apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

My craigslist experience has been very hit-or-miss. In New York, there are people giving stuff away and people trying to charge a mint for used Ikea furniture or flat-out junk. You just have to show up and be prepared to walk away. With selling, just getting people to honor the appointments they set up to come look at an item is a real challenge. I just donate everything now. My husband refuses to go on any more craigslist excursions, which pretty much rules it out as a furniture resource for us.

A few weeks ago, I got a great 1950s teak sofa and chair thanks to Craigslist Toronto: http://flickr.com/photos/opal/1232615210/in/photostream/
I've also gotten rid of lots of stuff via the free section. Who knew so many people wanted an old futon?!

I've sold a bunch of things, but never purchased due to a bedbug fear...

Anyway, just read this story last night; pretty creepy: http://3quarksdaily.blogs.com/3quarksdaily/2007/01/web_of_lies.html

I've found everything from roommates to pots and pans on Craigslist, and usually have had great experiences.

With any anonymous internet posting, you have to be careful what you're getting into. Since the bedbug scare here in NYC, I won't take wood or upholstered furniture from either Craigslist or the street, but I've gotten file cabinets, granny carts, metal shelving, concert and movie tickets, kitchen items, and more from Craigslist. In addition, I found two apartments that way as well as about 14 roommates (spread out over several years), and even a couple of jobs (freelance, fun (music video extra!) as well as regular 9-5). I've advertised moving sales and sold books, clothes, and other household items myself.

A lot of people will flake on coming to pick stuff up (same as Freecycle), though I've found that requiring a phone number helps, as well as asking for specific information in the initial email and immediately deleting all that don't contain it (I'm not demanding, just ask for specific date and time that works for them and a telephone number, and say anything not containing this information will be deleted). Craigslist is a great resource; I can't imagine moving to New York without it.

I recently sold my sofa on CL to a funny, wacky young woman who then added me to her general email list (she is an actress/performer). Just this week I received an email that she was on "This American Life" with Ira Glass, contributing a story about writing her own break-up song with the real-life help of Phil Collins. I had to listen (free download of the show at www.thislife.org) and was amazed. I still don't really know her, but she added something fantastic to my day. I certainly hope the boyfriend didn't get the sofa in the split. Thanks, Craig!

love craigs, but with the termination of listpic it got a lot worse. at the time, word was that CL would be managing their own viewer, but haven't heard or seen anything...

I had one really bad experience about 3-4 months ago. It was my own fault for not catching on sooner that this person was trying to scam me. I figured it out only after I had given my cell phone # and address. When I told him that the deal was off and not to contact me again, he threatened to kill me and my family. I never felt so vulnerable from email in my life!

I had very good experiences with craigslist, both with initially trying to rent an apartment/room by-owner and just recently in selling a bunch of furniture as I prepare to leave the country.

There are always concerns with anonymous internet business, but if buying or selling, make sure that the person you're dealing with is forthcoming, enthusiastic, and quick to provide necessary info, as a poster above stated. When selling my stuff, I went with the most enthusiastic emailers who immediately responded with full names/phones and times for pick-up. I wasn't screwed over once, and even got overpaid - and everyone we met in the process was kind and interesting.

I've had nothing but positive exchanges (both buying and selling) on CL. I sold an ikea rolling file cabinet last year to a woman who showed up with her best gay and the three of us were whooping it up within the first few minutes. They were so fantastic that I wanted to be their friend immediately. I never saw either of them again but it opened my eyes to how wonderful chance encounters with like minded souls are always possible. Thanks CL!

I have had positive experiences w/CL. I have furnished much of my apartment with purchases from CL. AT Scavenger has alerted me to most of my purchases. Thank you AT!

have bought lots of furniture on craigslist...lounge chairs, dining chairs, yeah, mainly chairs. my brother's found a few artist-specific things through craigs, one of which turned into a bartered year long studio space in chelsea. and, of course, there's the personals. i also love to read the missed connections! :)

i did use craigslist to give away a few boxes of books written in finnish. hee.

