Antique furniture flipper (online and booth)

Private buyers furnishing their homes, interior designers sourcing character pieces and collectors looking for specific styles or periods.

You earn the margin between what you pay for a piece and what it sells for, minus fees, repairs, fuel and booth rent if you have one.

• Eye for age, style and quality
• Negotiating prices
• Basic cleaning and light repair
• Taking good photos and writing honest listings

• Check your state's rules on sales tax registration and whether you need a seller's permit or resale certificate
• Reproductions and heavily restored pieces can be sold as genuine by mistake, so learn to spot them and describe items honestly
• Furniture is heavy and bulky, so check you have a vehicle, help for lifting and somewhere dry to store stock
• Check for pest damage such as woodworm or bedbugs before bringing pieces into your home
• Check rules on antiques made with ivory, certain tropical woods or other protected materials before selling
• If you work from home, check lease or HOA rules and your city's home occupation rules

Startup costs are typically around $500 to $4,000, depending on how much stock you buy, any booth rental and your repair supplies. This is an estimate. Also plan for a vehicle, help with lifting and dry storage.

Monthly revenue is typically around $500 to $4,000, depending on the pieces you find, what you pay for them and how quickly they sell. Treat this as an estimate, since furniture is heavy and bulky to handle.

Check your state's sales tax registration and any seller's permit or resale certificate. Check rules on ivory, certain tropical woods or other protected materials, describe reproductions honestly, and check lease, HOA and home occupation rules if you work from home.