The items most commonly pawned at an Escondido pawn shop reflect the lifestyles and culture of the community. These items may or may not have a sentimental value but they must have a monetary value before you can pawn them. In addition, they need to be things that people will want to buy in case the client decides not to pay the loan and they forfeit the item to the pawn shop.
A Little Bit About the City of Escondido
The city whose Spanish name means “hidden” lies nestled in a long valley in the Southern California mountains. About thirty miles from San Diego, Escondido has become a go-to destination for people seeking a traditional Southern California lifestyle. The community represents a diversity of backgrounds, ethnicities, and incomes. This diversity makes selling, buying, and pawning at an Escondido pawn shop a perfect match!
What Drives People to Pawn Their Valuables?
Most people who have plenty of money in their wallets and a fat bank account don’t suddenly make the decision to go pawn their things. In most cases, it is necessity that drives them, not something they just decide to do out of the blue.
A lot of people live from paycheck to paycheck these days. They have their regular bills covered and meet the cost for food, clothing, and shelter. When something unexpected happens, it can throw their budget out of whack! When sudden expenses pop up, they often travel in bunches. Have you ever heard the saying that bad things always happen in threes? Even a budget with some room for flexibility can feel the strain when the car breaks down, the washing machine gives up, and you need emergency dental treatment.
The reason for pawning things is often urgent so that the person wants to use something valuable, highly desirable, and widely accepted at pawn shops. Most often, the items that are easiest to pawn include:
1. Jewelry – Jewelry is at the top of the list for items that you can pawn. That’s because nearly everyone likes jewelry, it’s easy to manage, and it can be worth a great deal of money. Even farther to the top of the list is gold jewelry but silver and platinum are also precious metals that can fetch a fair price.
Gold jewelry is valued according to its karat weight. Gold is mixed with other metals to make it stronger. The pawn shop will look for a stamp on the jewelry that tells them how pure it is and then weigh the piece. They have a formula for determining the value according to the karat weight and the actual weight.
If the jewelry contains diamonds or other precious stones, the pawn shop will consider their value as well. Once they determine the value of the entire piece, they will pawn the piece for a percentage of that price. Do not expect to get the full price of your jewelry’s value when you pawn it. The pawn shop must leave room to make a profit if they have to sell it. In general, the heavier a piece of jewelry is and the bigger the diamonds, the more money you can get for it.
Pawn shops do not pawn costume jewelry or anything considered fashion jewelry. If you can buy it for only a few dollars in the store, it lacks enough value to pawn. If you want to pawn vintage jewelry, you will need to take it to the Escondido pawn shop to have it valued.
Watches may be linked together with jewelry and, like jewelry, you can only pawn certain ones. High-end watches that have a long life and are otherwise unaffordable for some buyers when they are new make good pawn items.
2. Electronics – A wide variety of electronics make good pawns, particularly those that are high-end. Sometimes people replace their old technology with the newest versions. Large screen TVs and music systems are some good examples of items people frequently pawn. In many cases, these items are virtually new or they may still be in the box. If you have the newest gadget from last year and haven’t even used it once, it could be just the item you need to pawn.
Computers and laptops are also prime electronics. People use them everywhere these days. Students use computers for research and to do their homework. Business people at every level rely on computers for communication and collaboration. Even stay-at-home moms need computers to pay bills, find the best buys on needed items, and maybe to find the best Escondido pawn shop to get the quick money they need.
Buying computers and laptops from a pawn shop has developed into quite a trend. Lower prices mean that people can buy a better quality computer or find something that suits their budget. If you have a spare computer or laptop that is still in great shape, there’s a really good chance that you can pawn it.
Some electronics that aren’t as good for pawning includes DVRs, cell phones, and any other item that is commonplace. People don’t generally go to a pawn store to buy things that they can find for a few bucks at the local discount store. They want a bargain on nice items that they wouldn’t buy at full price.
3. Musical Instruments – Musical instruments are often much more appealing when you first buy them than after you realize how much work and talent it really takes to master them. If you gave into your fantasy of playing lead guitar for your garage rock band or make a New Year’s resolution to learn the cello, you probably know by now that it probably isn’t going to come true.
