#also sorry my bathroom looks so gross it’s old and needs renovating

[inviswatch]

Spy is back on the hanger because I had to essentially emergency wash him because of a hotel bed bug incident. Well him being so wet just increased his corpse like physics and he was doing all sorts of poses

[emybain]

can you do some with nova and adrian in the house with hugh & simon like in archenemies

soo...I tried. im terrible at writing adults for whatever reason. also, im sorry bc I used this as self indulgence and basically continued a previous tiny group of fics that I plan to keep adding on to

anyway, this is nodrian house hunting, basically. that's it. 

Nova’s hands curled tighter around her mug as thunder and lightning disrupted the steady downfall of rain. She shifted closer to Adrian underneath the blanket they were sharing to get a better look at the new image he pulled up on his tablet.

    “Two bedroom, one bathroom,” he read off, scrolling down to look at the description of the apartment. “Sun filled updated condo in a great location...completely renovated kitchen...front porch and fenced in back patio…” He nodded, lips pursed.

    Nova sipped her tea, enjoying its warmth. “Square footage?”

    “Just over one thousand.” Adrian scrolled back up to the pictures included with the condo. Nova nearly choked on her drink.

    “Great skies, Adrian. You said you were looking for an apartment, not a house.”

    Adrian began swiping through the photos. “This is a condo, Nova. It’s just the first floor, not both.”

    “Well, they’re charging quite a bit for just the first floor.” Nova leaned in front of her to set the mug down on the coffee table.

They were sitting in the living area of Adrian’s home, looking for a place for Adrian to call his own due to the many circumstances including privacy. When Adrian had first mentioned house hunting after he returned from his Africa trip, they had planned on meeting at Nova’s place to keep away from the prying eyes of Simon and Hugh, Adrian’s nosy dads. However, they hadn’t planned on the heating system to stop working throughout the entire apartment complex during a week of storms, so they agreed to just meet at Adrian’s house and keep it low key. Lucky for them, Simon and Hugh had been gone for the better part of the day, running errands and working with other Renegades to rebuild the system. Neither of them held the knowledge that their former worst enemy and current girlfriend of their son was cuddled up next to him on their couch in the middle of their living room, doing the most domestic thing on the planet. Max, who was just in the early stages of his teen years, was locked away in his room with his video games. He had been in the living area when Nova came over, but immediately fled to the safety of his bedroom to ‘avoid gross couple-y things’.

“I don’t mind going a little over budget.” Adrian shrugged nonchalantly. “The kitchen is actually really nice for a condo. Lots of light. New appliances. I think this is in one of those old neighborhoods that they’re trying to bring back to life.”

Nova raised an eyebrow. “A little over budget is a few thousand. Your price ranger is under one-fifty. This is almost three hundred, Adrian.”

“I’m well aware.” Adrian shot her a look, eyes glinting in amusement. He pressed a kiss to her temple. “The yard’s too small anyway.” He exited out of the condo and went back to the main list.

“Now you want a yard?” Nova shifted to face him better. The blanket twisted with her. “What are you going to do? Adopt a dog?”

“I might.” Adrian glanced at her again, this time quicker than the last.

After a few minutes of scrolling, he opened up another listing. Nova resisted the urge to roll her eyes. This one was a house. Or, as the description read, single family home. “What are you going to do with a two story house, Adrian Everhart? With three bedrooms?” Upon closer examination of the description, she blinked in confusion. “Buddy. This isn’t even in Gatlon.”

“Would you like to do the searching for me?” Adrian offered her the tablet jokingly, although she could tell he was a little miffed from the tight set of his shoulders. Nova wanted to shrink back into the blanket, but she refused to.

“I just want to know why you’re looking at places bigger and more expensive than you mentioned before. Not to mention that they don’t really look like a first home for a twenty year old planning to live by himself.”

Adrian set the tablet back down in his lap. “Maybe I don’t plan to live by myself.”

Nova gave him a long look, which he returned. “And who’s going to be living with you? Oscar and Ruby are getting married, so that rules out him. One of your old friends?”