I haven't bought or sold anything, but I have posted job listings at my office and found some good people. I've also gotten a few job interviews through craigslist. Also found my current apartment though a listing. Gotta love no broker fees!

My experiences with craigslist have been hit or miss as well. In Charlotte, NC, I sold a used bike to a 10 year old boy who happily peddled away. The bike was a bit too big for him, but his father assured him that he would grow into it. It felt nice to see my bike go to someone who was very excited to use it. In New York, however, I have found Craigslist to be one scam after another. This is mostly in the apartments section. It is just sad to see the sleazy, manipulating brokers taking over the open forum for people who were trying to avoid the brokers in the first place. I'm beginning to think that there is no way to avoid the unfortunate 20% brokers fee in this city...

I've had mostly good experiences with Craigslist. I got a nice desk for $35 and a cat carrier for $10 (and some free cat advice from the lady who sold it to me). I found my current apartment, which I think is an incredible deal, and my roommate a couple years ago. The roommate ended up turning crazy and evil, but I think the same thing could have happened with someone I already knew. I find Craigslist so much simpler to search and navigate than other sites, perhaps because of its stripped-down nature.

Craigslist was also one of my main (and probably most effective) resources for job-searching last summer, and I can't tell you how many interviews I got through Craigslist ads. I did have one slightly creepy person who, after I'd sent him my resume with all my information on it, couldn't find the time to set up an interview but had plenty of time to send me irrelevant emails like, "Hey, what's up? How was your weekend?" I stopped responding, and after a few more emails/calls asking what was wrong he gave up and left me alone. I do feel it's a little risky applying for jobs on Craigslist, since you have to provide a lot of personal information, but the employers tend to be a lot more responsive than on other sites so it's worth taking the chance.

Craigslist is a tremendous self-empowering resource! I can't understand how people can complain about it. Just like any other place in the world it has its share of scammers and flakes but the bottom line is it's a great place. Everyone should be skeptical about deals that are too good to be true no matter if they are on Craigslist or not. In my opinion if you fall for most of these scams its your own fault. They're usually pretty obvious.

One of my favorite things about Craigslist is that I can give away things that I don't need (but that are still in useful condition) to people that can use them rather than sending them to a landfill. True, I've had my share of flakes that inexplicable won't show up to retrieve a valuable piece of great furnture that I'm giving away but I've learned to spot a good customer. (I look for good grammar, civility, and promptness in emails and never commit to anyone who doesn't show these qualities.)

I've also found some great deals. In the last month, I got a mint Red Eames LCW for 40% off the retail price and a IRO track frame for $100. I love it!

I've only had one CL experience, in selling an antique brass bed. Everything went well. The couple arrived on time, were happy with the bed and the price, and I was pleased. I'd do it again.

I was nervous about Craigslist, but used it this summer to sell two couches and to buy a new (to me) sofa and armchair, and couldn't have had better experiences. The contractor and wife who picked up the couches were using them to furnish a summer home in the Poconos and told me I could arrange to stay there and visit the couches any time! The sofa and armchair were both being sold by guys with absolutely pristine apartments, and both are in terrific condition.

I'm sure I've been lucky and that I'd have a bad experience if I kept going with it. But I do always look for ads that are well-written, by posters who are quick to respond in clear, properly-punctuated English, and who are accommodating or at least polite when it comes to making arrangements. I know it sounds snotty, but I do think you can tell a lot by the way someone expresses himself...

I agree with the first comment. Ever since I've moved to NYC, I've sold furniture, clothing, shoes on CraigsList and so many people flake out on you. Recently I've had better luck spotting flakes.

The main thing I buy from CL are metrocards. Those experiences are always great because you can meet someone at the station to test is the card is valid.

The only creepy experience I had with CL is a guy who repeatedly asked me out after I sold him a table. He kept my cell phone number and called every week for a couple months. He finally gave up when he realized that, no, I am not going to pick up the phone.

