I was looking for information on what a fair price is for an older model used machine, but didn't find much. Most of the information was not specific to sewing machines, and suggested that something in like new condition would be 50% of retail value, and something lightly used would be 30%. Other opinions were that what the item was worth new isn't the issue, but rather, what something similar would be worth today. What are the rules of thumb that you have followed when buying/selling?

To get an idea of pricing, I go to eBay and look at "completed listings" for that type of machine. In order to see "completed listings", you have to create an eBay account; however, it's free and there is no obligation. Once you are logged into an account, do a search on your machine brand and model. After the search entries come up, scroll down on the lefthand side of the screen to Show Only and check the box next to "completed listing". That will eliminate everything that is for sale now and show only listings that have ended. Pay attention to the color of the price on the completed listings. Green means the item sold for that price. Black means the item did not sell.

Usually eBay prices are a little less than what you can get for a machine locally. However, it gives you a ballpark idea of where to start with an asking price.

When you research pricing, don't search "what is fair price for XYZ". Instead, search Craigslist and eBay for that specific item. Your search should give you several results that you can then evaluate for conditions and prices.

For instance, when I was selling my friend's treadle Singer, I searched both sites for that item, along with the year of manufacture, and found several similar machines that were listed in the $100-$200 range, depending on the condition. The machine I was selling was in fairly good condition, so I listed it for $150, got responses from 8 or 9 people who were interested in it, and sold it within a week. My friend was thrilled; he didn't think ANYone would want a treadle machine and was just going to dump it in the garbage. :shock: