How to Find Furniture on Facebook Marketplace
We have bought and sold quite a few pieces on Facebook Marketplace allowing us to complete spaces on a budget, add character to a room, and have a little adventure along the way! In this post, we’re going to show our finds, share tricks on finding the best pieces, how we almost got scammed this weekend and how I went into labor selling on FB Marketplace!
PIECES THAT ADD CHARACTER
The primary types of pieces we hunt for on Facebook Marketplace are pieces that add character to a space. We love finding old furniture that’s lived a life before and has many more years ahead. I look for pieces that are solid and made of real wood. Newly manufactured furniture isn’t typically this heavy and solid so I’ve found these older pieces have been more durable for the family plus they’re budget-friendly.
DRESSER IN NURSERY
Our most recent project is my son’s nursery. Mom and I made a design board and included a vintage dresser. I kept calling the feel of the room Classic for a little gentleman. I didn’t want it to be too ornate. We found this dresser for $45! It’s the perfect height for a changing table and the length is great for this awkward wall length.
HUTCH ON THE PATIO
Mom found this light wood hutch on Facebook Marketplace. It’s functional and finished the design of the patio. We love the well-worn weathered look and so we chose not to paint or do any changes to it and keep it in its original wood state. This piece was $150.
PIANO IN THE DINING ROOM
This piece was FREE. This piano is HEAVY and has so much character. We took the top off it to expose the gold accent and it’s fun because it has signatures and dates on the inside. Pianos are a great find and many times are completely free to anyone who is willing to find the manpower and vehicle to move them!
PIECES THAT NEED NEW LIFE
Facebook Marketplace is a great place to find furniture pieces that need a little TLC. I love finding pieces that aren’t too damaged but could be completely transformed with a coat of paint. These pieces are typically greatly discounted and have less interest in them so you don’t have to get into a bidding war with other interested buyers.
VINTAGE CHEST
This was the piece we originally bought for the baby’s nursery. When we brought it home I realized it was a little too ornate. That’s what I love about Facebook Marketplace is that your investment is smaller enough to take risks on pieces not working. We decided to give this piece a fresh coat of paint and use it in the entryway. We used the color Licorice by Beyond Paint. We bought this piece for $150.
LIVING ROOM MEDIA CONSOLE
I wanted a really long piece as a media console in my living room. It was a challenge when I was searching but I began to think out of the box and just started looking at anything in that size. I found a piece with the length I wanted but it was way too wide. It had actually been used as a workbench in a garage. We paid $80 and we modified it by cutting it down. With a coat of paint, it literally looks like a high-end designer piece. A similar-looking piece at Restoration Hardware for example sells for $3800. This garage workbench turned high-end design is one of our favorites!
PIECES YOU CAN’T AFFORD (BRAND NAMES)
Facebook Marketplace is a great place to find brand-name furniture that is gently used. I’ve found Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, and West Elm Pieces for great prices! There is a higher demand for these pieces so you have to message the seller quickly and be able to pick the piece up as soon as possible.
POTTERY BARN COFFEE TABLE
The Pottery barn coffee table was in great shape and had gone out of stock when we purchased it for a fraction of the cost at only $100. The con of it being $100 is you need to strike while the irons hot and claim it quickly because there will be a line of people waiting to buy it. The retail price was $1200 and it continued to hold it’s value and we will actually be able to resale for more than we originally bought it! I still love this coffee table but sold it because it was too large once I added a sectional to my living room.
RESTORATION HARDWARE SLIPCOVERED SOFA
When we found the Restoration Hardware slipcovered sofa it had been sitting in a formal living room, and again almost in perfect condition. The price was great at $75, but it was a risk because we weren’t sure how the white linen fabric would hold up in a family room with kids and dogs. White is an option even in the most used spaces as long as it’s a resistant fabric that washes well. Unfortunately, this was not the case. It was still a great option though because it was a heavy quality piece worth investing in to recover. The piece was still not as functional as we’d like for the growing family so we listed it for the same price we purchased it and made it clear that the fabric wasn’t good in a high traffic area.
POTTERY BARN PLAY STORAGE UNIT
We found this Pottery Barn Play Storage Unit for $75. It was in great condition, but I still decided to paint it a color that went better with the room as the black felt harsh. We added baskets and this piece has been beautiful and functional for my daughter’s playroom.
TIPS FOR BUYING AND SELLING ON FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE
Now that we’ve shared all the pieces we’ve found for our home on Facebook Marketplace, we’re going to share the tips we’ve learned along the way for both buying and selling.
1. RESPOND QUICKLY
Whether you are buying or selling being responsive is important on Facebook Marketplace. If you’re not able to respond quickly or pick up that day then I would not spend my time shopping looking. Choose a day that you are available. This allows you to score the best finds. If there’s something great and someone else is faster then you lost the deal.
2. DON’T GET SCAMMED
When I was selling the other weekend I almost got scammed 3 times! The buyers were telling me that they would pay me with Zelle site unseen and that another family member would come to pick it up. Then when I told them I didn’t get the Zelle payment they’d asked for an email to send a receipt. Then when I told them I still didn’t get it they sent an email from “Zelle” saying I needed to “upgrade my Zelle to a business account.” When I looked at the email it was ZelleInfo@aol.com. I flagged the buyer for doing it then a quick google search showed this is a common scam. You can read this article to see how they end up stealing money from you once you “upgrade to a business account.” I had this happen to me 2 times after the first time. Every single person that tried to do this to me messaged my marketplace listing from an Instagram account. I’ve never had a legitimate buyer respond from Instagram.
Don’t let this scare you from selling on Facebook Marketplace! Just be wise and don’t be afraid to say no. I oftentimes will only accept cash and meet in a public space if I don’t have any mutual friends with the buyers. Luckily lately I’ve had a lot of friends respond to my listings making it a stress-free experience.
3. MAKE YOUR DESCRIPTION CLEAR
When you’re selling make sure you include dimensions and any damages on the item. When I sold my sofa I shared that although the piece was sturdy and beautiful I would recommend it going to a low traffic area because the fabric absorbs stains easier than most. This sounds like it would deter buyers but it actually prompted a conversation and made the buyers trust me. I made sure to take a picture of the fabric up close.
I hope this post encourages you to treasure hunt a little bit. I would love to know in the comments your favorite Facebook Marketplace finds and if you have any time for shopping yourself. We love to hear from you.
PIN FOR LATER
