International Moving Sale in Colombia: How to Sell Everything Before You Fly Home

Spend any time in a Medellín or Bogotá expat Facebook or WhatsApp group and you will see the same post on repeat: "International moving sale — everything must go before my flight." It is the rite of passage at the end of every expat chapter in Colombia. You arrived with two suitcases, you built a whole apartment around you, and now you have three weeks to turn all of it back into cash.

The problem is that most people start too late and sell in a panic — the last-weekend fire sale, where furniture goes for a tenth of its worth and half of it ends up abandoned. This guide is the opposite: a calm, staged playbook for a moving sale that actually pays you back. If you are still weighing what to keep versus sell, start with our companion guide on selling your stuff before leaving Colombia — this post is about running the sale itself. If you want to see real-world options right now, you can browse apartments and houses on Colombia Move — posting is completely free.

What an "international moving sale" actually is

The term gets used loosely, but among expats it means one specific thing: you are leaving the country, you are not shipping the big stuff home, and you need to sell a full apartment's worth of furniture, appliances and electronics in a short window. It is different from a casual second-hand sale because there is a hard deadline — your flight — and because your buyers are a mix of other expats, local Colombians furnishing a place, and resellers hunting for deals.

That mix is your advantage. Expats want your 110V electronics and work-from-home setup; local buyers want appliances and furniture at a fair used price. Knowing who wants what lets you target each item instead of dumping everything into one desperate "make me an offer" post.

Start 3–4 weeks out: the timeline that gets you paid

Time is the single biggest factor in how much money you walk away with. Three to four weeks gives you room to list at fair prices, wait for the right buyer, and re-price only the items that need it. One weekend gives you no leverage at all. Work backward from your flight date.

Sell in waves. Big-ticket items — fridge, washer, bed, sofa, TV, desk — go first, because they take the longest to move and a buyer often needs to arrange a truck. Save the small things and a final "everything left goes together" bundle for your last week, when speed matters more than squeezing out the last peso.

How to price so things actually sell

The most common mistake is pricing from what you paid. Buyers do not care what an item cost you new — they compare it to other used listings and to a brand-new one at electrodomésticos stores. A good rule of thumb for items in genuinely good condition is 40–60% of the original price, lower for anything bulky, dated, or hard to move.

Three pricing moves that work: price each big item to sell within a week, not to test the market; offer a small discount for buyers who take several things at once; and build one "apartment package" near the end — sofa, table, bed and appliances together for a single buyer, often another foreigner moving in. A package saves you a dozen separate pickups and is worth a real discount for the convenience.

Keep an eye on what comparable items list for in categories like sofás y salas, tecnología, and escritorios y oficina. Pricing a little under the nearest comparable listing — not far under — is what turns browsers into buyers before your deadline.

Where to list it (and why one stable link wins)

Most expats default to WhatsApp and Facebook groups. Those are fine for reach, but they have a fatal flaw for a moving sale: your post scrolls away in an hour, so you end up re-posting the same photos all day and serious buyers lose the thread. A single, stable listing page fixes that — you post each item, or the whole apartment as a package, once, then paste that link into every group and reply.

That is exactly what Colombia Move is for: a free marketplace where you list with real photos, a firm price and your neighborhood, and buyers contact you directly with no commission and no middleman. It works for furniture, appliances, a bicycle, even a car or motorcycle if you bought one. For more on doing this without the group chaos, see how to sell and buy used things in Colombia.

Handling buyers without losing your last week

The week before a flight is not the time to be stood up. A few habits keep your sale moving. Confirm a specific pickup window rather than a vague "later today," and get the buyer's number. Expect no-shows on the cheapest items and keep a short waitlist so the next buyer is one message away. For payment, Colombians overwhelmingly use bank transfers and apps like Nequi, Bancolombia and Nu; confirm the transfer landed before the item leaves, and treat cash as cash — count it.

Safety basics still apply under deadline pressure. Meet buyers at your building lobby when you can, have someone home for big pickups, and trust your gut on anyone who pushes to pay later or "send a courier" for an expensive item. A seller profile and clear listing do a lot of the filtering before anyone shows up.

What to do with whatever doesn't sell

Some things will not sell no matter the price — a worn mattress, mismatched kitchenware, half-used supplies. Plan for them instead of panicking on the last night. Building porteros (doormen) and cleaning staff often appreciate working appliances and furniture, and foundations take clothing and household goods. Arrange disposal of genuine trash a few days early so you are not paying double to haul it the night before your flight.

Before you go, close the loop on the apartment: settle utilities, internet and administración so your deposit comes back. If you are still deciding what is even worth selling versus taking, the ship-it-home math usually points the same way — sell it here, buy again wherever you land.

Frequently asked questions

When should I start my moving sale before leaving Colombia?

Start three to four weeks before your flight. That window lets you list big items at fair prices and wait for the right buyer instead of slashing prices in a last-weekend rush. List appliances and furniture first, since they take longest to move, and save small items and a final bundle for your last week.

How much should I price used furniture and electronics for?

For items in genuinely good condition, roughly 40–60% of what you paid new is a realistic starting point, and lower for bulky or dated things. Buyers compare your price to other used listings, not to the retail price, so check comparable items in the same category and price a little under the nearest one to sell faster.

Where is the best place to list a moving sale in Colombia?

Post each item once on a stable marketplace listing and share that link in your expat WhatsApp and Facebook groups, rather than re-posting photos that scroll away. Colombia Move lets you list furniture, appliances, electronics, bikes and vehicles for free with direct buyer contact and no commission.

Should I sell items separately or as one apartment package?

Both. Sell high-value items separately first to get the best price, then bundle whatever is left into one "everything goes" apartment package near your departure. A package is attractive to another expat moving in and saves you many separate pickups, so a fair discount for the convenience is worth it.

How do buyers usually pay, and how do I stay safe?

Most Colombian buyers pay by bank transfer or apps like Nequi and Bancolombia; confirm the money has arrived before the item leaves, and count any cash. Meet buyers in your building lobby, have someone home for big pickups, and be cautious with anyone who wants to pay later or send a courier for an expensive item.

What do I do with things that don't sell before my flight?

Plan leftovers a few days early instead of on your last night. Building staff and cleaners often welcome working appliances and furniture, foundations take clothing and household goods, and genuine trash should be scheduled for disposal in advance. Leaving the apartment clean also helps you get your deposit back.