The Estate Sale Process

One of the top ranking questions we get when asked about an Estate Sale is simply, "How is it done"? Well this is how it should be done...

1. DON'T THROW ANYTHING AWAY!!! You'd be amazed by what people will buy.
   
2. The process always begins with an on-site consultation at the clients convenience. This is done to figure out if the amount of items and quality of items warrants an Estate Sale. Having a sale site unseen can pose many problems, the top problem being the commission does not get covered or making just enough to cover a minimum commission and the family is left with nothing. Be sure to have a consultation, and get the truth, if the percentage of the commission can't be covered then it wouldn't be wise to have a professional company host your Estate Sale.
   
3. You should be provided with a checklist of what is expected from you and your family as well as what you can expect from the Estate Sale company. Clear expectations are important for both parties involved. Being uncertain as to how the process is handled can only be more stressful. Having a physical guideline is MANDATORY!
   
4. The process of the actual sale begins with the search and emptying of closets, attic, crawl space, cabinets, sheds, any place where there may be storage of items that people couldn't normally get to.
5. Staging is the key to the sale. Plenty of companies just throw items on a table without any real organization. Customers for the sale want to find items easily and want to know, for example, that tools are all together and not spread out throughout the house. This creates confusion and unhappy customers.
   
6. Pricing is clearly and professionally marked. Most companies use tape and marker, this is easily duplicated and needs to be avoided at all costs! A person can walk in with their own tape and marker or a few pieces of their own tape marked already and decide a $10 book is $1 and remove the sticker and place their own in its place. It happens! Total Estate Solutions avoids this by using a price gun that has a special marking on the sticker. Very hard to duplicate.
   
7. Research of valuable items is a must. If there are particular items in the Estate that you may know about and would like to see a certain price by all means please be sure to say something. Total Estate Solutions does not claim to know everything about everything. Calling outside experts for appraisals is a must. There are companies out there that refuse to do this.
   
8. The throw away process will begin with items that are not sellable or recyclable. Most people will "clean out" an Estate before allowing consultation to determine if there is enough stuff to sell. DON'T DO IT!! Almost anything you can throw away is recyclable. Better to get a few pennies than to get no pennies. Any type of metal can be recycled in exchange for CASH!
9. Widespread advertising is a must. Online adverting, local newspapers, and an email database are the key to getting the word out. Pictures posted online are really what customers are looking for, a way to pre-shop the sale.
10. The end of the sale is just as important as the sale itself...

What do you do with the leftover items that don't sell?