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When it comes to buying used furniture, there’s a difference between old-school charm and plain old junk. The same goes for selling—it’s important to understand what’s worth a second life and what might be better off retiring. As for determining that difference, we went straight to the pros. In her own words, Anna Brockway, one of the cofounders of Chairish, an online marketplace for vintage furniture and decor specializing in highly curated finds, shares her top tips for becoming a better purveyor when using apps to sell furniture.

Determining the Value of an Item Before Selling

Several factors contribute to the value of a piece: brand, age, style, rarity, and condition. Do your homework with a quick online search to get a sense of the range. Also, consider your timeline. If you’re not getting any interest after a week or so, reduce the price, or if you want to see it gone swiftly, price it to move from the get-go.

Furniture That Should Be Tossed Instead of Resold

Obviously, I’m a big proponent of buying vintage, but mattresses are a no-go.

Red Flags for Buying Used Furniture

Check the item’s condition carefully. Some patina adds character, but big gouges, broken frames, poor joinery, and missing parts are mostly unrepairable. Also, make sure there is a return policy in place if you are buying online.

The Importance of Photography

We always tell our sellers to take high-quality photos with good lighting and add thorough descriptions. The more information you can give prospective buyers, the more comfortable and confident they’ll feel purchasing your piece. Transparency is everything!

When to Negotiate

If you shop vintage (or as they say, “preloved”) and you’re looking to score a great deal, I recommend making an offer. You can always go back and buy an item at the listed price, but I find most sellers are typically willing to negotiate between 10 and 20 percent off. In the vintage world, it’s perfectly polite to ask, “What’s your best price?” Just be prepared for an honest answer.

Now that you’re armed with the information you need, here are some of our favorite marketplaces to check out for buying and selling used furniture.

Best Apps to Sell Furniture

Chairish

Chairish’s highly curated finds set it apart from the rest. Everything on the site is preapproved by the team, so there’s a threshold of quality that buyers expect—particularly skeptical ones—and are sure to appreciate. The value-determining feature known as the Chairish Pink Book is a game changer for helping ensure your pieces are priced right. 

The fine print: All items must have a minimum listing price of $25.

Cool things we found:

AptDeco

This start-to-finish service means you don’t have to worry about trekking to sketchy delivery locations or handing over cash to a stranger. Unlike Chairish, there is no minimum price, so the range of available items is broad, and posting your used item is free. As a bonus, ArtDeco will even enhance your listing with extra details and improved photography, so it’s like getting a marketing and retail partner in one.

The fine print: AptDeco is currently only available in the contiguous United States.

Cool things we found:

Craigslist

How could we not include Craigslist, the O.G. of virtual garage sales? Its upper hand is in the sheer volume of products available. If you’re selling, be sure to include as many clear, well-lit images as possible, and if you’re buying, be sure to ask questions before agreeing to meet.

The fine print: You’ll need to arrange pickup on your own. For safety reasons, bring a friend along with you and try to arrange meeting in a public place.

Cool things we found:

Everything But the House

This marketplace is unlike any other because it specializes in estate sales, so you can skip the auction house. Search by city, price, and item type, and then have fun hunting for hidden gems. It’s truly a trove of secondhand pieces, and the selling process is extremely well guided, too: You get a free consultation and work closely with the company’s experts to catalog, photograph, and write descriptions for each article.

The fine print: Move quickly—the sales are timed.

Cool things we found:

Kaiyo

A relative newcomer to the preowned scene, this digital shop offers deep discounts on a broad range of brands, from upmarket designers to dependable favorites like West Elm and Restoration Hardware. Sellers will have their pieces picked up, professionally cleaned, and photographed by Kaiyo’s in-house team, and buyers can opt in to white-glove delivery and setup. 

The fine print: Currently, full-service pickup and delivery are only available in New York City, Los Angeles, San Diego, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C., but Kaiyo does offer nationwide delivery through a network of third-party carriers.

Cool things we found: 

OfferUp

Deemed one of the safest ways to sell locally, the app aims to directly connect buyers and sellers, and all transactions are reviewed on the site so you never have to swap phone numbers with a stranger.

The fine print: You get full control of pricing and have direct conversations with potential buyers, but always be sure to take precautions and have someone with you when you’re making your exchange.

Cool things we found:

Facebook Marketplace

Conveniently available in your Facebook account, Marketplace is used like traditional shopping sites with a social media twist. List your item and wait until someone DMs you. Then you’ll be able to coordinate pickup, payment, and other details accordingly. 

The fine print: The platform doesn’t coordinate payment or selling, and there’s no guarantee of anything—but since people are using their social media profiles to communicate, it’s a bit easier to check people out than on, say, Craigslist.

Cool things we found:

This post was originally published on March 18, 2016. It has since been updated with new information.