Have you ever had an Estate Sale?

Question

I know that most estate sales are done due to family members who have passed, but I also know they are held in order to clear out homes of those that are still very much alive and have become "pack-rats" over the years. Case in point.......my elderly mother. We are trying to get many things in her home sold so we can sell her home and get her in an assisted living place. I have contacted some estate sale companies and actually found one that seems quite on the ball, been in business for many years and even takes credit cards from the shoppers and I haven't found any that did that. Their percentage they take is 35%..but they do ALL the work along with after-work like auctions and ebay. My brother thinks its a rip-off. My mother lives in a HUGE house and has LOTS of stuff from collectibles, furniture and way to much to even list here. We are in Michigan any suggestions???

1.) Ever have one?
2.) Any places/companies you'd recommend
3.) Ideas/help/suggestions.

Answer 1

We have not had any estate sales but we have been to many and have become friendly with many of the professionals. 35% is very common (normal) here in New Jersey. Many also put in a minimum take just in case the estate is nothing but junk. Around here, that is $700. If you have found a reputable one, go with it. Just a few items of advice. Leave the house while the sale is going on. Prices are not as fixed as you might think. The sellers need room to bargain. If you are standing there and object to an item priced at $100 selling for $90, you will be stuck with a lot of stuff at the end. It is also normal here for prices to be cut in half for the second half of the second day of a 2-day sale. If you insist on staying, do not either follow anyone or keep straightening an area. Stuff sells better in chaos. Be happy if you get 10 cents on the dollar for ordinary furniture. Books and records are often given away during the second day unless they are signed or rare. Go through the house with the sellers as they set the prices. That way, you will spot things that you really don't want to sell. If you snatch things from customers during the sale, people will start to leave. During that walk-through, the selling outfit will fill garbage bags to dump before the sale. They know their business. If your father was a war veteran, did he bring back any souvenirs? I was at one sale where the police rushed in and ordered everyone out. Someone found a WW II live hand grenade. Ask your mother if she has any money hidden in secret areas of the house. We have deposited wads of cash with the sellers many times. We have such a reputation of honesty that many of the sellers have left the cash table in our control while they did something. Near the end, if there is still a lot of stuff, particularly just stacked on shelves in the basement, the outfit may put up signs announcing that certain items are free. Remember, if they don't leave the house, you have to dump them. When that happens, people also start buying because they are embarresed to leave with only free stuff.

Answer 2

I worked for an auction co. We had many estate auctions.
35 % is reasonable. We had absolute auctions everything went. It is a lot of work but the auction co should do 95% of it.
they should organize items and clean them up for you if they are dusty. we did any way. we did advertising in papers and radio which came out of our commission. They should clean up and haul off what did not sale. They pay their emplyees out of that commission.I promise 35% is not too much. It will be a blast.