I have yet to buy something on Craigslist and not for lack of trying. Most of the items of furniture I'm seeking turn out to be ridiculously priced and the one item I came close to buying, the guy gave me a price to which I agreed, then he ignored my e-mails and calls to set up a purchase time.

I think it's a nice resource, but I also think that its free wheeling nature attracts gougers and the disingenuous. Perhaps one is better off with Ebay since buyer and seller are bound by contract.

I've never sold on CL, but it does seem like buyers flake out a lot, especially for big/heavy pieces that are hard to move. My friend was moving a couple months ago and was desperately trying to sell his stuff, but he couldn't get anyone to buy it. So he begged me to come over and see if I wanted to buy anything. I made off with a huge TV (worth at least $3k), a long dining room table with 8 leather chairs from Room and Board, and a beautiful buffet he said he'd bought for $3k, and only paid $750. Everything was in mint condition and he even threw in a few small items. He did charge us a little less because he was desperate and we were friends, but still, what a steal! I can't believe he couldn't get any buyers on Craigslist.

I bought a chesterfeld sofa this week...it's mohair. Did I mention? IT's PINK!!


http://mychesterfield.blogspot.com/


Thank you Craig!

A year or so ago, I helped a friend sell a bunch of stuff from her apartment on CL. I was shocked that the dirty red sofa sold (and had about 5 or 6 people aggressively after it) but the great glass TV stand didn't have one single buyer!

I sold my own 15 year old TV on CL just so I didn't have to carry it down 4 flights to the garbage!

Oh, and last week I sold two tickets to a soccer game and ended up sitting next to a really nice couple.

Sure it takes effort to deal with people who are in no way obligated to you, but once I got the mindset that I am also in no way obligated to them, it made it much easier to CL.

hh,

I was listening to that episode this past weekend. That's too funny!

I have only started to rely on the computer for information for the past couple of years. That's mostly because of my new home purchase and needing to find things for it and to sell things. CL and Ebay have opened my eyes up to a new marketplace that surprisingly makes me feel good. So many of the buyers and sellers are just good honest people. It's just like a global garage sale and many online retailers are like the cyber version of a "mom and pop" store.

CL, Ebay and sites like AT, even though they are not outright selling something, are an example of how a community can work together in a harmonious way. Thankfully I haven't had any negative experiences with these services other than the occasional pathetic phisherman who probably responds to every first listing on CL with some kind ridiculous ploy.

I've sold a fair amount of stuff and made some people happy that makes me happy too.

I'm with Marie on selling things on CL because I'm too lazy to dispose of them in any other manner, so I suppose I shouldn't complain about the flakes. Heck, if we all still used newspaper classifieds, I'd be paying by the word to have people flake on me!

(Upstate, your blog is instantly addictive.)

EVERY time I post anything over a hundred dollars, I get the same scam email thing: "I'll send you a check for way more than you are asking, deposit it, my shipper will pick up, yadda yadda."

That gets old. I still have a counterfeit check for $5000 in my files that I was sent.

On the low end of listed items, I FREQUENTLY have people express interest, then, after MANY email exchanges, they back out.

I have better luck posting my creative services than I do selling.

Though I got a GREAT cowhide and met a hot (and very nice) East Villager from one ad!

John H--

As a seller, (generally) I find buyers to offer ridiculously low counter offers.

When I post things to sell I often put "shipping to Nigeria will be cost-prohibitive, please do not inquire, duh".

That actually has helped to keep the Nigerian emails scams to a minimum. LOL

I just need to unload the ABC sleeper sofa (less than a year old), the 32" television, and the shabby-chic-ish white highboy dresser. Anyone? Anyone? No bugs in my house! :)

hh, you sold your sofa to Starlie (sp)?! So cool! She seems very cool. Her Phil Collins story was great, and I heard her on one of my favorite stories, Duty Calls. But I digress...

I'm the king of CL finds (at least in my own mind)! Some of my favorite scores:

- Corbusier LC1 chair (DWR) for $110
- Nelson bench (DWR) for $100 (same guy as the LC1, needed to get out of town)
- Eileen Gray table (knockoff probably) for $100
- 4 DWR Bellini chairs for $180 (although I saw another awesome deal where someone was selling 4 for $100!)
- Some west elm stuff for about 50% off.

