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Richard Zambito
A slew of appliances sitting on a lawn are part of a garage sale that some municipalities argue have gotten out of hand.
Richard Zambito, vice president of the Parklawn Civic Association in Alexandria, Va., has become the neighborhood’s unofficial garage and yard sale inspector.
In the last few years, Zambito has seen sales go from occasional friendly and benign events that brought the community together to extreme and prolific selling juggernauts.
“Two weeks ago, I drove by a home and they were having an auto sale, 20 cars parked on the lawn,” he explained, adding that some residents are now holding weekly sales. “And I went by another home and saw the yard full of appliances, including vacuum cleaners, washing machines and driers.”
Zambito thinks the sales have become a nuisance, creating traffic and litter problems. He’s on a mission to get county officials to curb them, and he’s even been taking photos of the sales and confronting residents who hold them.
“Last time I took photos they chased me down the road,” he said about residents who were unhappy he’s trying to curtail their roadside retailing.
In South Greensburg, Pa., a borough of Pittsburgh, town council president Clentin Martin also wants to put the kibosh on lawn and driveway bazaars, but he found out that messing with garage sales could be the new third rail of politics.
He just introduced an ordinance that would limit the number of garage sales residents can have every year to four and would charge $5 for each sale. For that, he said, he’s been called a communist. “I’ve gotten more heat on this than anything I’ve ever done,” he said.
Towns from Pittsburgh to Dallas are moving to curb so-called extreme garage sales and many residents are balking.
A sacred American ritual is coming under fire. Tough economic conditions have led to a rise in such home-based vendors who see the process as a way to make a few extra bucks, not just clean out the basement. Cities and towns, which don’t get tax revenues from the sales and have to deal with the traffic problem and sanitation issues related to the driveway trade, are fighting back by imposing fees and asking residents to get permits, many of which limit the sales to only a handful a year.
Today, there are about 45,000 garage sales held every weekend across the U.S., according to TagSellIt.com, and there’s no sign residents will be easing up on the home marketplaces on their own.
“The middle class appears to be shrinking while the lower-classes are growing, and members of the middle class seem to be engaging in thrift behaviors as an adaptive strategy under conditions of downward mobility,” said Todd Goodsell, assistant professor in the department of sociology at Brigham Young University, who has studied local thrift economies.
Indeed, advertisements for garage sales can be seen dotting communities all across the country, especially as the temperatures start to warm up; and ads on online classified sites are prolific. In recent years, garage sale ads on Craigslist have been on the rise, said Susan Mactavish Best, a spokeswoman for the company. She would not provide specifics.
Some municipalities in New York are seeing some locations holding garage sales every weekend, said Steve Silverberg, an attorney in Tarrytown, N.Y., who concentrates on municipal land use and zoning.
Many of these residents, he added, are essentially operating a business from their homes, and many towns don’t allow that in residential areas. In response, local government officials are putting zoning ordinances in place with limitations on the number of sales each home can have per year.
“There are a lot of issues that lead to this. All these cars pulling up, people all over the place, and people who live near don’t particularly care for it,” he explained. “A municipality is allowed to control local zoning.”
Dallas’ city council decided to take control of the burgeoning yard retailers.
Last year, the council decided in a close vote to limit the number of yard sales residents could hold and also require that residents get a permit and pay $15 for each sale.
And the city ordinance has restrictions on the number and placement of yard sale signs residents can put up in the neighborhood: "There is a limit of two garage sales at a premises during any 12 month period and each sale may not exceed more than three consecutive calendar days in length. Only one sign is allowed upon the lot where the sale is taking place. Signs placed on medians, public property or utility poles are illegal."
“It wasn’t about making revenue for the city more than to get something under control that was increasingly growing out of control,” said Dallas council member Dwaine Caraway. “People throughout neighborhoods and communities -- some people, not all -- were taking advantage of it. They’d roll out stuff and roll it back in every weekend. A garage sale to me is you got an old pair of shoes, or an old set of golf clubs or dishes. But this stuff was in boxes. Some with tags on them.”
Caraway admitted he’s gotten some flak from the community for supporting the fee and the council is now considering knocking off $5 from the fee. He wants to keep restrictions on residents, however, especially those who had “opened up weekly businesses and were not paying any taxes either.”
But he added, “no one is going to be thrown in jail. It’s to figure out who are the abusers and the good people. Good people will appreciate it in the long run.”
Aaron LaPedis, author of “The Garage Sale Millionaire”, who has held about 50 garage sales in his lifetime, isn’t so sure.
“We should be allowed as Americans to have a garage sales, make a little money, without being permitted and taxed everywhere we go,” he said. “A normal person would probably have two garage sales a year.”
Where residents go overboard and run businesses from their homes, he said, government officials should crack down, but not on average yard sale enthusiasts.
Such sales are great for communities and for the environment, he pointed out.
“Having a garage sale is very green because it recycles items,” he said. “People are now going to start throwing away stuff.”
