The all-time way to sell a piano - A guide on the best practices and methods to sell your piano from an industry professional.

Brown Yamaha upright piano with piano keys

What is the best style to sell a used piano?

There are several ways to become about selling a piano, only in my experience some approaches yield better results than others. Y'all may have already considered online classifieds like Craigslist, Offer Upwardly, Facebook Marketplace or the possibility of consigning or selling to a piano store. These are all viable options, and they all accept pros and cons, so nosotros'll go over the methods that I accept found to be the most benign, and hopefully this volition assist you lot determine which selection is all-time for you. I should probably also mention here that I buy pianos both in the Seattle, Washington area as well as the entire western portion of the U.s., so please consider selling your piano to me when deciding which route is best for you :)

What is your piano worth? - How to determine the value of your pianoforte.

This is a bit of a loaded question, and there is an element of subjectivity to it, but the first thing you'll need to establish is the price you are going to aim to sell your piano for. There are several factors that weigh in when trying to determine the resale value of a piano. The value of a specific pianoforte model can vary dramatically depending on the status of the piano, the stop of the pianoforte or even the region of the land that the piano is located. In that location are two means that are well-nigh helpful in getting an accurate estimate on piano value,

  • Consulting with a local piano dealer

  • Hiring a local piano tuner

With newer pianos (twenty years and newer) it'southward a little more than straight forward to determine resale value than with vintage or antique pianos. If you have a piano that is on the newer side of the equation, call your local piano dealer and inquire what they retrieve the pianoforte would exist worth on the private market. If yous approach your conversation with the store casually and politely, and let them know upfront that you are hoping to sell the pianoforte on the private market and would like to know their opinion of individual market place value, they will probably give you a fairly honest and authentic answer. During this phone call y'all tin can also ask what sort of ballpark price they might be willing to purchase or export the piano from you at. Information technology would probably be a skilful idea to phone call a 2d or even a third dealer to make sure yous're getting a fairly accurate consensus.

Another helpful route in determining the value of your piano would exist to have a piano tuner / technician come out to assess the piano. This will be a service that you will need to pay for, and the going rate varies depending on the tuner you lot are working with, and whether you would like a verbal or written appraisal. Working with piano tuners in assigning value can be a footling tricky. Sometimes tuners can be very familiar with working on pianos, but a piddling less familiar with retail values. Finding a tuner that works with a local dealer or sells pianos themselves might be helpful. You'll too need to be articulate when working with the tuner that you are hoping for the resale value of the pianoforte, not only the insurance value. The insurance replacement value of the piano volition likely be much college than the actual resale value. With a typical appraisement service, yous'll also be informed of exactly what sort of mechanical condition your piano is in. If you opt for a written appraisal, this will help yous substantially in justifying your asking price to prospective buyers, and it will give your buyers more conviction in purchasing your piano.

Where is the all-time place to sell your pianoforte?

Grand piano in elegant room with chandelier

Nosotros went over a few options in the intro of this mail, but the about common and virtually successful ways of selling a piano would be either to sell the piano yourself from your home or venue by advertising on an online classifieds site or by working with a local piano dealer. Both options have their unique benefits, but the choice best for you lot will depend on where you see the almost value.

Selling your pianoforte online.

When information technology comes to selling your piano yourself online, you will likely net more money than you would selling with a piano dealer, but be prepared to correspond over email and telephone with buyers to answer questions, evidence the piano in person, mayhap multiple times, with multiple prospective buyers. With selling annihilation in an online classifieds environment, you'll need to expect some level of haggling. In some cases y'all may become a heir-apparent that is prepared to pay you the exact price you lot are asking for your piano with no haggling at all, but in about cases you're likely going to receive an offering that is lower than your advertised asking toll. Don't take offence to this. It is totally normal etiquette in this process. Knowing this, you may desire to strategize and maybe list the piano for a slightly higher price than what y'all're really comfortable selling the pianoforte for. Make sure y'all don't become likewise overboard with padding the cost, or it may deter possible buyers from even contacting you. If you aren't comfortable with the haggling scenario, you will need to put in your advertizing that yous are "firm on the price". In my professional person opinion, I'd advise being open to reasonable offers. If you're thinking about selling your piano on ebay, I've written a buyers guide to purchasing pianos on ebay that might be worth glancing at every bit a refrence to what pianoforte buyers might be looking for. Hither are another great online classified options suitable to advertize your piano sale,

In that location are general classified pages similar,

  • Craigslist

  • Offer Upwardly

  • Facebook Marketplace

  • Kiji

  • Ebay

And piano specific classifieds like,

  • PianoWorld

  • Piano Buyer

  • PianoMart

All of these will get you at to the lowest degree some exposure. The ones that will get you the MOST exposure will really depend on the piano model, and the region of the land you are advertising in. If yous have a highly desirable piano, just posting on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace might do the trick. If your piano is a little older, the brand is a little more obscure, or yous alive in a lower population area, then ad in ALL of the above might be a good idea. The more than exposure yous give your piano, the ameliorate take a chance you have of a successful auction.

Do you need a bill of sale for your pianoforte?

Grand Piano For Consignment Seattle

This one really depends. As someone who purchases a large amount of pianos, I always make sure to have a bill of sale signed past the seller that includes the date, seller information, the piano brand / model, the sale price and the piano serial number. For the one off buyer/seller.. It'south probably not entirely necessary, so don't fret if you don't have one prepared, or have already purchased or sold a pianoforte without a bill of sale. If having a bill of sale would make y'all experience a little bit more than comfortable with the transaction as either a buyer or seller, by all ways, prepare one for the transaction. Information technology definitely won't injure.

Here are some tips on putting together a skilful advertisement for your piano sale.

Grand Piano for sale on rug in home

1. Take Good photos with a clean piano, and make clean environment.

Check to make sure that your camera / phone lense is clean, and that your photos upload relatively conspicuously. There have been several times I've stared at photos in piano ads wondering... "I wonder what kind of potato they used to take this photo".

ii. Clean your piano.

As with selling a house or a machine, selling a clean piano will help justify your asking price. All pianos, regardless of the habitation they are kept in can develop dust, dirty keys, and normal case wearable and tear. The all-time way to make clean your pianoforte volition depend on the finish, the model, and the specific part of the piano you are cleaning. There are some definite dos and don'ts in this area, so it's best to do some research before tackling this i. If you endeavor and tackle this without the proper solutions and methods, you lot could unwittingly severely harm your piano. Many piano tuners/technicians offer piano cleaning services to their clients, specially with grand pianos where cleaning the interior is really best left for the professionals.

3. Include as much data every bit possible.

Just as you lot've done your research in how to sell a pianoforte, and how much your piano is worth, people interested in purchasing your piano will take done their research in what to look for when buying a used pianoforte. Posting some of the information listed below may help you get more attention on your piano, and alleviate some unnecessary emails requesting data that could take been easily included in your advertizing. Helpful information to include in your ad,

  • Piano Brand

  • Piano Model

  • Series Number

  • Request toll

  • If you are the original owner

  • How long have you owned the piano

  • Has the piano ever spent time outside of the state it was originally purchased

  • When the pianoforte was final tuned & serviced

  • If the piano has received whatever restoration work or overhaul services

  • Your opinion of the pianos overall quality and tone.

  • A little nigh the move out of the piano. Is it piece of cake? Are there whatever flights of stairs involved?

Do yous demand a bill of sale for your piano?

This one really depends. Equally someone who purchases a big amount of pianos, I e'er brand certain to have a pecker of sale signed by the seller that includes the date, seller information, the piano brand / model, the auction cost and the piano serial number. For the one off buyer/seller.. Information technology's probably non entirely necessary, so don't fret if you don't have 1 prepared, or accept already purchased or sold a piano without a bill of sale. If having a neb of sale would make yous feel a little flake more comfortable with the transaction equally either a buyer or seller, by all means, prepare 1 for the transaction. It definitely won't injure.

Grand Pianos on Consignment in Piano Store Showroom

Selling with a local piano store can have its benefits, merely exist prepared to take a lilliputian less for your sale. When working with a piano shop, if they are interested in selling your piano on your behalf, they will likely offer y'all an outright buyout, a assignment system, or both. In the example of an outright buyout, they will probably offer you a slightly lesser amount than if you were to sell based on assignment. This is because when selling on consignment, the dealer won't exist without money they would take paid for the piano while the piano sits on their showroom floor for auction. Keep in heed that when selling or consigning to a piano store they will have to pay for the piano motion to their store, tuning and service once the piano arrives to their store, dedicate infinite the piano, warranty the pianoforte later the sale, and likely provide an additional in dwelling house tuning to the new heir-apparent once the piano sells. All of these costs add together up to a rather tidy sum, and this is before they actually take a profit. And then fifty-fifty though you might take a piffling less when working with a dealer, it can be much less of a headache than trying to sell yourself. You'll notwithstanding demand to exercise your due diligence in finding a reputable store to sell or consign with. Check reviews, inquire your tuner for some insight, and contact multiple dealers for rough quotes on what they would exist willing to pay or export for. You'll probable desire to accept the highest offer, but also take into consideration the dealers reputation and how apace they are likely able to sell the piano. I've written a whole other weblog post about piano consignment, you can read more about information technology here.

Aaron Firpo, Owner Aaronbuyspianos.com

I hope this gives you some insight on selling your pianoforte, and the pros and cons selling yourself vs a local pianoforte dealer.

I love talking well-nigh pianos, and would be happy to answer any questions yous might take about your sale. Feel free to drop me an e-mail or connect with me on Linkedin if you accept whatever questions.

- Aaron Firpo

Possessor,
Aaron Buys Pianos
Aaron@AaronBuysPianos.com
206-556-5712

Hands playing grand piano keys