The question of whether or not pawn shops buy or make loans against antique furniture is actually a difficult one to answer. While most pawnshops deal with antiques generally, antique furniture is a whole different topic. Unlike other, more popular items that find their ways in and out of pawnshops, such as electronics and tools, antique furniture is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Keep reading to find out more about pawning or selling your antique furniture to your local pawnshop.

First, why consider your local pawn shop?

If you’ve got some antique furniture lying around that you no longer want, you might be thinking of selling it. But, then you might think of all the work that will go into selling it on your own, such as listing it online or arranging to have a yard sale, or dealing with low-balling customers, not to mention shipping and waiting for payment. Selling your antique furniture to your local pawnshop can be fast and easy and will get you cash in hand immediately.

Or, if you need some quick cash and believe that your antique furniture may have some value, pawning it can get you the money you need in a matter of minutes: no bank applications, no predatory payday loans, no risk to your credit score.

Unique factors that affect if a pawn shop will buy or pawn antique furniture

Your pawnbroker has to consider a particular set of factors when they are deciding if they will buy or loan against the value of your antique furniture, including:

• Size of the item – large pieces of furniture take up a lot of room and forces your pawnbroker to get creative about where they will keep your furniture protected until you repay your loan or when it comes time to resell.
• Size of the shop – shops with small salesfloors must carefully consider where and how they will present your item.
• Difficult to price – unlike small electronics or collectible, or basically anything whose value can be researched online, antique furniture is difficult to price. Price may come down to your pawnbroker’s experience with antique furniture, and what they feel might be the demand for your item.
• Difficult to buy – generally, one of the things that make pawnshops so consumer-friendly is that they are easy to work with. You can walk out with a loan or cool item in minutes. With furniture, however, a customer may need to consider how they will get it home and where it will fit.

Should you sell or pawn your antique furniture?

It all comes down to what you need. You may get a little more money if you decide to sell outright as opposed to pawning. However, if your pawn your antique furniture, you will get your item back when you repay your loan. If you want the thing out of your home quickly and easily and don’t mind not getting it back, selling to your pawnshop might be the way to go. However, if you need some quick cash and aren’t ready to let go of your piece of antique furniture, possibly forever, your pawnshop can help you get the funds you need without making such a sacrifice.

How to pawn or sell your antique furniture to your local pawnshop

If you believe that your pawnshop may be interested in buying or loaning against the value of your antique furniture, here’s what you can do to help attract the highest offer:

• Call around – even if your item is small, lugging it around and taking it to various shops in search of an offer can get cumbersome, and may also result in damaging it. Call your local shops and ask if they might be interested in seeing your item.
• Clean it up, but carefully – give your items a thorough dusting, but be careful not to use any cleaning products or tools that may damage any part of the furniture. Be extra careful with upholstered items, as antique stitching and seams can be extremely delicate.
• Do your homework – if your item has a particular provenance, which can be proved by tool marks or other identifying factors, find where they are on your furniture and learn about them. Being able to tell your pawnbroker about your item will give you leverage.
• Find any paperwork or certification – bring in any certification or paperwork having to do with your antique furniture. Your pawnbroker will have an easier time of reselling if they can verify its authenticity and history with certification.
• Be prepared to negotiate – your pawnbroker will be open to negotiation. The more you know about your item, the more leverage you will have.
• But, have realistic expectations – keep in mind that pawn shops have to profit on every item in their shop. For most items, sellers or borrowers can expect an offer of around 40% of its value.

Does Central Mega Pawn buy or pawn antique furniture?

We love antiques! However, everything we buy or pawn is considered on a case-by-case basis. We know that large or unwieldy pieces can be hard to transport, so if you have some antique furniture that you’d like to sell or pawn, give us a call first. We know what questions to ask to provide us with an idea of if we will be able to buy or pawn your antique furniture. We will do our best to help you, but we will also be honest about what we can do. Giving us a call will save you time and effort.

Bottom line: because every pawn shop must consider the needs of the community it serves, not every pawn shop will buy or pawn antique furniture. Your best bet is to call around to the pawn shops in your city and visit them to see if they might be interested in your furniture. At Central Mega Pawn, we are always happy to help, so be sure to come and visit us if you are in the Inland Empire or Southern California area!