“Well, maybe I plan to live by myself at first,” Adrian paused, “but it never hurts to be prepared for the future.” He went quiet after that and tore his eyes from Nova’s. As he returned to the main list, it struck Nova, turning her cheeks a dark color.

“Adrian-”

“Look, here’s an apartment. Two bedroom, one bathroom, in the price range and in Gatlon.”

She rested her hand on his neck, forcing him to turn his head back to face her.

“What?” He feigned being oblivious, but Nova saw through it.

“Adrian,” she started again, biting her lip. “We don’t know what’s in the future. We haven’t even been together for six months yet.”

“I don’t need six months to know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Nova.”

It was Nova’s turn to fall silent. Her eyes fell to the tablet, with the apartment Adrian had pulled up. It was hideous, judging from the first photo. Definitely not Adrian’s style.

Nova couldn’t deny that she had thought of what life would be like if she and Adrian stayed together long enough to make a huge decision like moving in together. But every time that her mind brought it up, it terrified her. Almost her whole life had been spent alone, even when she lived in the subway tunnels with the Anarchists. Even now, when she had been spending the past two years surrounded by people and building relationships that had previously been made up of lies. She lived alone, she made all her own decisions, she worked independently among a group of people. The last time she hadn’t truly been alone was before her family was killed.

Sure, since she had started dating Adrian, for real, some of those things were altered. She began to be more open and friendly (because Adrian told her that she gave off a ‘I’m-better-than-everyone-else’ bitch vibe whenever she kept to herself), and she was more open to collaborating. But none of those were as big as changing her whole living situation by moving in with Adrian. Moving in with Adrian would mean exposing herself and trusting him in the rawest ways possible. Not that she didn’t already trust him. She trusted him with her life. But this was a different kind of trust, and she didn’t know if she was ready for it. For now, at least. So she told him.

“But things could change later,” Nova said quickly, upon seeing Adrian’s face fall. “And...I guess you’re right. It doesn’t hurt to prepare for the future.” To reassure him, she tilted her head up and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

Adrian reached for her hand, entwining their fingers together. “So, what you’re saying is that you’re not against moving in together one day?”

“I’m not saying no,” Nova corrected, although the corner of her mouth began to twitch at the change in mood.

A grin painted itself on Adrian’s face, and he leaned forward, cupping Nova’s face and pressing his lips to hers, not quite as gentle as before.

“I love you,” he murmured, tracing his thumb just underneath her ear.

“I love you, too.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again. As Adrian slowly moved his hands to her waist to pull her into his lap, the tablet slid to the ground with a thud that neither of them heard.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, wrapped up in each other’s embrace, kissing slowly and savoring the moment, when a click came from the front of the house, followed by the sound of a door opening.

Upon hearing the voices of Adrian’s dads, calling to Adrian and Max that they were home, Nova’s eyes flung open, meeting Adrian’s panicked ones. She all but leaped from his lap, nearly falling to the ground in her struggle to unwrap her legs from where they were previously situated around his waist. Adrian reached for the fallen tablet and straightened his collar, which was slightly disturbed. Nova pushed herself to the other end of the couch, and reached up to make sure her hair wasn’t tussled.

Adrian loved playing with her hair, she had come to learn since starting their relationship. Whether it was when they were just spending time together or an hour long of kissing and cuddling, he liked to have his hands in her hair. Because of that, her hair tended to be messy after their dates. And not just unbrushed messy; it made it clearly obvious that Nova had been doing questionable things with someone. That someone being Adrian.

His dads entered the room, Hugh leading, and paused when they saw Nova sitting next to their son on the couch, both trying to keep their breathing steady. Simon was the first to break the silence with a smile.

“We didn’t know Adrian was having you over, Nova. It’s nice to see you.”

Nova managed to smile back, eyes flickering between him and Hugh. “Uh...yeah. It’s good to see you, too.”

