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Question about buying used sofa.

3 years ago

I am looking to get a used sofa and maybe have 1k for now. I saw quite a few brands on Craigslist such as pottery barn,barrel,west elm,room and board and ethan allen. I am curious which brand from above is worth getting if at most the couch is owned for 2 years? I did see some below that I am interested in.

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/fuo/d/washington-room-and-board-jasper-three/7192651915.html

https://annapolis.craigslist.org/fuo/d/gambrills-black-leather-sofa-ethan-allen/7193104206.html

https://baltimore.craigslist.org/fuo/d/towson-pottery-barn-turner-square-arm/7191364469.html

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/fuo/d/washington-west-elm-rochester-sleeper/7191873497.html

I did read leather sofa can last a while and that ethan allen looks decent? I think it is reasonable to ask 25% of retail price? Any brand to avoid.

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Comments (4)

PRO
The KEEPING ROOM
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Its not about the brand, its about the condition of a sofa. A lot of things are used up . Also, check if there are pets in the house and if there are, know that flea eggs live in sofas, pull the cushions off and look to see if the sofa is infested. Flea eggs are white dots. Bring home a sofa with flea eggs and you will become the host! It's happened many times.

Here's an example from a person that emailed to me about getting new cushion cores last week and she sent me this photo. I sent it back to her with the arrows and comments on it.

"I just bought a used Restoration Hardware Maxwell 9' Luxe sofa on Craigslist that is in desperate need of new cushions; the sofa is two inches lower than it should be and I think it's due to the flat cushions. That said, I did get a pretty great deal on it! I don't want that gross worn down look that is on the display models; instead I'd like a full cushion that is great for snuggling. All of that to say, what do I need and where is the best place to buy replacement cushions?"

SOMETIMES things on Craigslist belong in the landfill, this is one of them. This sofa is used up and broke down, the spring edge is collapsed, its ready for the trash. New seat cores are not going to help it. Be smart and look the piece over well before you buy pre-owned furniture.
A K
3 years ago
Wow that looks pretty bad. Does leather couch last longer than non-leather couches? I also hear leather couches can last 10+years. Is it the frame or just the exterior being leather and wont get damaged/fade as much?

Kind of curious leather vs non-leather couches (fabric?)
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PRO
The KEEPING ROOM
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
A properly made leather sofa can go 30 + years on the original hide if the owners take care of it, that means don't put it in direct sunlight and clean/condition the hide every 4 months. I find most people don't want to be bothered with the maintenance of the hide, then the leather will crack and split at about ten years or so.

The real problem is most people don't want to pay for a quality sofa, this industry is maligned by people wanting "Cheap", so they get cheap. A well-made leather sofa is going to be $ 3,000 to $ 6,000, but then if it goes 30 years, the cost per year is usually less than replacing a cheapie every three or four years.

I have two Leathercraft brand sofas in my own Family Room at home, they are eighteen years old now and slightly tired, I'm replacing them with two Hancock and Moore units them moving them downstairs to the media room where they will go another dozen or so years.
A K
3 years ago
Would the ethan allen be a good bet? https://annapolis.craigslist.org/fuo/d/gambrills-black-leather-sofa-ethan-allen/7193104206.html

I am not sure what kind of leather they use but it seems to be decent price and probably can be argued down.

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