how do i sell my layout

hi all i need some advice.

i would like to sell my n scale industrial switching layout its partial finished.
should i try to sell everything separate or in one piece.

reason for me parting with it is simply no time (kids, work, house etc)
i have attached two pics, they dont show the whole layout but it gives you a idea of what it is.

stevenb

 

I'd start by posting ads locally. Try Craigslist, and local newspapers.

Then eBay, maybe?

 

My understanding, from helping with estates of desceased train buddies, viewing eBay, etc. is that selling complete layouts as such is difficult, especially large ones. Modules or very small layouts, maybe. Actually I have never known a layout to sell.

Selling piueces individually may seem like a hassle. But there is more chance of connecting with individuals who want a paricular item, than with person who wants ALL the pieces put together according to YOUR tastes.
Just my opinion.

 

I know of a gentlemen here in the Seattle area that sells train collections of all scales. Awhile back he had a HUGE N scale layout from an estate where the guy had passed. The layout had to be cut up just to get it out of the house. He sold it in various sized "modules" you might say. Some of them he ended up selling and some meet their demise in the local landfill. I think the ones that went to the dump he at least salvaged as much as he could off of them before he threw them out.

 

You could try the TrainStore here on TB...

http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/forumdisplay.php?f=281

Ya never know...may be someone from here close to you ;-)

.

 

It possible to sell. I think HuskerN has sold his layouts.

JSL

 

thanx for the reply's i agree with selling everything separate some work but much more chance in getting the most of it out.
but who would want allready finished and weatherd buildings i keep thinking.

 

This is always something to keep in mind before constructing a layout of any size.

Seldom are they able to be saved or sold. Layouts are investments of time and

money. They usually get cut up and tossed. Hence, build them with this in mind

and keep the details to a level that it is not too impactive a loss. I think thats why I

have always done just flat 3/4" plywood with foam on top, benchwork is too

expensive unless you KNOW you are in it for ALONG time. Less buildings

and structures to me is a key, easy type scenery is probably the most pragmatic

approach. You might want to sit on it a while and then see if you are really ready

to tear it down. If you decide too, salvage as much sellable components as possible.

Sorry to hear this, but you know whats best for you, think on it a while.

fatalxsunrider43

 

Ive sold 3 layouts to date.

First and second were first listed on ebay. First had a buyer, that never paid. Second had lots and lots of watchers but no bids. Avoid ebay for selling the layout itself, is great for selling individual engines and selling a lot/grouping of rolling stock.

Ended up putting a for sale ad for the first and second layout in the Pennysaver, they sold within two weeks, didn't get as much as I had hoped, but got what I wanted.

Third layout I posted on Craigslist, and it sold in a week for the asking price. Which made me absolutely delighted because I recovered almost 100% of my investment!

My best advice is to post it on Craigslist. Works great. Consider however who might be buying it. It most likely will be someone just starting out that doesn't know what they are doing and just wants something they can run trains on. You might include with the layout a power pack or two, two or three engines, and around 15-20 cars to help them get started.

My method for pricing is to add up the number of turnouts, calculate their RETAIL value, calculate the retail value of the buildings, add in the retail value of the power pack if you are including one, then multiply the total by two. This approximates the additional costs of wire, scenery, etc.....

Selling a layout is like selling a car, you will get lots of people interested in looking at it, but not everyone will be prepared to pay for it in cash and transport it. Don't disclose what you are selling it for over the phone, tell them you are looking for the perfect buyer or the right buyer, not just someone to take it off your hands. This will make them feel like they have room to wiggle.

Then when they come to look at it, make sure everything is working, make sure its running, make sure the room has train sounds, train decorations, low to medium lighting to give it an ambiance. Give them the controller, let them feel it in their hands and let them run the trains and switch out cars. If they don't know what that is, briefly show them and get their mind set into the whole experience. Give them buttons to push, if you don't have a whistle installed on the layout, spend the $20 to install one.

It doesn't hurt to talk to them about why they want a layout of their own and what they plan to do with it. Getting them thinking about how much fun THEY will have in their own home will help with the sticker shock when they ask how much.

Negotiate with them on the price but don't waste your time with someone that you can tell is not genuinely interested. They don't return your call, don't bother. Sometimes people have campaign tastes but beer money and don't want to admit it.

Ed

 

This is much better news than I had expected about selling a lay-out. Maybe you will have a very good chance at getting some of your money out of it.

fatalxsunrider43

 

My take on selling a layout is that if it won't fit in a pickup or a mini-van, the chances of selling it are slim. A 4' X 8' will fit in either type of vehicle. There is a layout for sale that is 400 miles away that I would love to have, but it is a 5' X 7' and therefore, I would have to rent a U-Haul and that would cost almost $700 with gas. I could go get it in my mini-van for $100. I also had a 5' X 7' layout that I sold last year. The buyer paid for it and was going to come get it and ended up not being able to. I had to build a crate for it and ship it via truck. It cost over $1000 to do that and the trucking company ended up damaging the layout pretty moderately. Any layout I build will be no larger than 4' X 8' so i would at least have a chance of reselling if necessary. Just my $.02.

 

There is a great market for already finished and weathered buildings. A lot of people need a lot of buildings, so ones that are already finished and weathered (especially as nicely as the ones you posted) will fetch a good sum of money. Try Trainstore here, ebay if you don't mind paying a cut to ebay.

 

Spookshow Mark has sold a few of the layouts he chronicled.

 

Yes there is a great market for it. Look at Walthers built-ups! Even Atlas is doing some kits now ONLY in built up form. The only downside to this, is I am afraid this is the way the hobby will be going in the next 10 years. I am afraid the days of kitbashing and putting even a simple kit together are slowly coming to an end. :tb-sad:

 

I made the decision some time ago that my layout would be modular so it could taken it apart and moved it if I or someone else ever decided to sell it. Of course my involvement in Ntrak had a lot to do with that but I think a modular layout is far easier to sell.

 

but thats just the problem i think, many of my stuctures have been bashed, weatherd,cut in half for background buildings, stuff added etc nothing is in its original shape.

o well ill try it you guys kind convinced me ill post it up on train store the comming weeks.

 

Got a pic from a friend once of a layout in a retirement home. Maybe something to look into as a donation to maybe get a deduction if nothing else.

 

Yes, Spookshow has sold his small portable layouts like this one http://www.visi.com/%7Espookshow/layout2.html

and this one
http://www.visi.com/%7Espookshow/layout3b.html

He has mentioned on the Atlas site of selling some others but I don’t remember what they are. He also talked about seeing one of his layouts selling an eBay for a lot more the he sold it for.