What is a porch sale?
Also called: front porch sale, stoop sale · Used in United States
A porch sale is a household selling its used belongings from the front porch instead of a driveway, common in small towns and apartment buildings. It is a close cousin of the city stoop sale, with the same walk-up buyers and cash prices, just laid out on the porch and steps.
What it actually means in practice
Porch sales suit homes with no garage or only a tiny yard, and older houses whose porch faces the sidewalk. Goods sit on the porch, the steps and sometimes a table on the walk, so buyers can browse without coming into the house.
The space is small, so porch sales tend to be short and focused: a morning of clothes, books, kitchenware and small furniture rather than a full household. Shared porches in apartment buildings sometimes host several households at once.
Related terms
Find one near you
Every porch sale posted nearby is on one map, sorted by distance, with dates, hours and photos. Hosting one yourself? Posting is free and takes about two minutes.
Need the rules rather than the words? Permits and signage by state. Back to the full glossary.