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I guess garage sales are going the way of swap meets and craft fairs. Those used to be about selling YOUR old items and hand crafts. Now they are about retailing Chinese crap. People should have to get a business license to sell as retailers, pay any city permiit fees and copllect sales tax like any other business. After, they are just low rent businesses.
Not a single person even thought of this one. We had a family who had a "Yard sale" every week. He was a burglar selling his stolen merchandise. I bet that happens more often than not.
You see this type of selling all over Mexico. I wonder if its American citizens or illegals.
Its an eyesore and promotes criminal activity. 2 Yard sales a year are good enough for someone to get rid of their unwanted stuff. If a community wants to hold one let them apply for a free permit.
You can test your theory by going to the predominantly Mexican areas of town. I bet you'll see the yard sale frequency go up dramatically.
When personal garage sale are ban. that tells me the wage earner is out of control and local business control the government. Too many business want to legislate there business success instead of competing. How ever there are a class of people where garage sales are a type of entertainment. I have noticed the lower income families tend to have garage sale for more then medium wage earners,thus there cars set out side and have garages full of junk they don't use. In my case my garage is full of tools as I can't afford the taxes and insurance for a hobby shop. I could buy the shop but the city and county would tax me out of it.
Yet another example of government over-stepping its bounds.
I have nothing against garage sales. We've even had a few ourselves.
But until you've lived next door to a permanent garage sale you won't know what it's like.
You won't know what it's like to wait for somebody to move their car only to have another (non-English speaking) idiot take the parking spot in front of your driveway.
You won't know what it's like to be unable to completely mow your grass because there are cars parked partially on your lawn. (You'll also have to reseed every spring.)
You won't know what it's like to have to water your front yard at night (the worst time) because there's always cars in the way during the day.
You won't know what it's like to have to go to the post office two or three times a week because the mail carrier isn't required to leave his/her vehicle to deliver your mail when your mailbox is blocked.
You won't know what it's like to live next door to a junk yard all summer.
I knew what it was like for three years.. until the city council stepped in!
I know everyone loves to slam Alabama, but here we have a workable system. Residents can have 1 yard sale a month, permit costs $5.00, and they're registered and monitored. My oldest daughter has held several and has friends who combine with her at their different homes. No problem. We also have many (too many) flea markets that if you want a "semi-permanent" sales spot, that's an option as well. My youngest sister "owns" a spot in a local in-door flea market which opens daily, and tracks her sales for her (and other booths) through a common register. I can't see, selling appliances on my street on a weekly basis, for one, our HOA would not allow it. Secondly, they do present traffic hazards. Once a month, it's livable even if next door neighbors have them consecutive weeks. Don't "BAN" them, work with them with a workable system.
Cleaning out your attic and putting stuff on the front lawn for a weekend is one thing - a string of major appliances is another. I agree that there needs to be middle ground but I used to live next door to a woman who, on every weekend from the spring to fall, had a yard sale going on. Constant traffic, people all over, throwing paper cups etc on the neighbors lawns as they trounced through was a bit much to take. Plus, not knowing who the potential buyers are caused some unease. Church parking lot? School parking lot? There are alternatives.
There is a difference between a legitimate yard sale and someone operating a business out of their home. Of course, this guy gets called a communist (I'm surprised it's not socialist - the new go-to label) but this is why zoning laws were created in the first place. These people are cheaters, plain and simple.
I know this is nothing, but I believe the word is dryer, not drier...sorry, my ocd is kicking in again!!
Most people understand the need to make money, but when it is being made at a neighbor's expense, it is just bad community relations and a lack of consideration for others. Two or even three garage sales a year is understandable, but pack up what you don't sell and donate it.
Selling appliances and cars should count as a flea market event...and if you are selling cars, you will make back more than your $15 dollar rental fee. With technology being what it is, why bother with a yard sale??
Im out of work right now and have a couple of yard sales a year. It helps my family get by. I also attend garage sales looking for good deals that I can resell to help my family get by. That being said, myself and my neighbors don't do the cars or appliance thing, our neighborhood association (very large neighborhood) would never allow it. If the city gets involved around here, its because it needs to.
Who the hell want's a guy next door selling old washing machines, dryer's, car's, and all kind's of other junk all over his yard?? Want to sell that kind of Crap? Go a a flea market. I would give Jail sentence's along with the fine. Six month's on the FIRST offense and a Thousand dollar fine to go with it. The Occasional yard sale like once a month is ok, but not every single day. NO way.
And who will pay for his free room and board, free college education while in jail? Don't we have enough laws in this free country?
Yes it can be a bother if you neighbors starts doing this BUT... some folks are out of work and have become self employed doing yard sales in order to survive... good for them... at least they are trying to earn a living
people pay tax's, they should be able to do what they want, now the towns are turning into the government, a bunch of @!$%#s, i can see that communist flag flying now with obama's face on it. then it will be the town henchmen, pretty bad when you can't make ends meet because of a rural nimrod.
As the poster above said, try living next door to a permanent garage sale. And no, people shouldn't be able to do what they want. We had some neighbors at one time who parked their cars all over the street, and in front of their neighbor's mail boxes. The letter carrier wouldn't deliver the mail. I had to watch for the truck every day (if I was home) and go wait by the mailbox. But the neighbors NEVER parked in front of THEIR mailbox.
