Tips for a great estate sale
Whether you are downsizing, or settling a loved one’s estate, the process of preparing for an estate sale can be an overwhelming one. We do our best to maintain positive communication with you throughout the process to ensure a smooth experience for everyone.
Estate sales should consist of at least 70-75% of the contents of the home. There should be furnishings from several rooms included in the sale - a dining room set along with some smaller items will not be enough for most companies to accept as a contract. While there is a need for furnishings at an estate sale, they could not survive without plenty of table items. Shoppers enjoy purchasing kitchen appliances, accent furniture, garage items, and home décor.
If and when family members choose to remove items from the home, it is important to keep sets together. Choosing a single nightstand from a full bedroom and breaking up the set can affect the sale and pricing of the remaining pieces.
Clients often want to clean up and clear away undesirable items prior to interviewing a company for a sale. It is best practice not to give away or throw away any items prior to calling a company for a quote. If the house is over-collected and space is an issue, only throw away obvious garbage (empty bags, junk mail, take-out containers, self-recorded VHS and audio cassettes or ripped, torn or stained clothing). Save everything else.
It is not advised to host an independent sale prior to calling a company for a few reasons. First, items should be professionally evaluated and priced. Second, there may not be enough left for a company to deem worthy of contracting. And finally, even if there is enough for a sale, estate sale shoppers shop weekly and will recall already attending a sale at a certain address and choose not to attend.
If you have a new home buyer interested in furnishings, it is not advisable to deal with them privately. Misunderstandings over price, condition, or personality conflicts may result one of both of you not wishing to continue with your initial contract (which is the sale of the home). Don't lose a homebuyer over furnishings. Allow a professional company to perform negotiations for you.
It is frowned upon to show an estate sale company a large item such as a car, jewelry, coin collection etc. and note it as being included in the sale, if there is no genuine desire to permit the company to handle the transaction. Such instances are usually the beginning of breakdown in communication and can cause an (unnecessarily) stressful experience for all involved.
When in doubt, let Aurora Estate Sales check it out!