Your local pawn shop deals with merchandise of all kinds. However, not all items are valued equally. Some things, such as video games, are always in demand and are always in stock. Whether you are looking to get top dollar for your games or are looking for great prices on some games new to you, your first stop should be your local pawn shop. Keep reading for a handy guide to buying or selling used video games at your local pawn shop.

If you are selling your games:

Nearly every household today has at least one gamer, which means that games are always in demand and that there are lots of ways for you to sell your games. For a few reasons, pawn shops are the ideal place to sell your games. Among them are:

• Because of their large and diverse inventory, pawnshops don’t need to get as much money as possible out of every game they sell. There is room to negotiate.
• Unlike selling your games via apps or online, you can get fast cash for your games without dealing with finicky customers, shipping, or waiting for the payment to clear.
• Your local pawnbroker wants to earn your business and keep you as a customer, which is a far different approach practiced by certain chain video game stores that are notorious for their low-ball offers on games, accessories, and consoles.

Do your homework

Before you bring in your games to sell, be sure to do your research. Find out what other game buyers in the area are paying for the same games, and what the going rate seems to be for your games on sites like eBay. Your pawnbroker will base their offer on this information, so be prepared to recognize a fair offer when you hear it.

Try to sell your games as a bundle. The more games you can offer, the higher the price you can expect. Also, although the game must work, looks still matter. It’s in your best interest to make sure that all your games are clean and free of scratches and visible defects. Scratched-up disks or damaged cases will make it hard for your pawnbroker to resell, which will affect your price. Lastly, bring as much original packaging as possible with you: cases, inserts, accessories, posters, etc. It’s rare to find a used game with original packaging, so if you can offer this, your item will stand out and will resell quickly. The bottom line is that anything you can do to make the game more attractive to potential buyers, the more your pawnbroker will be able to offer you.

Condition and popularity are key

Another factor to consider when selling your games to your local pawnshop is the demand and popularity of your games. Popular, in-demand games will naturally fetch a higher price, whereas older or not quite as popular games may command less. This is another way that your research will pay off: even if your game is older, it may have retro-appeal or be making a comeback. You will only know for sure by doing your homework and being prepared to let your pawnbroker see what you have uncovered about your game.

If you are buying games:

Your local pawn shop is a great place to find your next game, or a handful of games, without having to pay the outrageous mark up of buying retail. Your pawnbroker prices every item in their shop to move, so you will always get a fair price. No matter what kind of game you are looking for, there is a good chance that your local pawn shop has something for you.

What to look for

As with selling games, you should keep the same considerations in mind when buying used video games at your local pawnshop. For example, look at the condition. Although your pawnbroker may store the games out of reach, they should have no problem with letting you scrutinize the discs before you pay. In fact, some may even have a console hooked up to a TV so that you can load the disc and make sure it is fully functional.

You want to buy games that are as clean as possible, and that come with at least some of their original packaging. Games that were cared for will likely be priced a little higher than ones that were visibly neglected or mishandled. However, you can rest assured that the price for any game will be less than you’d find online or via retail.

Don’t be afraid to negotiate

Your local pawnbroker is focused on keeping their inventory moving, so they are in a unique position to make you a deal. Just try doing that at one of the chain game shops! When you’ve done your homework, you are in a favorable position to make a fair offer on a game or bundle of games that you have your eye on.

Many people shy away from negotiating. But, you don’t have to be when you are working with your local pawnbroker. We at Central Mega Pawn want you to get a price you can live with, so we’ve compiled a handy guide to negotiating at pawn shops.

To sweeten the deal, offer to buy a bundle of games at once. Your pawnbroker is incentivized to make a profit and get the games off the shelf, so they may be willing to work even harder to get you a deal that works for you.

If you see something you like, buy it!

Quality inventory at pawn shops doesn’t sit on the shelves for long. If you see a game or handful of games that you’ve been wanting, you should work to reach an agreeable price. If you wait too long and decide to come back another time, the chances of your game being there when you return are slim.

Video games are a way of life for many Americans, which is why pawnbrokers like us at Central Mega Pawn are always willing and ready to work with our community to help them get the games they want at a price they can afford. Visit us today to see what games we have on hand and get ready for new adventures that won’t break your budget.

If you need some quick cash, the solution to your problems might be waiting to be discovered in your sports collectibles. Although pawn shops are better known as places to pawn or sell things like electronics or tools, every shop is as unique as the community it serves. If there is a market for sports collectibles in your community, your pawnbroker may be interested in buying or making a loan against the value of your sports collectibles.

Why consider your local pawnshop for your sports collectibles?

If you pawn, you can get your items back if you repay your loan on time. Also, a loan from a pawnshop does not put your credit score at risk. Your collectibles can repay you for all the care you’ve given them over the years by making it possible for you to get a lifeline of a loan.

Pawnbrokers are savvy buyers and know that the market for sports memorabilia is only going to grow over time. As a result, they have an interest in making you a great deal.

Regardless of if you are pawning or selling, your pawnshop is a great option when you are looking for quick cash for your collectibles. You won’t have to deal with finicky collectors, auctions that may not give you the value you need, or dealing with the hassle of shipping and handling.

What is considered collectible?

Everything from trading cards to autographed jerseys and equipment is considered popular collectibles. If it catches the eye of a fan, it can be regarded as collectible. The rarer the item, the higher the price it will command. To that end, the biggest offers will be for unique things like autographs on cards, jerseys, and equipment such as bats, balls, sticks, etc. Vintage cards are also sure to get a lot of interest.

However, that’s not to say that things like common cards have no value. Complete sets of trading cards can also fetch good value, as well as bundles of short-printed cards or rare sets and sub-sets. But, how do you know the potential value of what you have?

Step 1: Do your homework

When you are looking to sell or pawn your sports collectibles, your first and most crucial step is to research the value of your items. For a collector, this is sometimes a confusing step, because the math can be skewed by two factors: sentimental value and book value. Although an item might have deep significance to you, you cannot expect the market to reflect that in value.

Where book value is concerned, some collectors cling to book value like gospel, although it should only be used as a vague guide as far as what you can expect to sell or pawn for, if that. However, finding the value of your items can be free and easy. You just need to commit the time and energy to find the going market value, then adjust your expectations accordingly. Your pawnbroker needs to be able to sell everything in their shop for a profit, so try to be comfortable with around 40 – 60% of the value of your items.

Sets from the junk-era of baseball cards will not fetch a lot. So before you walk in with a box of hockey cards from 1991, know that your local pawnbroker will probably not be able to resell it, and therefore may not be interested.

On the extreme end, if your item has provenance, you should find out who has owned it before you. In the case of rare autographs, find out how many autographed items exist, how many are circulating in public, and where or when the item was signed. The more information you can legitimately share with your pawnbroker, the more comfortable you make it for them to resell.

For example, if you have an autographed game ball that was signed during a championship or other significant match, the item will command a much higher price than a run-of-the-mill autograph with no particular significance.

Step 2: Gather your paperwork

If the items you are considering pawning are autographed, be sure to bring your certificates of authenticity with you. This will save your pawnbroker a lot of time and energy assessing the value of your item and will make it much easier for them to sell. If you don’t have certifications handy, but your item has a barcode from one of the trusted verification houses, you can contact them to get a copy.

If you have an autographed item or other collectibles that can be considered rare, you can consider getting it authenticated to get a higher offer from your pawnshop. However, you should do careful research, as the verification process can be timely and can quickly add up if you decided to get multiple items authenticated at once.

Step 3: Make your items look good

To get the most value in the sale or pawn of your sports collectibles, do your best to clean them up without damaging them. For graded cards or encased items, dust off the covers and make sure it is free of fingerprints or other debris before presenting it to your pawnbroker.

This may not seem like a necessity, but put yourself in your pawnbroker’s shoes – would you want to buy items out of a stained or dusty box? Would you want to put an autographed baseball in a scratched up or cracked case on your shelf?

Step 4: Don’t be afraid to negotiate

Your pawnbroker wants to work with you to reach a deal that works for everyone. If their first offer isn’t to your liking, it is perfectly alright, and it is acceptable to ask for more. If the idea of negotiating in person, you’re not alone. We’ve compiled a handy guide to negotiating with your local pawnbroker here.

To recap: When it comes to selling or pawning your sports collectibles, keep the following in mind, and you’ll hit a home run at the pawnshop:

• Do your homework
• Bring in all certification
• Make your items look good
• Don’t be afraid to negotiate

You never know if sports collectibles can get you the cash you need until you take the time to find out. Visit us today to see how we can help!

