How to sell your old appliances for top dollar

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Being a stay at home mom has its limitations, like when it comes to how much you can spend on new items for your home. Recently my husband bought me an amazing LG matching washer and dryer set as a gift this past Christmas (that I am truly grateful for and totally in love with)! There was nothing wrong with my older pair other than they were mismatched (one was a Maytag black front loader and the other was a white standard Amana dryer). My previous washer had died so I was able to get the black Maytag floor model and had been using for several years now.

I’m not gonna lie though, the mismatched washer and dryer was driving this OCD chick insane! So you can imagine how excited I was.

Now, I was faced with a different problem. I have 2 washers and 2 dryers.

I really like to help my husband with anything I can when it comes to finances, and since no one in the family needed a washer or dryer, I knew exactly what to do.

Sell them on Craigslist!

In about 10 days my washer sold and the dryer followed about another week later. Both sold for FULL asking price.

No haggling.

No compromising.

JUST a good sale to people who saw the value in them.

So, here is how to sell your old appliances for top dollar on Craigslist:

This may go without saying but make sure they WORK.

Frankly, if whatever you are selling does NOT work like it’s supposed to, it needs to go in the trash. You wouldn’t buy it that way and you shouldn’t make someone else buy it in that condition either. I am a person who takes good care of anything I own so I always try to treat my things nicely. Taking care of them from the start drastically reduces the chances of them breaking down.

And if your appliance is need of a minor repair, then it may be worth spending $10 or $20 bucks to fix it so you don’t lose out on $50 plus from a buyer.

2. Make sure your appliance is CLEAN.

Whether or not it has been in the garage collecting dust for a while or it was just put in there, it needs to be cleaned thoroughly. And I am not talking about wiping the outside with a cloth.

If it is a washer like in this case, the inside needs to be wiped down, the rubber gasket needs to be cleaned thoroughly and the soap dispenser needs to be removed and cleaned.

If you are selling it with a pedestal, the inside of it needs to be wiped down as well.

I sold our old double oven gas stove a few months ago and the burners, both ovens, inner shelves, the knobs, exterior… ERRRRTHANG was spotless and looking like it was brand spanking new.

And if you were selling a dryer, make sure the lint collector is cleaned out.

Tip: Make sure you open any doors your appliances have to remove any musty odors and on the day the buyer is supposed to show up, make sure you do a quick wipe down in case any dust had settled over the days after your first initial cleaning.

3. Keep an outlet and extension cord handy.

You may need to “prove” that your appliances work so make sure you have that handy so they can check it right away without any delays. They may not even request it, but by being prepared it shows them you have nothing to hide.

4. If you have the warranty or manual, make sure to have those out and specify that you have them in the ad.

A purchaser will be truly grateful especially if something happens down the road, they at least a place to reference for any repairs.

5. Price to sell….

I know what you are thinking. If I am going to get top dollar, why would I price to sell?

Simple, because you want them to think they are getting a great deal off the bat! You have to be real – you are selling something USED and no matter how well you take care of it, it is still used so don’t get all crazy trying to ask a ridiculous amount of money for something especially on Craigslist, cause no one will even inquire about it.

Hey, that’s what I do when I am searching for good deals. I think “They want that much!? Ha!” and I just keep scrolling.

Don’t get scrolled on!

Just make sure it is a comfortable price for you. Consider the condition, how long you had it and how much you paid for it… even how much you would pay for it, if it was you who was buying.

6. Take GREAT pictures.

They don’t have to be “professional” looking, but they need to be clear and you need to provide SEVERAL from different angles. If there is a scratch, show it. Providing good pictures and disclosing everything up front will help potential buyers see exactly what they will be buying BEFORE they get to you.

Can you believe that washer was 8 years old!?!?!?!?

Don’t give them the opportunity to haggle once they arrive because “that scratch wasn’t shown in the picture” or “this doesn’t look as good as advertised”. If you have to get a crazy close-up image, do it.

7. Make sure that there is a clear path to remove the items quickly .

You want there to be no obstacles or delays getting it out of your home and into their vehicle.

Tip: If your appliances are in the garage. Make sure it is at the end near the garage door and there is nothing on either side so that the appliance can easily be picked up and moved.

It’s also good to have everything cleared around it so that the buyer can see it from all angles.

8. Speak to the person over the phone.

We live in a world where texts are preferred, but I am weird about my stuff. I want them to go to a good home to someone who will really appreciate them, like I did. So I like to get to hear the person. Getting a little more personal with them let’s them know that you are a decent person and they shouldn’t be “scared” of picking up from you.

It also gives you ease of mind to hear who the person is who will be coming over so that you aren’t anxious at a stranger coming to your house.

Plus, establishing good rapport helps so that the people coming over won’t want to pull a fast one and try to low ball an offer when they come over as well.