Hugh, who remained quiet, had been wary of Nova ever since her identity had been revealed years ago. While they were on friendlier terms, he still exercised caution around her, and he still held a bit of a grudge against her for everything she did to his family. Which he was allowed to hold. Just as she was allowed to hold a grudge against him for all the times he had wronged her. Despite the fact that both parties had apologized for wrongdoings against the other. Perhaps one day, they would find a compromise that would put the past behind them. Today was not that day, for obvious reasons.

Simon cleared his throat, glancing at their set up, made of blankets, pillows, and hot drinks. It was practically screaming evidence that he and Hugh were interrupting a date. “So...what are you two up to?”

Nova exchanged a quick glance with Adrian. “Apartment hunting,” he stated plainly, holding up the tablet to show them. “I, uh, asked Nova the other day to help me out. She actually has a knack for real estate.”

Nova nodded, maybe a little too enthusiastically. “Yeah! Who knew, right?”

“Any luck?” Hugh finally spoke, strolling over to the couch to peer over Adrian’s shoulder. Nova tensed.

“Not really.” Adrian laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck and readjusting his glasses. “At least, not in the city.”

“What about the suburbs?”

“Nova doesn’t think it’s wise to buy a house at my age.” Adrian’s tone was light, meant to come across as joking, but Nova still felt a wave of guilt roll through her when Hugh’s eyes laid on her again.

“Well, it’s not like you have to listen to me,” Nova retorted, looking down. “I’m just here for suggestions.”

She nearly jumped when the couch shifted with the weight of Captain Chromium settling into it, creating a barrier between her and Adrian. Simon caught her eye as he sat down as well, although in the armchair beside the couch; his look was sympathetic. Nova tried to hide her blush.

“You see, the key to narrowing it down…” Hugh went off onto a lecture on house hunting, going full out and using his hands for emphasis. Nova watched as Adrian nodded along, clearly uncomfortable, compared to not twenty minutes before when they were snuggled up together.

“Well, I guess I should be going.” Nova stood to leave, only for Hugh to push her back down. She had to restrain from glaring at him. She was already on thin ice with this man.

“This is important for you to hear as well, Nova. You may learn a thing or two.”

The smug look Adrian gave her almost made her throw a pillow at his face, just to wipe away the smile.

[realityisoverrated-fic]

Hi!! I just came here to tell you how thankful I'm for your Infinity Love series. I've never thought that I would like the Smoaking Billionaires ship as much as I do now. I lost count of how many times I read and reread some of the parts. I love everything, from their relationship to all the kids (I LO-VE Nate). May I ask for a prompt? Have one, or more than one, of the boys dealing with one, or more than one, of the girls periods pain and humour hormonal changes?

Thank you! I’m thrilled to hear that you love to reread this series. I appreciate you taking a chance on reading Smoaking Billionaires, I know it isn’t for everyone. I’m glad you love this family as much as I do. Nate is pretty irresistible.

I actually found a draft of something I started and never finished about Becca getting her first  period. I’ll include what I have, it might be little rough from lack of editing. You have inspired me to go back and finish it. I hope you enjoy.

On Becoming A Woman

When Felicity was pregnant with Bobby, she would lie awake at night with Oliver and Tommy to discuss their parenting fears. The conversations would frequently turn to puberty, sex, and teenaged rebellion. Felicity established a rule during one of their late-night sessions.

“If it has a penis, I’m out. The sex talk is all you,” she informed them as Oliver rubbed her feet. “Straight sex. Gay sex. You guys have it covered.”

“What if it doesn’t have a penis?” Tommy asked. “Do you get to have the sex talk?”

Felicity’s brow furrowed as she considered Tommy’s words. After a few moments, she shook her head, “No, I think all of us should. I think if we’re having a daughter, she should have her dads encouraging sex positivity.”Oliver stopped rubbing her feet, “You don’t want our son to have sex positivity from his mom.”

Felicity laughed, “Our son will be your son – I think sex positivity is hard wired into both of your y chromosomes.”

“I don’t know, that doesn’t feel like gender or parenting equality,” Tommy said seriously.

“I’m okay with having the sex talk with our son, if I don’t have to have the period talk with our daughter,” Oliver offered.

