How A Little Cleanup Can Affect The Value Of Your Pawned Item

When you're strapped for cash and you have a few odd items around the house that you don't need, the first thing that may come to mind is to head over to the nearest pawn shop. However, before you jump into your car to go and trade in your item, you may want to take a few moments to spruce it up. Regardless of what you're pawning or its condition, you can always expect to get less than the actual value of the item. However, how much less you get can come down to whether or not you take a few moments to ensure the item looks its best.

Appearance Matters

A pawnshop owner may not have the time or the skills to perform an accurate analysis to determine the value of the item you're selling. Therefore, factors such as how the item looks will be used to gauge how much its worth. If you're going to pawn jewelry that is made from precious metals or contains precious stones, you want to ensure that these look as brilliant as possible. The allure of such items is how they look and they may not look like they're worth much when they're covered in dirt and grime. Before you pawn a diamond ring to a broker or pawn shop, take the time to clean it and present it well. 

A Clean Item Seems Well Taken Care Of

If you're planning on pawning something like an expensive watch or electronics, it's not just the look of the item that matters but whether or not it works. If a watch or electronic device works, it can be easily sold as it is. If the item doesn't work or doesn't seem to work as well as it should, the pawnshop may have to sell it at a low price or spend some time fixing it. An item that has been properly taken care of is more likely to work as it's expected and when you present an item that's properly cleaned, the people at the pawnshop are more likely to think you've been taking good care of it.

Less Money To Be Spent On Cleanup

When you present an item to at the pawn shop that is in need of some cleaning, not only does this reduce its perceived value, it means the people there will also have to factor in the cost of cleaning the item before selling it. Regardless of how cheap it may be to clean the item, this could still take a significant chunk from what you'd have otherwise gotten.

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