Phoebes Hidden Treasures ~ Antiques and Collectibles Blog: 2016

Monday, January 25, 2016

rends, Tendencies, Demographics, Future Prediction

Quarterly Market Report: 4th Qtr 2015

December 9th, 2015 ADVISORY – Getting Worse for Dealers

The antiques market is not any better now than last year at this time because nothing has changed. If anything, the problem is even worse. Why? Because demand is even weaker and supply is even greater. Why? Because Boomers are continuing to downsize and the trailing generations still don’t want any of it!
ADVICE: stop buying stuff you can’t eat!

Quarterly Market Report: 2nd Qtr 2015

June 4th, 2015 ADVISORY – Getting Worse for Dealers

The antiques market is not any better now than last year because nothing has changed: Boomers are downsizing and inheriting their geezer parents’ stuff and all of this stuff is going to auction or Goodwill. The abundance and the weak demand are the reason for weakness in the marketplace.
Meanwhile the trailing generations don’t want any of it! They like Crate & Barrel. Second meanwhile, Boomers are selling their mcmansions and are buying something smaller with no stairs, no lawnmower, and a view of something, e.g. lake, park, city lights, etc.
New trend: The trailing generations are not buying houses or condos. They rent. Why? Because in today’s world they have to take a job, work it, quit it, ratchet up to another higher paying job in order to get ahead – repeat. Owning real estate for them hinders their upward mobility and lateral mobility – they gotta move frequently, maybe every 12 months. And, when they move, they move to where the action is: Silicon Valley, big city, chic urban, etc. The last thing they need to own is dirt under foot and thousands of square feet of “stuff.”
Interestingly, the Boomers buy condos (because they have cash and don’t want to move anymore). They are changing their style from whatever they had to (drum roll please) Crate & Barrel simplicity. Duh? Yes, duh. …. Because they are moving into condos and Condos are in urban landscapes. Because condos are in urban areas, Boomers are changing their style to whatever looks good in a condo. Hence, the reason rustic, primitive, shabby, Victorian brown, etc. are deader than a hay wagon full of door nails!
So, what are YOU going to do about it?