You also know that when you purchased the musical instrument, you paid a high price. If you used it only a few times, it is probably still in new condition. You probably won’t get the same price that you paid, but your musical instrument could be the item that will get you the amount of money that you need.
One advantage to pawning unused or gently used musical instruments is that you don’t have the same degree of worry that you might from pawning your grandmother’s diamond necklace. An heirloom is something that you don’t want to lose. A musical instrument that has spent years in the closet taking up space really won’t make a difference if you don’t get it back. Pawning means that you plan to pay off your loan and get your collateral back. But you can always enjoy greater peace of mind when you don’t have to worry about losing something that really matters to you.
On the flip side of the situation, parents with kids who are just starting in a band or who want to pay for private lessons don’t want to get into the same situation as you. They want to spend less on the musical instrument of choice until their child has proven they will stick with it and get better. If they don’t, they haven’t lost as much on their investment and they can probably pawn it to get most of their money back!
4. Power Tools – Most people have some power tools around the house that they use from time to time. The drill that you bought on sale for $9.99 isn’t the type of power tool that you should try to pawn. Those that are professional quality and usable by contractors and other pros are better quality, heavy duty, and worth more money.
Many laborers who must buy their own tools have learned to shop at pawn stores to get the best tools at the lowest prices. If yours are in the box in your garage, you might as well get the benefit of the money they are worth to the pawn store.
5. Collectible Coins – Most pawn shops that you go into will have at least one shelf of collectible coins on display. Coins are highly collectible, with those that are rarest fetching the highest prices. There are lots of coin collectors around the world, always searching for the next great discovery to add to their collections.
Some modern coins are also more valuable than their currency value. We’ve all heard stories about the rare penny that was worth thousands and was accidently put into circulation. While this story is probably more myth than fact, the rarer a coin is, the more it will probably be worth.
If you have a few old coins that you inherited or an entire collection, you may have everything you need to get the amount of money you want. Do not clean your coins before taking them to the pawn shop or you could reduce their value. Look them up online to get an idea of their actual worth. Keep in mind that this may be less than the value the pawn shop assigns them depending on their condition.
Selling Vs Pawning
Before you take your items to the pawn shop, think about whether pawning is really the best way to go. If the item you want to pawn really has no value to you anymore, you could get more money if you sell it outright.
If you prefer to get the item back, make sure you get a pawn loan that gives you a lot of flexibility to repay. You never know when the next unexpected emergency will happen and take more of your money than you have to spare. Having the option to extend your loan will keep you from losing the item that you want to keep.
Choosing the right Escondido Pawn Shop
Before you chose an Escondido pawn shop based on its location, do some research online. All pawn shops are not the same and they do not accept the same types of items.
The items listed here are the most common ones pawned but some pawn shops specialize in a smaller area of items. For instance, some sell musical instruments almost exclusively while others pawn mostly jewelry.
If you can’t find the information you need online, call the pawn shop and ask them if they pawn items like yours. They will probably have to see the item before they can give you a value but you at least need to know that it is something they commonly accept.
Find out the pawn shop’s loan terms and whether they offer any flexibility in repayment. Also, learn if they are active in the community. A pawn shop should offer value to the community it serves and take an honest approach to doing business.
A Matter of Security
If you look back at the list of items that are commonly pawned at an Escondido pawn shop, you will see the words “high-end”, “valuable”, and “high quality.” These terms all translate into items that cost a lot of money. Thieves know it because they know where the money is.
Don’t be bashful about asking the pawn shop what kind of security measures they take to keep your pawned items safe. They should have secure storage systems and a monitoring system that protects every item in their store.
Once a person defaults on their pawn loan and the pawn shop takes possession of them, the item becomes the property of the store. They can display the item in any way they see fit. While your item is in their possession and your loan is still active, the pawn store is responsible for keeping your item safe.
Like most people, your primary concern is getting money fast for something you already own. But the pawning process lasts until the item is no longer yours or you pay off your loan. Make sure you do business with a reputable pawn store so you have a positive experience from start to finish.
Monte De Piedad is a trusted Escondido pawn shop that offers more cash, more time to pay, and superior customer service. Contact us today and let us help you get the fast cash you need.