Stupid questions: buying something expensive (like a piano) from a private seller

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05 July 2019, 04:55 PM

ShiroKuro

Stupid questions: buying something expensive (like a piano) from a private seller

So, what do you do when you're buying something expensive (like a piano) from a private seller? Let's say it's $10,000. I would not want to give a check in advance of receiving the piano. And at the same time, if I were on the selling end, I wouldn't want to let movers come in and remove the instrument before I had payment, and I wouldn't be comfortable with a personal check knowing how problems with the check can surface after some significant time has passed.

Is a cashier's check sufficiently secure? Do sales like this between two random individuals use some kind of escrow company?

Has anyone here purchased a piano, or car, from a private seller? How did you do it?

05 July 2019, 05:03 PM

Cash

05 July 2019, 05:06 PM

ShiroKuro

$10, 000 (or more) in cash? Have you ever paid for something with that much cash?

No way would I want to walk* around with that kind of cash in hand! What if something happened to it? What if the seller decided to take the cash and not fork over the piano?

I can't be the only one this paranoid, can I?

*ETA: or drive around with that much cash, I bet this state is pretty big on asset forfeiture....

05 July 2019, 06:07 PM

Mikhailoh

Have the mover scheduled. At that time meet the owner with the cash or go to the bank so they can cash your check.

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"A mob is a place where people go to get away from their conscience" Atticus Finch

05 July 2019, 08:10 PM

ShiroKuro

Ok y'all are not nearly paranoid enough!

06 July 2019, 01:00 AM

RealPlayer

I got my piano from a private seller. It was around 2001. I can't remember all the details right now but I'll look them up for you...at least whatever I still have.

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“It's hard to win an argument with a smart person. It's damn near impossible to win an argument with a stupid person." -- Bill Murray

06 July 2019, 03:04 AM

Steve Miller

Seems to me I met the sellers on the porch. Movers were in the driveway. I handed them a cashiers check and the movers commenced to moving.

Fairly straightforward.

06 July 2019, 09:56 AM

ShiroKuro

I would definitely be more comfortable with a cashiers check than cash!

I'm surprised though, it all seems too casual to me. I guess I'm just paranoid.