By Moses Leos III.
Every Saturday morning, Kyle resident Alex Guerra wakes up bright and early, and goes to work.
However, his office space is not a cubicle or a restaurant. Rather, it’s a driveway of a stranger he often doesn’t know.
That’s okay though. He doesn’t mind, and neither do the owners of the home. They know he is there. To an extent, they invited him with ads in the newspaper, on Craigslist, and bright neon signs that say “Garage Sale.”
Guerra is what many describe as a “picker” – a person who collects items with the intent of reselling them for a profit. He specializes in finding valuable items in garage sales.
| Kyle resident Alex Guerra (right) inquires about a stroller on the driveway of homeowner Charlie Buday (left), who was hosting a garage sale. Guerra is one of many who call themselves “pickers” – people who collect items, with the intent of reselling them for a profit.(Photo by Moses Leos III) |
For the past two-plus years, Guerra has made picking his second job. It is a job that forces him to think of others, not himself.
“I often find things I don’t really want,” Guerra said. “But I buy things I know someone else will like.”
He gained inspiration from television shows such as “American Pickers” on the History Channel and “Antiques Roadshow” on PBS.
His love of those shows helped pique his interest. It also forced him to gain a stronger understanding of the history of certain items. He has seen the stars of those shows recognize the value of an unwanted item. He wanted to jump on that opportunity.
Guerra specializes in looking for sports equipment. Through his research, he understands their value, especially in a complete set.
Recently, Guerra purchased a complete weight bench for ten dollars. He was able to flip the bench for $80.
While sports equipment can be lucrative, it does not compare to the value of old video games.
He seeks older cartridge-based games – the rarer the better.
“Many people pay good money for them,” Guerra said.
How much money?
Consider he once found and purchased a game entitled “Donkey Kong Jr. Math” for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
The game was released in 1985 by Nintendo, and is most famous, or infamous, for being a commercial flop.
But the draw is the rarity of the item. In particular, if the game has the original box with it – which Guerra found.
Guerra bought the game for $10. Upon going to nintendoage.com, a place where people can buy and sell video games, Guerra sold it for $150.
According to the website, the Donkey Kong Jr. Math cartridge with the original box scores a 9 out of 10 on the rarity scale, which is Unusually Rare.
He was impressed with the $140 profit.
“It was all because of the box,” Guerra said. “It gets me fired up.”
However, he stresses the fact that he doesn’t hit homeruns every picking session.
“That doesn’t always happen,” Guerra said. “You are not going to always find a great deal every time.”
Even so, over a two-year picking career, Guerra picked up a few tricks of the trade.
Before Saturday even arrives, he plans where he is going to go, plotting out his route. Guerra scours Craigslist, the Internet and the newspaper for community garage sales.
Guerra prefers community garage sales, as they provide him the best bang for his buck.
“You can often find the best deals at community garage sales,” Guerra said.
Guerra starts his day at 7 a.m. He believes a picker’s peak time falls between seven and eight in the morning, ending around 10 a.m. By that time, all of the good deals are gone.
He always maintains he has to be one of the first few there. The key to it all is to quickly spot items, then move on.
Of course, paying for it has its own challenges. There is an art to haggling down a price. The ability to try is key. Bundling, or grouping several items together also helps.
“You have to make clear that you want to buy an item for a certain price,” Guerra said. “Sometimes, you can use other tactics, like ‘bundling’ to lower a specific item’s price.”
Purchasing an item is one part. The second is finding the right buyer, which Guerra said was the most stressful. He admits, he has a garage “full” of unsold garage sale finds.
Guerra often advertises on Craigslist to find the right person.
He has some advice for those who want to become pickers. One is to set a budget – not only a daily limit, but a limit spent on an item. He said it does no good to overpay for something that has little value.
The biggest advantage is expanding one’s knowledge of history and items. The more you know, the better you will be at picking.
“Find a category and learn about it as much as you can. You can spot the value of items no one else can,” he said. “Once you know as much as you can on one thing, move on to something else. Keep adding to your knowledge. The more you know, the better.”
