quote:I see for sale items where the seller says "It's new, mint, still in the shipping box" and he's selling it for 1/2 of what he paid for it. To me that means he's losing money from the get-go.
While some people buy for resale, and some people buy trains as an investment, there are plenty who don't. And those who do often buy things that they collect too.
There are any number of reasons why a person would sell their trains at a loss.
Maybe they need the money.
Maybe they need the space.
Maybe they are planning to relocate, and don't want to move the trains.
Maybe they are doing some "advance estate planning", and don't want to leave the stuff for their family to deal with.
There is one fellow I always make certain to visit a York. He is not a dealer, but he purchased a lot of current production stuff though out the Modern era, and never used or displayed them. He is now selling that stuff off at a fraction of what he paid. This time he had NOS Lionel GG-1's and NOS Lionel FM Trainmasters, among other items. Made me wish I could use them.
I know that a lot of people here don't understand why someone would buy something and not use it.
The answer is simple, those folks take pleasure in ownership.