I also sold my couch for $80 bucks, which was a steal, but I'm just looking to pass along some karma.

Yes, you deal with some flakes, and I myself have flaked out a couple of times after asking if something was still available (not standing the person up), but that comes with the territory.

hh--that was starlee kind! she's amazing! she's a producer on the show, quite funny and gifted. lucky chump.... :)

(sorry, i'm a big npr/pri nerd.)

my own CL experiences: got an amazing 60's office desk for $50, sold a vintage circus poster for $175, and as a freelance photographer, i'd say about 50% of my clients come from CL.

I've bought on CL several times and have sold even more times, cleaning out a whole studio apartment one time with some additional help from Freecycle. I've never received a single scam e-mail and most times the very first person to see the item has bought.

I do think it helps to be highly detailed in your descriptions: Add measurements, show the piece from several angles and honestly point out any damage so you don't get tons of questions or people looking at the item and then leaving. And don't post blurry photos; I've wasted time going to look at items that are in much worse condition that I expected; the one purchase I am not that thrilled with is a dresser that only cost $25 and was delivered to my door for another $60; it was VERY dirty and smelled weird, although I have since done a big salvage job on it.

You also need to be realistic about pricing; I just sold a leather chair that was in quite good shape for $70; maybe I could have gotten more, but my main goal was to get it out of the apartment, and I had only paid $400 (new from Pier One) for it eight years ago! Do price a little high to permit 10-20% leeway for negotiation though.

And finally, realize that CL is rarely a good choice for expensive and/or very heavy items. (Although I'm a notable exception; I paid $750 for a super-heavy Maurice Villency coffee table that is now the star of my living room.) Normally, the $100 mark is hard to get past and the $300 mark nearly impossible. And if it can't be moved in a Zipcar by two people you lower your chances even further.

PS - one more tip, if you are nervous about letting people into your apartment, tell them the buzzer doesn't work and you need to go downstairs to let them in. If they look skeevy don't do it, and keep your cellphone in hand at all times.

I check Craiglist daily, but I have yet to make a purchase. All of the listings in my portion of Alabama are dookie.

I'll keep trying, though. I do have some stuff to sell--cleaning out the ole Outbox. Hopefully, my experience will be good.

I found my last NYC apartment through Craigslist (a wonderful sublet that the owner sold last year, sigh), and sold a serger to a fashion design student.

Nothing but love for the list.

I love CL. I bought a pub table with 4 chairs from there and the woman who was selling it gave me her car to take it home because it wouldn't fit into mine. I couldn't believe her when she just handed me the keys. A year and a half later I sold that table on CL to somebody who was just moving to town and that went very smoothly too. But then again, I live in a small city, so things are easier than in NYC.
Oh, I also bought a beautiful and clean sofa for $100 and a pretty iron patio table for $25.

I found my current apartment through Craigslist, have met both my book club and wine club (though that one was second degree--my friend originally responded) there, met friends through there from a random posting I put up looking for people in the town I used to live in, and also sold or gave away a good number of things (cd cases, sofa that I picked up free on the street, used, and then sold, cd rack...) . I don't think I've actually bought anything, though, though I have gotten free boxes when moving. Everyone has been great when I've met them...though I've had a few occasions where people bail or they're creepy sounding. I once advertised a suitcase and a guy kept calling me to see if I still had it available--it was a bit nuts.

Love Craigslist -- thanks, Craig!

First off, just surfing the for sale ads is fun, as people unload gorgeous items from mid-century, ABC Home and Carpet, etc. And I've had good experiences selling.

Now, the FINDS: I've made great houseware, tech, and furniture finds for good prices. The best was a lovely woman who sold me a pristine Mitchell Gold couch, along with with two perfect leather storage ottomans and an Artecnica floor lamp for 50% (maybe less) of what it all would have cost new.