“Since when are you squeamish about periods?” Felicity pressed her toes into Oliver’s shoulders.

“I’m not squeamish.” He shrugged, “I wouldn’t know what to say. How would I demonstrate tampon use?”

“You don’t start with a tampon. You start with a pad,” Tommy said casually, returning his attention to the latest requests from their contractor.Oliver sat up, “How do you know that?”

“Thea,” Tommy said. “I was here, your mom was away on QC business. I figured it out.”

Felicity held her arms up, and Oliver helped her into a sitting position. “Do we need to get Thea therapy – I know it’s been more than a decade, but how much did you traumatize her?” she teased.

“I didn’t traumatize her,” Tommy said defensively. “I crowd sourced the information. I knew a lot of women, I asked for advice, I got a lot back. I used what I thought sounded like would work with Thea.”

Felicity leaned over and kissed his cheek, “You’re a good big brother.”

Oliver felt a little jealous listening to Tommy. He’d missed so much the five years he’d been away. In his absence his sister had gone from a little girl to a young woman, but he’d never given much thought to what that entailed. Tommy got to be there for Thea for a lot of the milestones that made her the woman she was today.

“How did Donna react when you got your period?” Tommy asked.

Felicity rolled her eyes, “She treated it like it was the most important thing in the world. I was absolutely mortified. I just wanted her to give me a pad and never mention it again, but she was – my mom. She bought me flowers, she took me for a blow out, and my first mani-pedi. After she took me out to eat at the Bellagio. She probably spent three days salary on our dinner.” She smiled softly, “She made me feel special.”

“That’s a nice story,” Oliver said quietly. “Did you do something with Thea?” he asked Tommy.

“First, our sister paid zero attention in her biology class,” Tommy said with exasperation. “She knew what a period was, but she didn’t understand the mechanics behind it. I had to explain all of that to her. I went out and bought her pads and a heating pad. I let her stay home from school. We watched movies and ate ice cream all day. I let her paint my toenails hot pink. She practiced eyeshadow techniques on me. We had a fun day.” Tommy laughed, “For a good six months, any time I asked her to do something, she’d tell me, in her most impressive Moira impersonation, Thomas, I’m a woman now. You can’t boss me around.”

Tommy’s story made Oliver smile. Thea had never been overly studious before the Gambit sank. He could imagine her paying just enough attention to pass whatever test they had in health class. He could also imagine Tommy, who always got straight A’s in science and could’ve been a doctor if he hadn’t let Malcolm psych him out of it, delivering a lesson on reproduction and menstruation while trying to keep them both from dying of embarrassment. The rest of it, he didn’t need to imagine because it was still typical Tommy and Thea behavior. Thea regularly painted Tommy’s toes when they watched movies together.

Oliver sat up on his knees and leaned over his husband. He kissed his cheek.

“You are a very good brother. Thank you for telling me that story.”

“You’re welcome,” Tommy kissed Oliver back.

Oliver sat back and grinned at Felicity, “That settles it. If it’s a girl, Tommy gets to have the period talk.”

Felicity laid back down and put her feet in Oliver’s lap. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

“Fine with me,” Tommy said. “When we’re old, we’ll see who our daughter puts in a home or keeps close to her side, you two or me.”

“Who are you kidding?” Felicity teased. “You would miss us way too much if we went to a home without you.”

Tommy didn’t answer, he just grinned, and went back to answering the contractor’s questions about their renovations.

It was almost eighteen years later when Oliver walked into his bathroom to find Becca on her knees rummaging through Felicity’s cabinet. “Can I help you find something?” he asked.Startled, Becca squeaked and jumped, hitting her head on the underside of the counter.

Oliver was instantly on his knees by her side, his hand searching for a bump on the top of her head, “Are you okay?”

Becca nodded, but her eyes were wet. Oliver looked into the cabinet to determine what she was looking for when he spotted what she’d been after. “Did you need a box of your mom’s pads?”

Becca’s cheeks flamed dark red. She nodded without making eye contact.Oliver reached into the cabinet and pulled out several boxes. He put back the boxes that said tampons and panty liners. He held out the box of sanitary napkins. Becca remained frozen at his side. He was almost one hundred percent certain that this was Becca’s first period. Felicity would’ve told them if their daughter had reached this milestone. Oliver sat down on the floor, his back to the cabinet, and lifted his arm.

Becca immediately crawled into his side, placed her head on his chest, and began to cry. “I don’t want to grow up.”

Oliver cradled Becca’s head and let her cry as he made soothing noises. When she stopped crying, he wrapped her in his arms and held her tight. “I’m sorry your mom isn’t here. I know she’d want to be here to share this with you. When she got her period, your Grandma Donna made a big day of it. I know she’s going to want to tell you all about it herself and she’s going to want to make a big deal of this for you too.”

“Why?” Becca asked with a mixture of horror and embarrassment. “It’s gross and embarrassing.”

“It’s not gross and it shouldn’t be embarrassing. Your body is changing because you’re becoming a woman. You’re entering a new stage of life where you become something new and exciting, like a butterfly.”

Becca laughed and rubbed her sleeve beneath her nose, “Did you come up with the butterfly thing on your own or is that borrowed from a Grandma Donna story?”

Oliver laughed, “Give your dad a break. I’ve never been very good with words and I’m trying to tell you how much I love you and how excited I am that you’re becoming a woman. You’re growing up and you’re going to do great things. You’re going to go to school and find something that you’re passionate enough to study. You’re going to fall in love – probably more than a few times.  You might decide to get married, or not. You might decide to become a mom, or not, but everything is out there waiting for you.”

Becca smiled at him.

“How was that?” he asked nervously.

“Much better than the butterfly,” she grinned. “Boy did Bobby luck out. He didn’t have to get the butterfly – period talk.”

Oliver laughed and kissed the top of his daughter’s head. He wasn’t going to tell her that when Bobby started having wet dreams, he’d been subjected to the sex talk by both his dads. Her big brother would probably tell her he wished for the butterfly talk. “Bobby didn’t have the butterfly talk, but he did get the sex talk from your dad and me when he was around your age. Maybe it’s time we gave you the sex talk too.”

Becca’s eyes went wide with alarm, “I’m fourteen, daddy. I’m not having sex.”

“Glad to hear it, but the perfect time for you to hear the sex talk is when you’re not having sex and you’re still willing to listen to your dad and me.”

“You’re just going to tell me not to have sex,” Becca said with a roll of her eyes.

“Consider the sex talk had.”

“No, your dad and I would never tell you not to have sex. Under the right circumstances, sex is a lot of fun and feels fantastic. We just want you to have all the facts you need to be safe and make the best choices.” He handed her the box, “Go get changed. Put on something that isn’t sweats or jeans. Your dad and I are going to take you out to dinner to celebrate. Just the three of us.”

“Celebrate getting my period?” she asked standing up.

“We’re going to celebrate having you for a daughter, and I’m going to wager the new pair of ballet shoes you want that your dad is going to say something way stranger than my butterfly comment.”

Becca shook Oliver’s hand, “That’s a sucker’s bet. Da always says something way more embarrassing than you. It’s his superpower.”

[therealestatesparkblog]

How One 30-Year-Old Built $40,000/Year Passive Income in a Few Years

When Brady Hanna turned 30, he decided it was time to start building passive income. That was six years ago. Today, he has 12 doors, which gross him around $7,700/month. Granted, thats not all profit. His net profit in a given year? Around $40,000. Thats higher than the median personal income in the United States! Heres exactly what hes done over the last few years, to build that portfolio. In the Beginning I had stumbled across BiggerPockets and started absorbing as much information as possible. I asked questions on the forums and started listening to the podcasts every chance I could, Brady explained to me. How seriously did he take his real estate investing education? I installed a Bluetooth speaker in my shower and bathroom, so I could listen to the podcast when I was taking a shower and getting around in the morning.Over the years, I have listened to every podcast multiple times and get fired up every time I hear a new episode. Thats dedication. For my first property, I wanted to follow all of the things I had learned and was looking for properties that hit the 2% Rule. Now, its worth mentioning that not everyone agrees with following the 2% Rule. I have my own bones to pick with it, but thats another story. Or article. Whatever. Brady located a move-in-ready duplex for sale in Grandview, MO (which is south of Kansas City). Estimating gross rents at $1,100/month, he paid $55,000 for it. To finance it, Brady secured a loan from a local community bank, using money saved from his 9-5 job for the down payment. I put down a 20% down payment and was off and running.