If you are in the market for an engagement ring, congratulations! Take a moment to celebrate your good fortune in finding your soulmate. Then, take a deep breath, because you now face another significant decision: where to buy your engagement ring. There are many choices of where to get your ring, each of them with pros and cons. However, an option many people overlook is their local pawn shop, like Central Mega Pawn.

A pawn shop of the size and community history of Central Mega Pawn is bound to have a wide selection of engagement rings, of every style and type. From vintage rings to modern pieces, there’s bound to be a huge selection that can only be believed by visiting in person. Before you visit your local mall and wind up spending the exorbitant markup at a chain jewelry store, or taking your chances elsewhere, check out our guide to buying your engagement ring at your local pawn shop.

First, here are some excellent reasons to make your local pawnbroker your one-stop shop for your engagement ring:

• You can save money by avoiding retailer markup. Start your new life on a healthy financial foot. This is especially helpful when planning a wedding because expenses will pop up and pile on before you know it.
• You can negotiate with your pawnbroker. Retailers would laugh you out the door if you tried this one on them. Your local pawnbroker, on the other hand, is likely to work with you if you do your research and are willing to do the work to reach an agreeable price.
• Your pawnbroker wants to help you; they are members of their community and are not beholden to the interests of a massive corporation like chain jewelry stores are. When you buy from your local pawn shop, you support your community.

Now that we have gone over some of the undeniable benefits of buying your ring from your local pawn shop, here is your step-by-step guide to finding the right ring at the right price.

1. Figure out what you are looking for before you visit the shop.

If you walk in hoping for inspiration to strike, you may be in for a shock. There are usually a vast variety of rings to choose from, and you could quickly find yourself overwhelmed. No matter how friendly and helpful your pawnbroker might be, he or she can’t help you if you don’t have an idea of what you want. Take some time to look at the types of rings your fiancé likes, or already wears, and proceed from there. You can even begin the process months in advance and ask questions to give you an idea of what they would want. For the truly bold, you can also visit the shop as a couple.

2. Do your homework.

Once you know what you are looking for, go online and find out what is an average price for the kind of ring you want. Learn about the different variations of the style you want, and how that affects the price. You want to know exactly what to look for when it comes time to handle the rings.

Extra credit: buy (or borrow) and learn to use a jeweler’s loupe. This might seem a bit overboard, but don’t forget that you are shopping for a piece of jewelry that your fiancé will keep for the rest of their lives.

3. Be prepared to negotiate.

This is where all your homework will pay off. When you know what you can expect to pay for the type and style of the ring you want, you will be in a position to negotiate with your pawnbroker to reach a deal that works for everyone. While many people shy away from settling on price, it does not have to be complicated.

4. Keep an open mind.

The longer an item sits in a pawn shop, the more willing your pawnbroker will be to negotiating a price. So, that means you should consider looking at rings that may have been sitting in the case for longer than others. In some cases, you may find the perfect stone, but in a less than ideal setting; if this happens, you can negotiate for a reasonable price and plan to use your savings to have the stone reset in a different setting.

Many times, especially in dated ring designs, the diamond or stone is beautiful and takes on a whole new life when reset in a design more suited to the wearer’s taste.

5. Don’t be afraid to walk away.

It’s understandable to want to get the ring taken care of right away. After all, you are no doubt excited to start this new phase of life with your loved one. However, if the ring or stone doesn’t feel right, or if the pawnbroker helping you is pressuring you in any way, don’t be afraid to give another local pawn shop a chance. One of the many great things about pawn shops is that they are as individual as the communities they serve. You will find a whole new set of pawnbrokers and inventory at each shop you visit.

It may be helpful to visit a few shops before you decide to purchase anything. Your community likely has a handful of quality shops to choose from. When you find the right one, you’ll know, just like you knew it was time to pop the question.

After you buy your ring, be sure to insure it and have it professionally cleaned before you get down on one knee and take care of business. When it comes down to it, buying an engagement ring at a pawn shop is a smart move. With a little preparation, it could be an enjoyable experience that you will remember forever. Come visit us today so we can congratulate you, then show you what we can do for you!

