How long does it take to get the property ready to have a sale?
Once we have the contract and the key, we need approximately one week depending on the condition of the home or amount of items to process. On rare occasions it will take 2 weekends to complete a sale.
What do I need to do?
Decide on what you want to keep and what you want to sell prior to us going to your home for the assessment consultation.
Do I need to move the things I want to keep?
Usually large items you intend to keep can remain until after the sale. All small items need to be removed from the house.
Do I need to clean out the drawers, closets, attic and storage rooms?
No. Leave that to us...many times when a client goes through the house they throw away things they think are not valuable as a help to us and have lost out on hundreds of dollars...even photos, personal items etc can be worth something even when they are no longer useful or considered trash to you and could become dollars in your pocket. Always remember "One mans trash is another mans treasure" We always set aside personal paperwork for you to later re-evaluate in case it was somehow missed as a courtesy to you.
Do I need to be at the sale?
Seeing a loved ones belongings sold can be a very emotional experience. We welcome you to be there but most of the time we feel it is in everyones best interest that we conduct your sale as this is what you hired us to make sure of for you.
Do I have to pay any money up front?
No, our fees come from the proceeds of the sale. We pay for all of the advertising. If the house is full of items with little if any value, we do have a charge for dumpster rental. These fees run from $100.00 and up depending on the location. Remember we literally do not throw anything away unless it is actual trash.
Plus we are signed up with many local dealers and sales on-line sites
In your local newspaper if appropriate to the sale
At the time of your sale location to include surrounding streets with our company signs
When am I paid my portion of the proceeds?
In approx. 7 to 10 business days after the closing of your sale.
Will I have any idea of what sold and how much it sold for?
Yes, We provide you with a list of the items sold for $50.00 and over out of the sale.
There are several paintings signed by the artist. Are these worth anything?
We research along with everything else in the home to come to a fair market value.
Is an estate sale an auction?
No. We individually tag the items and the sale is open to the public.
Do people come into my house?
Usually we have a sign up sheet by number system and allow 30 people at a time into the home. This of of course depends on the size of the home. When an accounted number of people leave we then let more in accordingly.
How long does the sale last & How are things sold?
2 days. Saturday & Sunday almost always 10am-4pm. Sunday is usually 1/2 price or 50% off day for items $50.00 and below. All items $50.00 and above are sold on a bid basis that the potential buyers place in our bid box. We make winnning bid calls at 2pm and the buyer must pick that item(s) up before close of the sale. All items that have tickets usually $50.00 and over the buyer brings to the register for purchase.
What about small items of value, won't they be stolen?
We take special care to place small valuables in showcases where buyers are assisted when they want to inspect an item.
Do you let anyone purchase items before the sale begins?
Absolute No Early Sales.
Will people think the house is for sale?
Yes. People always ask...It is important that you list your home first then have the estate sale...that way your realtor can have flyers ready to hand out to the interested parties that might be at the sale. It is always best to have your home looking it's best with fresh paint, obvious repairs and curb appeal completed prior to the sale. A sale sign out front and the home spruced up will bring in more buyers for the house and your estate sale! We can consult with you about all of these services during your assessment consultation.
What happens to the items that are not sold?
It is individual preference. We always decide during your initial assessment consultation how you want to process the left over items according to your wishes with our suggestions available at that time. Please see our Estate Sales Clean Out Services Page to learn more about what else we offer after your sale.
Do you offer removal services after my sale?
Yes please see a full outline of our other services on our Estate Sales Clean Outs Page.
