Recipes, Schematics, and Patterns Oh My!

Pattern Prices Are Dropping
Last Friday I wrote about how markets are crashing as Cataclysm nears.  Today I would like to discuss one specific market that you may be overlooking.  Low level recipes for all professions have been plummeting in price on the auction house.  High end recipes are also dropping in price, but those are going to continue to lose value.  High end recipes are good to snatch up, if you are a collector, but the high end craftable recipes won't make you hardly any money either by flipping or by crafting those items.  Low end recipes are dropping so low in price that they will be another good option for flipping once the Cataclysm arrives in the World of Warcraft.

Undervalued Patterns
If you use the add-on Auctioneer, then you have no doubt been seeing a lot of low end recipes showing up within the blue percentage color indicator showing that they are grossly underpriced for their actual value.  If you haven't already noticed, then do a scan and a quick look into the many pages of recipes for sale on the auction house.  Many of the low level patterns are showing up as a good purchase price.  Many of these patterns are dropping in value as most players already have most patterns for their crafters.  I'm not talking about super rare patterns that are mistakenly posted for the wrong buyout price.  If you are interested in tracking super rare patterns or items, then review my post on using The Undermine Journal to track super rare items.

Demand Will Return Soon
As soon as Cataclysm is released we will see a huge influx of both new and old players. 

1. Many old players will return to the game to explore the new changes.
2. Many players that have just been sitting out the last month or two will return.
3. The game will draw a lot of brand new players.
4. Many players will roll new characters to experience the new goblin and worgen races.
5. Many players will be leveling new professions.

All of these will contribute to a much higher demand for low level recipes that are currently hitting insanely low prices.  Many of these low level recipes will sell to new crafters looking for new recipes.  Some recipes sell very well because the materials required to gain professions skill-ups are much cheaper than the standard trainer learned recipes.  Players that tend to level their professions casually buy these patterns more than those that power level.  They may buy a pattern because they have more options to use for skill-ups or it fits better into what materials they currently possess.

Prices So Low You Can't Pass Up
World drop patterns or quest reward patterns that are not selling are hitting low prices of just a few silvers.  You can't pass these deals up.  I just bought a few Recipe: Discolored Healing Potion alchemy recipes for 6 silver each.  These are a Horde only quest reward and have been selling for 22-25g on the neutral auction house as there is no other way for an alliance character to obtain one.  So snatch up all those horribly low priced patterns and save then to unload in a month for far more than the silvers you will pay for them now.  If only these dang things stacked.