Downsizing Sale Value Calculator
Estimate how much cash you can raise by selling furniture, appliances and household goods when downsizing — used items resell for a fraction of what you paid.
How it works
Gross resale = original cost × recovery rate · Fees = gross × fee % · Net cash = gross − fees
Used household goods resell for a fraction of their purchase price — often 15–35% — because buyers can only compare against new prices and the market is flooded with similar items. A single recovery rate applied across categories gives a realistic ceiling, and selling fees (marketplace cuts, consignment splits, estate-sale commissions) then shave the net further. The gap between the original value and the net cash is the real, and usually surprising, cost of ownership.
Worked example
Say you paid $6,000 for furniture, $4,000 for appliances and $2,000 for misc — $12,000 in all. At a 25% recovery rate the gross resale is $3,000; a 10% selling fee takes $300, leaving $2,700 net, or about 22.5% of what everything originally cost.
Frequently asked questions
What recovery rate should I use?
For general secondhand furniture and household goods, 15–35% of the original price is typical, with 25% a reasonable middle estimate. Well-kept name-brand pieces, solid-wood furniture and recent electronics land higher; mass-market particleboard, mattresses and worn items land lower or do not sell at all.
Do I get more from a yard sale or online?
Online marketplaces reach more buyers and fetch higher prices per item but take time and effort per listing. Yard and estate sales clear everything fast at lower prices. Many downsizers list high-value pieces online and dump the rest in a single-weekend sale.
Why is the net so much lower than what I paid?
Depreciation is steep the moment an item leaves the store, and used goods compete against a huge supply. Treat resale cash as a bonus that offsets moving or decluttering costs, not as recovering your investment.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.