Quote:
Originally Posted by no_worries
It's not necessarily a "weakness"; sometimes it's just a matter of priorities. I know guys that will spend days, weeks, or months agonizing over selling something because they don't want to get "taken." In the end the end up making a couple hundred extra bucks. Was it worth it? Sometimes to them it is because the idea of losing out on that money is too much to handle, but the time value...to me it was a big waste. It's the same as the guys that will sit an extra day in order to get another $.25/mile. Was that $250 worth the added road expenses and day away from home? Not in my book. Sometimes I will trade in a piece of equipment rather than selling it myself. Sometimes it might amount to a few thousand dollar difference. But to me, I'd rather be done with it than have to spend a month or two working on selling it. Not to mention storing it and working out the logistics of the sale. It all comes down to how much you value your time and effort...I tend to overvalue mine
I really do appreciate your perspective. I went looking for the title yesterday and couldn't find it. That makes things easy at this point!
I do understand the buying and selling process somewhat, at least mentally. I'll never be a slick talker trying to jam somebody into something that may not be best for them, and I've run across that. But, there is this matter of communication to a broad audience, casting a wide net. One guy just doesn't care much for what you have so the value to him is little. Another guy likes what you have and is willing to pay the money. It's finding the right guy. I communicated my desperation to move the truck to these mechanics and their offer reflects it, they figure they have no competition. I work a couple weeks to net $1200, or so. I may just need to do the work to take the pictures and run the ads. What kind of hurts is advertising that it isn't running because it isn't too far from doing so.
My sister and her husband are all up in this buying and selling game as realtors. They'll work with a client for a couple years, using their gas, and they won't make one dime when the client takes another option. Another guy, he lists today and his house sells tomorrow and he does the math in his head and he's upset because the realtors are making so much for doing so little. It really sounds like a tough game, but they have each other to keep their courage up. And, their house and cars suggest they're doing just a tad better than a trucker's wages.
We've taken to watching American Pickers, Pawn Stars and Hardcore Pawn around my house. I just like to watch the haggling, but the history of the artifacts they bring in is interesting, too. It's funny how set up for TV it is. Some guy brings in an antique and says "I really don't know what it's worth, I just want to sell it". The guy replys, "I have a buddy who is an expert in this stuff and he'll come in and tell us both at the same time what it's actually worth"....Uh huh, that's the way it works in the real world! LOL
Hardcore Pawn looks the most real. Not ancient treasures but something worth just enough cash to get you a dime bag!