It is a sad fact of life that military members and their families are often targeted by predatory lending practices, sometimes paying up to 300% interest on various types of loans. However, there is a little-known rule, called the Military Lending Act, that seeks to protect military veterans and their dependents from predatory lending practices. If you are a veteran, active service member, or the family of one, keep reading to find out what you need to know before you consider taking out a loan from your local pawn shop.

What is the Military Lending Act?

Established in 2006, the Military Lending Act (or MLA) is a federal regulation that provides many protections for veterans, active service members, and their family. Protections include:

• Capping annual percentage rate on consumer loans at 36%, including all fees, finance charges, and credit insurance premiums
• Prohibiting prepayment penalties for paying loans ahead of schedule
• Allowing service members to seek arbitration for disputes related to loans

Since the inception of the MLA, the Department of Defense has added additional rules that apply to credit cards and other types of loans, such as pawnshop loans. The rules are constantly evolving, and it is up to lending institutions, such as banks and pawnshops, to keep themselves up to date.

How does the MLA affect loans from pawnshops?

To stay compliant, your local pawn shop must confirm your military status before originating or closing your loan. This means that they must run an additional background check on you that they do not run for other customers. For example, a pawnbroker may confirm your status directly from the Department of Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), or one of the nationwide credit reporting agencies. However, your credit rating will not affect the status of your loan from the pawnshop, because your creditworthiness is based on the items you put up as collateral. Also, you can rest easy knowing that your pawnshop loan will not go on your credit report, nor affect your credit rating.

In fact, in all other respects aside from the additional information your pawnbroker must confirm before granting your loan, the process is precisely the same.

Here’s how a pawnshop loan works, for everyone:

Pawnshop loans are a great alternative to other forms of borrowing. Loans from banks, for example, go on your credit report and can take a long time to process. Plus, not everyone will qualify for a bank loan, especially as borrowing restrictions get tighter every year. Personal loans are always an awkward situation and are also not available to everyone.

With a pawnshop loan, quick cash is easily accessible. Even with the extra check of MLA compliance, you can walk out of the shop with cash in hand in minutes.

Loans from pawnshops are unique because they work on collateral. Meaning, the loan is secured by something of value that you own. If you happen to default on your loan, your pawnbroker takes ownership of your item, and you call it a day. However, most people tend to get their items back.

So, you would bring your item into the pawnshop, and your pawnbroker will evaluate it.
The amount of the loan varies depending on the value of the item.

Your pawnshops will base the value of your item on three things: its appraised value, current condition, and the pawnshop’s ability to sell the item. Pawnbrokers have lots of tools to help them determine the value of your item.

The appraisal process itself varies depending on the type of item you bring. For example, jewelry is evaluated differently than power tools. All items we buy or pawn at Central Mega Pawn are tested to ensure that they work correctly.

The amount of your loan will also be determined in light of other factors like local demand and condition of your item. Every pawn shop is unique and goes about the process in their way.

Then, they will make an offer of how much they can lend you against the value of your item. If you have a relationship with your pawnbroker, you can negotiate things like repayment terms and interest rates, even if the MLA already protects you.

If you pay off your loan by the end of the repayment period, you get your item back. If you don’t entirely pay it off or end up defaulting on your loan, your pawnbroker offers your item for sale, with no legal consequences to the borrower. A bank loan, on the other hand, comes with stiff penalties and punishments than can follow a person around for years, ruining their credit score and making it difficult to get jobs and even housing opportunities.

A pawn shop loan is also beneficial to borrowers because they make it impossible to go into debt. You will not be lent more money than you can afford to borrow. You will not overextend your credit with a pawnshop loan.

How does the MLA protect my family and me?

There are severe penalties for lenders who violate the MLA. In addition to fines, lenders in violation face damages and “appropriate” punishments, which mean that the consequences of violating the Act can be far-reaching.

As a vet, service member, or family of a service member, your pawnbroker must ask if you qualify for the MLA before getting your loan started. As we previously mentioned, they will run an additional background check on you, but it will not affect the terms of your loan, will not show up on your credit report, and will not affect your credit score in any way.

A short-term pawn loan can be a lifeline for anyone in need of some quick cash. Central Mega Pawn will always comply with all state and federal regulations. It is our honor to not only serve our communities but to also give back to our brave service members and their families. Visit us today and find out how we can help you.