Serving Braselton, Flowery Branch, Buford, Lake Lanier, Johns Creek, Roswell, Alpharetta and surrounding areas, and most of Georgia north of AtlantaServing most of Georgia north of Atlanta (706) 471-1740

For shoppers

How early to arrive at an estate sale (and how line numbers work)

For shoppers Line numbers, not a scramble

Arrive early enough to get a number if the sale uses line numbers, then wait your turn. Low numbers go in first. How early depends on the house and the listing. Family Estate Solutions of Georgia will state that day's shopper rules on each public sale listing.

Line numbers 1 through 5 in order, with arrows. Low numbers go first. Each Family Estate Solutions of Georgia listing states that day's shopper rules.
Enter in number order. Each listing states that day's shopper rules when a sale is public.

Why companies hand out numbers

A driveway in Buford is not a stadium gate. Numbers keep the first hour from turning into a shove. They also let neighbors keep their street passable. We would rather start a few minutes later than start with an argument.

How the line usually works

Staff hand out numbers before the posted open time. Keep your number visible. When we call a range (for example, 1 through 10), those shoppers enter. Then the next range. Low numbers go first. That is the whole idea.

A number is not a reservation you can leave on a windshield while you run to breakfast. Stay nearby unless the listing says you may step away.

How early is early?

It depends on the house, the weather, and how widely the sale was listed. Some shoppers arrive an hour or more before the start. Some arrive at the posted time and still shop well. First-hour furniture shoppers tend to come earlier than people looking for kitchen tools.

We will not pretend there is one magic minute that works for every North Georgia sale. Read that day’s listing. Check the sales page for current public sales.

What not to do in line

Do not block the mailbox or a fire hydrant. Stay off neighbors’ driveway and grass. Do not walk the yard before you are invited in. Do not send a child to the door to “just peek.” Bring coffee if you want. Leave the speakerphone calls at a volume the whole street does not have to share.

Etiquette inside the house is a separate note: what North Georgia shoppers get wrong. Cards and tax: Do estate sales take credit cards?

Questions people ask

How early should I arrive?
Early enough to get a number if the sale uses line numbers, then wait your turn. Some shoppers come an hour or more before the posted start. How early depends on the house and the listing. We will state that day's rules when we have a public sale.
Do low numbers go in first?
Yes. Enter in number order. Holding a number does not mean you may walk in before it is called.
Can a friend hold my number in line?
Do not count on it. If a sale allows one person to collect numbers for a small group, the listing will say so. Otherwise, be present when numbers are handed out.
Is there a sale this week I can line up for?
Check the sales page. We list a sale only when it is public and ready. We do not invent a this-weekend calendar. Use how to find estate sales for directories and Facebook searches.

Next step for shoppers

Planning a sale for your own family? Book a free consultation.

Family Estate Solutions of Georgia, LLC. Buford, Georgia. We are not a law firm. This page is practical information, not legal advice.