Early Lessons in Property Management I thought I was smarter than the system and figured I would self-manage to save the property managers fees. Any time you catch a case of the smug and think youre beating the system, thats a good time to pause for some good ol fashioned self-reflection. Not that I would ever discourage anyone from managing their own rentalsif theyre prepared to put in the time and learn the skills necessary to do it. Brady advertised the units for rent, then promptly left town for two days for a trade show through his day job. Over those two busy workdays, he received no fewer than 60 phone calls from prospective renters. After the first week of driving out to the property multiple times for showings, I saw a property management company off the side of the highway and quickly pulled over, walked in, and hired them on the spot. Does it strike you that he skipped an important step there? It should. I didnt vet this property management company. I just assumed that since they were close to my rental property, they would do a good job. If youve ever wondered about the first sign that a property management company needs replacing, pay attention here. Communication was a struggle. It was like pulling teeth just getting information out of them and trying to stay in the loop about what was going on with the property. Thats the sound of foreshadowing, for all you non-English majors. Related: Sorry, But Passive Income is a Myth for Most Investors. Heres Why. Property #2, Property #3 After a few months of collecting rents, Brady decided that being a landlord was everything he thought it would be. I took out a $50,000 home equity line of credit (HELOC) against my personal residence, using my local bank. I used $36,000 to buy a single-family property through a short sale in South Kansas City. The property needed $7,000 in repairs. If youve ever bought a property with cash, you know how much easier it is to negotiate a good deal. Better yet, Brady avoided paying hefty hard money loan fees to buy and renovate the property. He knocked out the repairs quickly and rented the house for $850/month. From there, it was simple to secure a long-term mortgage, which he used to pay back his HELOC. House #3 I bought off an online auction website for $23,000 cash (again, using my HELOC). I put $27,000 into the property over a matter of three months. I thought, man, this rental business thing is easy! All Chickens Come Home to Roost If there was ever a cue for something to go wrong, that must be it. Around this time, I started running into a lot of problems with my property management company. Not exactly a plot twist, is it? His out-to-lunch property manager was starting to cost him serious money. A tenant at his original property, the duplex, skipped town in the middle of the night. That left him with two vacant units (out of four), as his most recent property was still under renovation. He called the owner of the property management company and fired them. Armed with firsthand experience that he needed to do a better job screening property managers, he went back to the drawing board. I asked for recommendations on BiggerPockets for a reputable property manager. I interviewed a couple candidates and hired our new property manager a few weeks later and havent turned back. The new company filled his vacant unit in the duplex, then rented his newly-finished single-family for $875. From there, it was a simple matter of getting a mortgage on the property and paying off his HELOC once again.

