Taking Layout Apart and Selling the Buildings and Rolling Stock

It is a fairly good idea but you have limited your market to a relatively small area.

EDIT:I just re-read your post and I am laughing (well, sort of) as the one building that you mentioned (Royal York) is one of the few that I am looking for. Oh well, good luck if you proceed with this.

I think your idea is fine, but perhaps a lot of work for you.  I am guessing--just guessing--that your LHS is Berwyn Toys and Trains, which store would be a great place to advertise such open house sales.  Above all, I am sorry you are so dramatically downsizing, and I hope it is for a happy reason.

John M.

Geography for a "1:48 Real Estate Sale" is in your favor -- you live in the Chicago metro area, not Wayaway, ND.  Hobbyists who already know about your fabulous basement model railroad empire would travel to view it before the downsizing, and many attendees would want to take something home.  Carry on ...

Mike Mottler   LCCA 12394

Suggest you find a way to vet the people who will be coming to your house.  Putting out a public notice (such as an online post or a sign/flyer at your local train store) will lead to anyone and everyone showing up.  Keeping an eye on everyone, keeping track of what has been sold, making sure that nothing walks away (including non-train stuff), and the possibility of people scoping out the contents of your house - no thanks, IMO.

Why not start by inviting the members of your train club?

@Mallard4468 posted:

Suggest you find a way to vet the people who will be coming to your house.  Putting out a public notice (such as an online post or a sign/flyer at your local train store) will lead to anyone and everyone showing up.  Keeping an eye on everyone, keeping track of what has been sold, making sure that nothing walks away (including non-train stuff), and the possibility of people scoping out the contents of your house - no thanks, IMO.

Why not start by inviting the members of your train club?

I thank you for your concerns and appreciate you sharing them.  We have a backside entrance to our basement and the train layout is in its own room(much like a recreation room with doors leading to the wash area and tool bench/furnance/water heater.  The footprint of the layout takes up about 80% of that room Those doors will be closed and I will be in the room to answer their questions. I do not see a big rush as I am sure a prudent modeler will contact me ahead of time to see if the buildings he/she is interested in are still  available.  Again, thank you. John

Lansing is at the end of 294S.

long ride from Des Plaines.

I'm at the stage of looking for buildings, but not with a 1600 mile round trip drive attached.

Like John and others, very interested, but just too far from Maryland

I Live in Wilmette...just let me know when!!!

I’d be interested in coming out if the schedule fits.

@Andrew B. posted:

Like John and others, very interested, but just too far from Maryland

Same here.  Southern Maryland is a long way from Lansing.

John,

I'd certainly be interested in purchasing some buildings, but really have no desire to drive up to Chicago on the chance of everything being a rush at the beginning. I think you might have better luck with posting everything here with prices with the understanding that it's pickup only and only on select days. My hunch is you have nice enough stuff to make listing it worth while vs the garage sale mentality.

Just my two cents.

you could always post items and deliver within a radius. But really what is the loss per building? Is it worth the trouble?

OK, everybody, enough comments about not living close enough.  John knows he is limiting his market, and he doesn't want shipping hassles.

John, I applaud your belief in humanity, but I agree that your methodology assumes some real risk even if you only advertise at LHS and here.  My spouse and I have been "right" sizing our possessions for a couple of years now in anticipation of downsizing expected to take place next year.  We post pictures and prices of everything on Facebook Marketplace and limit the area to our locale (Chicago area).  Even with that, we've sold some stuff to people from Missouri and Wisconsin who were willing to do almost all of the driving to purchase the treasure we were selling because we refuse to ship and deal in cash only.

If you really don't want to do on-line sales, why not ask your LHS if you can post pictures with prices and your phone number (even if just for a few items at a time), perhaps offering the LHS remuneration for the permission.  Then, take all the pictures, remove and store the structures, and start your teardown.  At the prices you suggest, I'll bet everything will move quickly and safely for you.

Chuck (we've met at DuPage Train Show several times)

My son lives in Glenview and there's a new granddaughter to visit, so it would be easy for me to come on down and acquire whatever's relevant to me and available, depending on date of the event.

I would use Craigslist.org and post photo.

Craigslist is safe and protects your real email address from scammers.

I search only my local area for large items, but a wider area for Model Trains.

You can met buyers at a safe public location or even the local police station if cash or valuable items are in play.

@AlanRail posted:

Lansing is at the end of 294S.

long ride from Des Plaines.

That’s a short commute if you do it on a weekend, maybe an hour?  I’ve been driving  from western Michigan to Morris, IL and back every-other Sunday for most of the Summer (2:45).  You get used to it.  

Update:  Yesterday five men came to look at the For Sale items and while here we had an operating session.  One broght a European style green steam engine with two European style coaches.  While running one of our freight trains on the outer loop(Z4000) his train was on the same track  controlled remotely.  Two others brought battery powered highway vehicles and if you don't smile when you see them, there is something wrong.  Some rolling stock went home with them.  All in all, a good time was had by all.  One man took what must have been two hundred pictures and will return in November to shoot a thirty minute video so all buildings will stay in place until then.  John

John,

I highly suggest having at least one other person with you during this sale.  If two "customers" come in at once you will only be able to keep an eye on one of them.

Best of luck!