How to sell a used fridge, washer or stove in Somerset West

1. Work out a realistic local price

Second-hand appliance prices in the Helderberg cluster around condition and age rather than the original retail price. Buyers here compare your ad against other local listings, not against a new unit at a retailer.

A useful starting point: a well-kept appliance three to five years old tends to sell at roughly a third to a half of the current new price for the same model, and older or cosmetically marked units go lower. Working but scratched is still very sellable — buyers for a flat, a granny cottage or a rental are price-led.

• Search your own category page for the same brand and type before you set a price.
• Price a little above your walk-away number so you have room for the inevitable offer.
• If it needs a repair, say so and price it as spares-or-repair — those still sell locally.
• Round numbers (R1 500, R2 000) read as negotiable; odd numbers read as firm.

2. Test it, clean it, then photograph it

The single biggest reason an appliance ad stalls is photographs taken in a dark garage of a dusty unit. Ten minutes of cleaning is worth a few hundred rand on the final price.

Run the appliance before you list it and note what actually works: does the fridge hold temperature overnight, does the washer complete a full cycle and drain, do all the plates on the stove heat up? Buyers ask these questions anyway, and answering them upfront in the description filters out time-wasters.

• Wipe down the seals, drum or oven interior — buyers read grime as neglect.
• Shoot in daylight, outside or near a window, with the appliance pulled clear of clutter.
• Take the front, an open door or drum, the model/serial plate, and any damage.
• Photograph the display running a cycle if it has one — proof it powers on.
• Set your best full-front shot as the landing picture so it leads in search results.

3. Write a title people actually search for

Locals search by brand and type: "Defy fridge Somerset West", "Bosch front loader", "Kelvinator chest freezer". Put those words in the title rather than something generic like "Fridge for sale — great condition".

In the first line of the description, state age, condition and why you're selling. A sentence like "Four years old, moving to a smaller flat, works perfectly" answers the three questions every buyer types out.

• Good: "Defy 300L fridge/freezer, 4 years old, Somerset West".
• Weak: "Fridge — bargain, must go".
• Include capacity in litres or kilograms — buyers filter on it mentally.
• Mention if you still have the manual, original feet, hoses or trays.

4. Handle enquiries and collection safely

Appliances are heavy, so the buyer collects. Agree upfront that they bring transport and at least one extra pair of hands — otherwise you end up carrying a washing machine down a driveway yourself.

Meet at your gate or driveway in daylight rather than inviting a stranger through the house, and only hand over once the money reflects. Instant EFT into your account or cash counted in front of you are the two safe options in the Helderberg; a screenshot of a 'payment sent' is not proof.

• Confirm the collection window by WhatsApp the morning of, to cut no-shows.
• Let the buyer plug it in and watch it run before they load it — it prevents disputes later.
• Never release the appliance on a promise of payment on arrival at home.
• Read the safety centre before your first sale if you're new to selling online.

5. Keep the ad alive until it sells

If a week passes with views but no enquiries, the price is usually the problem. If there are almost no views, the title or the photographs are. Change one thing at a time so you can tell which fixed it.

When it sells, mark the ad off sale from My ads instead of leaving it up — buyers stop trusting a board where half the listings are gone.