The worst? This winter and spring I bought one of those schmancy chrome kitchen trash cans off a CL listing, and also a dishwasher. And then the dishwasher began to leak. I'm assuming goodwill on the seller's part, since it worked fine for several weeks.

This is the first year in 7 that my kitchen had a major roach problem. Coincidence? I think that unfortunately, one of these finds was the culprit. I got rid of the trash can, undertook a (mostly successful to date) least-toxic eradication campaign, and probably will not buy used appliances or large kitchen items again.

It's caveat emptor out there, baby!

We found our apartment, our babysitter, a baby backpack, and a bunch of other things on craigslist, and over the course of many moves, have sold or given away tons of stuff as well. That said you have to have patience with flaky buyers and sellers, and we can only manage that every few months. Worst so far was a seller who agreed to sell us something, then decided after receiving a bunch more emails to schedule a scrum for it at her apartment one weekend morning. Why she didn't use ebay to either auction it off or "buy it now" remains a mystery.

That tip about claiming the buzzer doesn't work makes me laugh because our buzzer really IS broken. Our landlord has tried to schedule three different repair services and they've all flaked. Maybe he found them on craigslist.

This reminded me to delete the items that didn't sell with the Central New Jersey move I've been helping with. Only a wrought iron coffee table and demi-lune table and a mirror sold among all the stuff that was up.

By the way, I found an electrician on CL, and it worked out fine. Until I recommended him to a friend, and I thought they would end up killing each other.

My best friend met her husband through the Craigslist personals. While they were dating, she introduced me to his brother, who has been my bf for almost 3 years. Thanks, Craig!

I've also found every SF apartment I've ever lived in on Craigslist. Come to think of it, I would have no idea how to find an apartment there without Craigslist. I also found an awesome roommate, with whom I am still friends even tho we parted ways some time ago.

Love the craigslist!

I purchased my couch, my dining table, and a console table (the sellers also gave me a a brand new cast iron skillet and candle sconces!)

I've sold a wall art thing and sublet my apt!

I got an inexpensive Bianchi.

And a creepy roommate.

Be careful!

CL is definitely for those with a fully functional BS detector. We sold our house to a person who responded to the pre-listing on CL-- for way over the asking price. But I'm very careful about putting things on b/c I don't want crazy people coming to my house and casing the joint.

I bought a huge credenza for $125 and a Steel tanker desk for $30.

When my Mother needed to empty our house to move to a smaller place, we used CL to give away a lot of furniture -- it was good quality, good condition stuff and she had initially wanted to donate it but the various charitable destinations (Furniture Bank etc.) were too slow or complicated. The items were free and everything was wanted by someone.
Our best results were when we asked for a name and phone number, and first dibs went to the people who used full names.

I too live in an apartment which I found through Craigslist. I almost purchased a sofa through it, too, before I realized just how much it would cost to move a hide-a-bed to my third-floor walkup.

NYC VAN: Unreliable and unprofessional mover
I bought an armoire off of craigslist and emailed William Rodriguez at NYC Van NYCvan@verizon.net to set up a pick up time six days in advance. On the day of the move, William did not show up nor return my six phone calls, so I'd like to warn other New Yorkers who depend on services like these.

I HAVE HAD IT WITH CRAIGSLIST!!! I don't get it. I place adds to sell things and (always) at least 7 people respond to the add. People make appointments to come to look and don't show. They ask STUPID questions that are answered in the add. My experience is that even when I specify "local pick up only" someone will try to get us to deliver it. I can't believe that the only people that use craigslist are all rude and inconsiderate. I cannot understand how it became the success that it is. Obviously in other parts of the country/world, people are much more considerate. I have decided that in the future, I won't even try to sell my things. I will either take it to the city dump or just leave it on the sidewalk and let people walk off with it. Too bad as I have LOTS of great stuff that I am getting rid of as I begin the process of downsizing after moving from a house in the burbs to an apartment in the city. I don't have the patience to deal with jerks anymore. I will never use craigslist again but more power to those who have craigslist success stories.