Building a Portfolio and an Evolving Strategy Brady has used the same strategy to finance the next seven properties in his portfolio: buy and renovate with cash from his HELOC and savings, rent it out, get a mortgage. Or not get a mortgage, if he can help it. Ive taken the income from the rentals and just put it all back into the business, paying down principal on the houses.I now have a total of 12 units, and only have debt on three properties, using this technique. When I asked Brady what hes changed over the last few years, as hes accrued experience, he didnt hesitate. Originally, I invested in B- and C class neighborhoods. They are not in war zones and have relatively low crime; theyre working class neighborhoods. But as my portfolio has grown, Ive been focusing on B+ neighborhoods, as they are less transient and there is less turnover. Why? Because turnovers are ROI-killers, which is why tenant retention is so important for landlords. Related: 3 Real Estate Investing Strategies That Arent So Passive (& 4 That Are) Landlord Cash Cushions I asked Brady what advice and takeaways he would offer for other rental investors. I highly recommend having a reserve fund in place, as you never know when a bad month or couple months is going to hit your portfolio. All too true. It turns out Brady hasnt just paid off most of his mortgage debt, but hes also set aside strong cash reserves. A recent example? He had not one, not two, but three furnaces fail in November. At an average replacement cost of $2,000 apiece, that would have been a desperate blow to someone without a liquid cash cushion. Heres another example: One of our rental properties had a small undetectable leak behind the sink for an extended period of time, causing mold to build up behind the wall. We ended up letting the tenants out of the lease, hiring a mold remediation company who also found asbestos behind the wall, hiring an asbestos abatement company, and then rebuilding the kitchen wall. That set of repairs, which started with a tiny leak, cost Brady$10,800 and four months of lost rents. Final Advice: Network! Brady explained that as the Kansas City real estate market has heated up, hes had to increasingly rely on his network to find deals, rather than the MLS. Go on Facebook, and search for investor groups in your area.In Kansas City alone, there are over five local real estate investor groups that I have joined where people are posting deals all the time at a discount. Network with fellow investors at meetup groups, REI clubs, and talk to people you know about real estate, because you never know where your next deal is going to come from! You know what they sayyour net worth is directly correlated to your network. Grow your network in the real estate industry, and your opportunities will grow right alongside it. What Comes Next In the meantime, Brady is in no rush to retire from his day job. I plan on retiring from my full-time job when I am 50 years old. I enjoy what I do at my job but want to retire when I am still young enough to enjoy being active in my retirement. Any financial targets before then, Brady? I am looking to build a passive income of at least $10,000/month so that I can use my abilities to help others. I plan to take a year off working, spending time with my family, church, fishing, golfing, and working out. Once I am going stir-crazy, I plan on helping others invest in real estate and focus on larger scale real estate investments while spending time helping out in my church. I dont know about you, but I think Bradys onto something here, with this whole invest-in-rentals-and-retire-young, strategy. Were republishing this article to help out our newer readers.

Whats your strategy for building passive income? How are you planning to reach financial independence? Any tips or tidbits to share? Weigh in below! https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/zero-to-40000-year-passive-income-in-a-few-years

[endlessarchite]

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

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Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

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Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) published first on http://ift.tt/2qxZz2j

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Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

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Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

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Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

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from mix1 http://ift.tt/2tzAaXj via with this info

[sherlocklexa]

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

Website // Subscribe // Advertise // Twitter // Facebook // Google+

from car2 http://ift.tt/2tzAaXj via as shown a lot

[prolistsite]

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

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Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

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[petraself]

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

!function(d,s,id){ var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https'; if(!d.getElementById(id)) { e = d.createElement(s); e.id = id; e.src = p + '://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js'; d.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') { window.__stp.init(); } }(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

Website // Subscribe // Advertise // Twitter // Facebook // Google+

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) published first on http://ift.tt/1kI9W8s

[darensmurray]

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

!function(d,s,id){ var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https'; if(!d.getElementById(id)) { e = d.createElement(s); e.id = id; e.src = p + '://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js'; d.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') { window.__stp.init(); } }(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');

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Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

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[bespokekitchesldn]

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

!function(d,s,id){ var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https'; if(!d.getElementById(id)) { e = d.createElement(s); e.id = id; e.src = p + '://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js'; d.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') { window.__stp.init(); } }(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

Website // Subscribe // Advertise // Twitter // Facebook // Google+

from The Ugly Duckling House https://www.uglyducklinghouse.com/finding-the-perfect-gray-sectional-and-tips-on-haggling-furniture-prices/

[garagedoorsbrighton]

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

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Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

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Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

!function(d,s,id){ var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https'; if(!d.getElementById(id)) { e = d.createElement(s); e.id = id; e.src = p + '://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js'; d.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') { window.__stp.init(); } }(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

Website // Subscribe // Advertise // Twitter // Facebook // Google+

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) published first on http://ift.tt/2qxZz2j

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Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

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Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

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Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) published first on http://ift.tt/2qxZz2j