There are some things you only do once in your life. Selling the contents of your family home after your last parent dies, is one of them. There is no guide book on this, sadly. Yet I was pleased to have the help of Jerry at Items of Value. He's been doing estate sales well over 40 years. He has a keen business sense and he knows how to handle the emotional aspect of such a task. Each client, I imagine, is going through some sort of terrific loss. And he has to navigate that, as he prepares each sale.
It isn't easy watching things your parents spent a life-time collecting, leave that same home in 2 days. But here's what I know is true.
Jerry was spot on in knowing what would sell, what wouldn't. He appraised several things that were worth keeping, as they were sentimental & valuable, and worth more than any buyer could provide us. So we kept those. Once you do the difficult task of determining what to keep, leave the rest to him.
He takes 25%. Modest, in my opinion, as other companies charge 30 or 40%. Or others take the first $3,000 of sales. He added things to my mom's home, but he also takes un-sold items of mine to the next sale or to his warehouse for his monthly sale - allowing several more months of giving them a chance to sell. So at the end of it all, I have accomplished what on my own would have been hours & hours of work, trips & trips to Goodwill, or waiting for possible buyers from Craiglist list to show up and haggle over prices, etc. I could have taken many items to consignment stores, or sold them on Amazon or eBay. Time & effort, and maybe over the course of time made a bit more money. But an estate sale is just what it is. People come during a finite period, and find 'items of value' and things that bring them joy.
With any business, yes, read the contract carefully, and ask specifically what it is you are expecting. If you are wondering if something is worth a lot, consider, maybe an auction house. Some local auction houses offer on-line appraisals. But Jerry does have contacts with many specialty collectors - textiles, military history, fine arts, collectible glass, pottery, rare pieces of furniture., collectible Presidential signatures. (those were brought to my home during the sale, and fetched a good bit - so I know people watch his ads).
At the end of the day, so many items are merely 'things.' Part with them. Make a little money. Realize these items will be cared for in someone else's home.
I won't be needing to do this again, until my kids face this same task some day, but do highly recommend Jerry and Items of Value. read more