Do you guys struggle to differentiate between sets to open and those to store? I've only recently started to buy with this intent recently. I mean, as cool as it is to sell a set for profit in 5 years, is it worth it?

I suspect nobody has responded yet, as they aren't too sure what you asking, but I'll give my $0.02:

 

I think standard practice is everybody simply buys only one for display/play and all other samples of that set are put away sealed into storage. Some people here are strictly investors or resellers who never intend to open sets from their stash. But the bulk of people here are various degrees of AFOLs and collectors who really want to build the set at least once.

On 3.12.2015, 02:16:35, Davis Brown said:

Do you guys struggle to differentiate between sets to open and those to store? I've only recently started to buy with this intent recently. I mean, as cool as it is to sell a set for profit in 5 years, is it worth it?

8 minutes ago, lobo1969 said:

I suspect nobody has responded yet, as they aren't too sure what you asking, but I'll give my $0.02:

 

I think standard practice is everybody simply buys only one for display/play and all other samples of that set are put away sealed into storage. Some people here are strictly investors or resellers who never intend to open sets from their stash. But the bulk of people here are various degrees of AFOLs and collectors who really want to build the set at least once.

If you own 10 DS the urge to build them all is there! The struggle is real! ;-)

But not only my DS stay unopened, no I even managed to keep my fingers from opening several copies of PS, GE and TH! I mean who doesn't want to build several Townhalls? But my mind is strong enough to resist!

"I mean, as cool as it is to sell a set for profit in 5 years, is it worth it?"

Well... if you sell a set for profit... and your intention has been selling it for a profit... that's a question that's already answered isn't it?

 

If you only own one copy of Set xyz and you really want to build it, that's another question.

If theres is a set, damaged because of poor packaging or the only set left in a shop (for a good price) and I wanted to build one anyway, well, these are the ones

One way to deal with this: sell new, use part of the proceeds to buy used

I never open my investment sets, and don't have a personal collection for myself (my kids do though). I do however enjoy building a set once in awhile. Purchasing a bulk lot here and there gives me an opportunity to build some sets. Once they are built they get listed and sold. Bulk lots also give me something to keep me busy during the slow times of the year.

Not having been around pre-2012 for the sets that are absolutely bonkers in price now, I am looking forward to the day I can short-circuit my brain by opening ToO / EV / SSD / TH / HH to build and trying to reconcile whether I want to believe I've lost a modest % of MSRP or hundreds of dollars in value by doing so. 

I much prefer Da Struggle

The one set that will be difficult for me is the BTTF Delorean Time Machine.  I only have a few left and my kids and I are huge fans of the movie.  I should have bought one used before or after it poofed.  I can't justify opening one of those now.

The other struggle I will have is my two Imperial Flagships I purchased EOL for $300-400.  I love this set and will eventually build one...but I always wanted a pair to display.  The struggle...

10 hours ago, BrickLegacy said:

The one set that will be difficult for me is the BTTF Delorean Time Machine.  I only have a few left and my kids and I are huge fans of the movie.  I should have bought one used before or after it poofed.  I can't justify opening one of those now.

The other struggle I will have is my two Imperial Flagships I purchased EOL for $300-400.  I love this set and will eventually build one...but I always wanted a pair to display.  The struggle...

Sell the new sets and buy used sets to build.  That is what I've been dong.  Just wait for a deal to turn up.  They always do depending on what you consider a deal...   Then sell the used sets when you are ready for at least a small profit.

Holiday promos are killing me at the moment. Before this year, I never had a winter village. I bought WVM and SW at RRP last spring thinking that I might sell them later. I had both of last year's promos and one from 2012 tucked away because I had no reason to build them at the time when I got them. Some time earlier this year, I finally found a good display space in my house. (My kids were always too young to be trusted to stay away before). Then there was all the uproar about 10249 Toy Shop being a rerelease of 2009's Winter Village Toy Shop 10199, and I thought it was lucky that the first set had come back around again because then I could actually have my own Winter Village. Once I got it started, I needed to piece together as many pieces as possible. The old promos came out of hiding, seals were broken, investment was lost. I know it's small potatoes, but when I see the gingerbread house selling for $70 (atm only $50 on Amazon), I start to ask "Is building this worth the loss?". I actually went and priced out buying the pieces new from Lego so that I might sell the one I still have NISB (It was about $40 through bricks and pieces). This is ridiculous! My dream scenario is this: Buy 2 of everything I want. Build one. Sell the other when 2x RRP. Lego for me are free! 

EDIT: Gingerbread House went up. $85 atm

Edited December 5, 201510 yr by Poly 30286

Lots of people buy two. Remember the 6 Ps. Prior proper planning prevents poor performance. People will wait all year to buy exclusives for double VIP and promos

If you ever get a damaged box of a set you want for your personal collection, set it aside.  That makes it a little easier for me.

2 hours ago, zskid00 said:

If you ever get a damaged box of a set you want for your personal collection, set it aside.  That makes it a little easier for me.

very true.

also I like to pick up a used set if I want it to build, then Im not tempted to crack my sealed ones

On the flip side, sometimes you set aside one for yourself, and you've got such a queue that, when you look at current prices and that queue, you're willing to give it up.

11 minutes ago, Alpinemaps said:

On the flip side, sometimes you set aside one for yourself, and you've got such a queue that, when you look at current prices and that queue, you're willing to give it up.

That's how I'm starting to feel about the GH I haven't built yet

I have a real problem with this.  I think I am just going to buy more sets used or with damaged boxes. 

8 minutes ago, stackables said:

I have a real problem with this.  I think I am just going to buy more sets used or with damaged boxes. 

Buying from shopgoodwill has allowed me to fill out my collection.

I have a real problem with this.  I think I am just going to buy more sets used or with damaged boxes. 

I think most people around here have this problem... Buying more than they need.

so far i've been buying used sets at a discount to build.

new sets stay sealed up, for resell later on.