To not back down over this (fairly trivial)

[MrsCosmopilite]

My Dad died last year and my sibling and I are in the process of clearing out the former family home to sell it.
(Mum died over 10 yrs ago).

There is a suite of lovely, original 1950's bedroom furniture which neither of us have room to house. It was used daily until Mum died.

With regret, I've listed it for sale in a free ad. I've asked for £80 per piece (less for bedside tables), or a set price for the whole lot.

Someone has come back and offered £60 for one piece. They think this is reasonable because there is a small chip in the veneer. However, my ask was £80 OVNO which I don't feel this is.
I've said I'd take £70 at a push. They are still offering £60 because they have to get a taxi to the property (not my problem).

So, AIBU?


The idea of selling the furniture is to put away a sum for my sibling's children and mine, BTW.

[niceguy2]

how many other offers or interest have you had?

if loads then hold out for £70, otherwise I'd take the £60 which is significantly better than £0

[susiedaisy]

something is only worth what a person is willing to pay for it, and if you haven't had any other offers then you will need to compromise on the price IMO

[gamerchick]

I wouldn't sell it to them now just because they're pushy.

it doesn't matter who's in the right, if you want a certain price, you're within your rights to do that.

60 quid is more than a dealer would give you though.

[CoolaSchmoola]

YANBU but neither are they.

If they don't want to pay what you want for it then don't sell them it, job done.

It's worth remembering that something is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it, so even though to you it is worth more, possibly due to memories of your mum, to them it's worth £60.

Both of you are reasonable, but £60 in a savings account is of more value than a piece of furniture you can't sell at £80...

[wigglesrock]

Yes, YABU, but clearing out a house is a difficult and very sad task and however special the furniture is to you, whatever memories of your family it triggers to someone else it's just furniture.

[Ogg]

They hold no special memories for the buyer and you may just end up having to freecycle the set if you don't get any other offers

[Dahlen]

The trouble with furniture is that it is expensive to buy when you need something and yet you can never get very much for it when you're selling it second hand.

As a PP said, it's worth whatever someone wants to pay for it, and you have to balance feeling hard done by against the possibility that you may end up having to dispose of it.

When I cleared by DF's house, I let lots of things go for less than I felt they were worth because the financial loss mattered less to me than the practical and emotional difficulties caused by trying to hang on to them until I got a better price. Anything I felt that strongly about I took home and tried to sell at a later date, though I guess that's not easy with a bedroom suite.

I'm sorry for your loss.

[aldiwhore]

If your reserve is £80, an offer of £60 isn't near enough.

It's not your problem if they have to get a taxi to yours.

Obviously, if you cannot store it, or hold out for your ideal, then you have to accept less for a quick sale.

[MrsCosmopilite]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I will go back and say that at the moment, I'm hoping for £70-80 BUT if I have no offers by next week, then I'll reconsider their £60.

Agree completely that something is better than nothing, but the prospective buyer telling me they need to get a cab (which increases their costs) is not my issue, and is not relevant.

Obviously I'd rather sell it than give it away, but that may end up being the case.

[PrettyKitty1986]

Neither of you abu.

When looking at freeads they are completely reasonable to barter and try and get items for as low a price as possible. I do it myself. They are not to know the personal circumstances behind the sale.

You are entitled to not let items go for an amount which you think is too low. It's your decision to make, based on balancing whether it is worth taking slightly less for a quick sale. If you don't mind hanging onto it then decline the offer - but also remove the 'ovno' from the ad, as it doesn't seem you are willing to consider the 'nearest offer' - which, to date, this is.

[MrsCosmopilite]

She came back with £70 offer. So one piece of furniture down, six to go.... :)

[Hawkmoon269]

Sorry for your loss. I understand why you're finding it stressful and sad to sell this furniture. Hope you manage to sell it all for a good price!