Our city is very friendly to home-based businesses. We can see the occasional client. We just can't operate a retail business unless we sell online or off-premises. I don't have a problem with that rule because I don't want to be THAT neighbor.
There's an old saying that your freedom to swing your fist ends at my face.
My hometown has designated yard/garage sale days every year. They'll have them every couple of months during the spring/summer/fall, and one in the winter if the weather is mild. If you want to have a sale, you send your address in, and the town publishes lists and maps of places where sales are. Most people get together in groups to do it, so you can have people to run your sale and people to go out and look at all the other sales. I think it is a great system. People who don't want to participate know up front when the "nuisance" will take place, and those who do participate are pretty much guaranteed a good turnout. I've known folks who make "shopping lists" of things they need before they go off bargain hunting! Regulation isn't always a bad thing.
When we lived in a condo development, we were limited to having a "garage sale" when the development had garage sale, 2 per year on a specified weekend.
I see no problem with having neighborhood garage sales on a specified weekend(s) so that the neighbors can decide to participate or go somewhere else that day. You bring in more people and clear out more stuff.
Now for the sellers that have multiple washers and dryers in their yards or multiple cars for many weekends, nail them to the wall because they are making it harder on honest Americans trying to clean out the basement and attic!
Renee, they do hurt the honest garage sale people when the municipality now says that you need a permit and must pay a fee to have a yard sale. Unless it is a multi-family sale, you do not have more than 1 washer/dryer stored in your garage. Typically, when I buy a new large appliance, it is because I need it and the one I am replacing is tossed.
I do see your point about hurting the small reseller of used appliances.
I believe that we are saying the same thing in different ways. Leave the true garage sales alone, but hammer the ones that are in actuality an "Illegal" store.
Sounds like a Southern affliction. In that case, should we really be surprised?
Why are all levels of government in the USA trying to impose restrictions on the people? Why aren't they looking for ways to AID the people.??
If we can offer AID to Haiti, Afghanis and Iraquis..... Why NOT struggling Americans?
TIME FOR AMERICAN GOVERMENTS TO TAKE A LONG HARD LOOK AT THEMSELVES IN THE MIRROR.......................... AND ASK THEMSELVES..................
"Are we part of the PROBLEM or are we part of the SOLUTION for Americans."
Those that support Big government are part of the problem, and those that support small government are part of the solution when referencing individual rights.
If I ran a retail storefront, had all my permits, paid all my sales taxes, should I just chuck it all and sell my stuff in the yard every day?
Looks like the economy isn't healing fast enough. Insane-level garage sales are just a sign that someone isn't making ends meet, so they are doing everything in their power to obtain merchandise and move it for a profit.
I agree it's ugly and needs certain restrictions, but the reason behind the sales is sound... and desperate.
Man, we the people just can't win for losing in this country anymore, can we? No matter what we do there's some govnmt official somewhere that's hell bent on regulating it in an attempt to make a buck off of it. First they take away our ability to earn a decent honest living and then attack us from every concievable direction that they possibly can at every single move we make. What's it gonna take govrnmt? Do we all need to move out of the country and leave it all to the govrnmt and the top 10%? Or maybe form sides and fight it out and may the best side win? Geez man, this $hit has just absolutely gone beyond totally ridiculous.
This A-Hole Zambito should mind his dam business, the people of america dont need to pay fees, or be taxed on items they already paid sales tax on when origionally purchased...this is just another example of city and local governments intruding into our personal lives, and trying to squeeze more money out of us, they dont give a rats ass about traffic or trash, the street sweeper is comming by regardless....,......"F" - Off !!!!
As I see things here one has two choices: 1.) Put the stuff in a landfill. OR 2.) Make the stuff available to someone or to a family that in many cases could use such items as described in this article and not have to pay retail prices for that particular item. What do you think is the more RESPONSIBLE option here? Hmmmmmm...now let me think about this one for a second. ITS A NO BRAINER!!! BACK OFF all you town and village officials!!! Do your job and take care of the much more pressing needs of those in the villages and towns whom you represent!!!
Here we go again, opining on a ridiculous topic that if put to a vote in the USA would probably result in 90% pro garage sale, 5% anti, and 5% for kickng the crap out of people that have nothing better to do than intrude on people selling things on their front lawn with a camera just because they don't like what they're doing . I'm in the last 5%.
What nonsense!! All the problem that this country has and these morons focus on yard sales!!
that is what we need is to make up a few more regulations designed to further crush the common people who actually do these yard sales in an honest way to clean their old rubble out of their living space, let's just tighten the stranglehold some more their are way too many free spirited individuals out there trying to make a few bucks and deal Uncle Sam out of the picture, how disrespectful, THAT TYPE OF THINKING MUST NOT BE TOLERATED ... DEATH TO ALL WHO TRY TO ESCAPE THE WATCHFUL EYE OF BIG BROTHER