Looking to earn some extra cash? Head over to your neighbor’s garage sale.

Overflowing with used and unwanted goods curated from the deepest recesses of the sellers' homes, garage and yard sales are often overlooked. But digging deep for hidden treasure at these sales may just be the ticket to getting more bang for your buck. With some hunting and haggling, savvy shoppers can manage to turn their garage sale purchases into a pretty profit.

See also: The 7 Most Worthless Things at Your Garage Sale

If you're new to the garage sale scene, don't worry — here's a step-by-step guide on how to make money from sales, and navigate them like a pro.

1. Locate garage sales.

You don’t need to drive around aimlessly to locate a garage or yard sale. In the touch of a button, you can find listings in your area. Various sites and apps allow you to set up garage sale alerts, filter results, get driving directions, plan routes and more.

Here are six tools to help you find garage sales near you:

Also, look out for listings in the classified sections of local newspapers, as well as bulletin boards at coffee shops and grocery stores.

2. Prepare.

The last thing you want to do is show up at a garage sale unprepared. Before heading out, keep these tips in mind:

Dress like a garage sale shopper: There’s no need to wear your fanciest clothes and most expensive accessories. You’re there to barter and buy discounted items, and won't want to give the seller the wrong impression. It’s best to stick with a casual and comfortable outfit.

Carry small bills in your wallet: Bring smaller bills to the garage sale. You don’t want to whip out a $50 bill after haggling with the host to sell you an item for $20 instead of $50.

Research and download apps to compare prices: By researching which popular items are being sold online and how much they're worth, you'll know what to look out for. While shopping, you should consult your phone for product reviews, price comparisons, item descriptions and more. It's a good idea to download apps such as Red Laser, PriceGrabber, ShopSavvy or eBay so you can check prices.

Keep cardboard boxes, tote bags and newspapers in your car: Chris Heiska, founder of YardSaleQueen.com, suggests keeping a box or bag in your car so you can easily carry your purchases, and newspaper to wrap fragile items. He says most sellers don’t think to offer to wrap items that can easily break.

Plan how to transport large items: If you’re looking to purchase heavy items, such as furniture, plan on how you will transport it home. This means researching truck rental services or professional moving companies in advance.

Parking: Park close to the garage sale, so you can easily load your car up with heavy items you purchased.

3. Arrive early for the best selection.

"The early bird catches the worm" is a phrase that rings especially true for garage sales.

"Don't underestimate the competition. Many buyers are doing the same thing [arriving early] to make the quick buck," Lynda Hammond, a garage sale expert, tells Mashable. "People will usually let you look around early, anyway."

Hammond says if you want the best selection, go early, but if you want the best price, go later. As the sale continues throughout the day, sellers are more likely to bargain and sell items for reduced prices. After all, sellers don’t want to be stuck with a bunch of unsold items, and their goal is to sell as much as they can.

4. Shop smart.

As you browse through the garage sale, look for items that have resale value.

It’s important to keep your eyes open and pay attention to tiny details. Heiska recommends opening battery compartments to make sure old batteries aren’t corroded, running your fingers over dishes and glassware to spot chips and asking the seller to plug in electric appliances to make sure they work.

When you’re considering an item, use the price comparison apps on your phone (see No. 2, above) to make sure it has resale value. For example, to search for an item on the Amazon app, you can scan its bar code or simply type in the name of the product. Once the app has identified the product, you can compare prices from Amazon and merchant sellers.

This is a convenient and smart way to figure out the potential worth of certain items, as well as reading its reviews and descriptions. Depending on how much the app lists a particular item's potential value, you’ll want to purchase it for a lower price so you can turn around and sell it for a higher value.

However, don't waste toomuch time on your phone. "You've got to think fast, and if you can't think fast enough, pick up the item and walk around with it," Hammond says.

5. Interact with the seller.

Break the ice.

When you arrive at a garage sale, it's best not to immediately strike up a conversation with the seller, because it may suggest ulterior motives, Hammond says. Instead, introduce yourself and strike up a conversation with him or her if you see an item you like.

"The best way to break the ice with a seller is to compliment something they're selling," Hammond says. When talking to the seller, Hammond recommends to not only be polite, but also genuinely interested in the item you want to buy.

Whatever you do, do not let the seller know you plan to resell his or her items. People don't usually like the idea of others profiting from their belongings.

Ask questions.

If you are unsure about an item, don’t be afraid to ask the seller questions. You’ll want to know important facts, such as how old the item is, where he or she purchased it from, if there is anything missing and if it works properly.

Negotiate prices.

If you think an item is priced too high, go ahead and bargain away. People will want to get rid of everything they're selling, and in some cases they will settle for a lower offer.

When asking the seller to lower a price, he or she can either accept it or counter it. If there are several items you are interested in, you might want to ask for a base price for all of them. Garage sale hosts like to sell items in bulk, and purchasing multiple things at a time can often win you a better deal.

If the seller does not want to negotiate, Heiska suggests leaving your name and number, and letting him or her know you'd still be interested if it doesn’t sell by the end of the day and if the price is reduced.

6. Resell the item.

Lynda Hammond, a garage sale expert, bought this like-new limited edition leather Harley Davidson jacket at a garage sale for $15 sold it on eBay for $372. Image: Courtesy of Lynda Hammond

When you want to resell an item, first be sure to remove any price tags. Turning your purchases into profit is easy with popular online services such as eBay, Craigslist and Amazon. Simply setup your account on these sites and post the item with a thorough description.

If you prefer to sell items offline, you may want to consider holding your own garage sale or selling it to a pawn shop.