Selling on Craigslist

bellman · June 2008

I'm moving out of my apartment in Prospect Heights, and I'd like to sell much of my furniture on Craigslist. I'm concerned about letting strangers into my apartment while I'm alone. Am I being paranoid?

Can anyone suggest a safe way to handle such transactions?

I was thinking of recording the ID of anyone entering my apartment, but then thought this might be over the top.

emily · June 2008

Not paranoid. I make sure someone else is there, although once my husband got home late from work and some guy came to pick up a bookcase, and I survived...

What I'd recommend if you live alone is that you try to make all potential buyers show up in a certain window (like tell them they can come Saturday between 1 and 3 or Sunday from 4 to 7) and arrange to have a friend over then. Also, when you contact people to tell them that, be sure to make it sound like you're telling everyone who's coming to buy your stuff to come at that time, i.e. there will be other people around.

HTH--I've had good luck selling stuff on Craigslist and getting people to pay cash and cart the stuff away themselves--very convenient.

urbancowgirl · June 2008

No, you aren't paranoid...I've worried about this, too, and I recently had a single boss in her 50's who had the same fear. Something I sometimes do is just casually mention that there will be someone else in the home. For example, if they want to come over after work say, "Absolutely, 7:00 is fine. If I haven't made it home from work by then, my boyfriend/roommates will be home to show it to you." I know that's probably a little silly and unnecessary, but it makes me feel a little better. I do it here and would have done it in TN, too. It just doesn't make sense to be naive.

On another note, what you sellin'? ;o)

flux · June 2008

You should not worry. I sold lots of stuff from my house through craigslist. never had any shaddy characters or problems. good luck

bellman · June 2008

Thanks for the advice.

UrbanCowgirl- I'm selling most of the stuff in my apt. A couch, bookcases, computer desk, coffee table, TV, etc. I'm not moving for a couple of months, but I'll be sure to post an ad in the Marketplace section here in addition to Craigslist once I get my act together. If you're interested in any of these items sooner, PM me, and I can send you photos.

madman · June 2008

Also get their name and phone number. Call to make sure it's correct and forward the info to a friend for safekeeping.

armchair_warrior · June 2008

for me as a service provider on cl, majority of the buyers would also be girls. majority of the stuff i ever transport are for girls.

Selling on Craigslist

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