instead of waiting for someone else to say you are done.


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## Juriathe (Jul 4, 2011)

Puzzleman, thanks for the ideas. I'm certainly going to check out the FNO. The info about the zip codes is great. I browsed through the links Dallas posted and found some likely shows and more info. I'll see what I can dredge up using your ideas as well.

I did decide to rent a space at the local Peddler's Mall right next to the Corvette Plant to set up my projects and use Craigslist to advertise the projects. We live in the sticks so it'll make it easier for people to find and hopefully buy if they choose. I can check on it weekly and add more stock, or pick through what's there to take to shows as well. It'll take some time to build up an inventory. Up until now I've pretty much done " one and done ".

Hubby wants to make children's furniture, too. He's been wanting to build those picnic tables that make a bench but the back folds over to make a table? in adult and children's sizes.

I do plan on taking the advice to do some projects in more expensive woods to add that quality to our works. We are lucky that in KY there are lumber mills all over the place and I've already priced maple, oak, and walnut; rough cut, by the board foot. We have a bench planer so we can finish it ourselves.

I feel like that line from "I,Robot" right now. " I am programmed to respond but first you must ask the right question". LOL. I've wanted to do something like this for years but didn't know how to proceed. Asking the right question here gave me a lot to work with.
Thank you all so much !


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