Kathy of Total Estate Liquidation (TEL) was very helpful when we had to deal with my brother's estate. She and her crew were very understanding of our situation. Her team came in to stage the house, organize the belongings, and expertly price everything. Then, during the two-day sale, they managed the entire process. They advertised the sale in several places, handled the large line of buyers, beautifully displayed the items, and accepted different types of payment. Kathy also provided us with a breakdown of what sold and for how much. Overall, we were very satisfied with the results and recommend TEL to anybody considering an estate sale. Thank you, Kathy, and your excellent team. read more

TEL is a excellent estate sale company. I've been coming to them for many years. The employees are very friendly and knowledgeable and very helpful. I truly enjoy shopping with them. read more

Echoing the other bad reviews, nothing is priced. You take your items to the cashier at the end, but by that point, you're attached to your items. They throw out a crazy high number and you have to decide if you want to pay way over what the items are worth, or walk away and have time wasted. Would not recommend going to an estate run by them. read more

Something has changed with this company in the last few years. They used to be much more reliable than other companies for fair pricing. The last few sales I went to were a joke. Most estates are going to have some high value items and a huge volume of every day stuff; books, costume jewelry, clothing, pots and pans, etc. In my mind if you are trying to clear a house the latter category needs to be priced to sell and at TEL sales it is not. They do not price the high-volume items in advance nor is there a blanket price by category. As a result you spend time pouring through piles and piles of unorganized stuff to find a few things of interest to you. And by the time you get to the register they price each piece at the max you could find it online in perfect condition (which it never is). At that point, what is the point? I'm talking $30 for a pillow cover, $20 for a few yards of remnant fabric $5 for a yellowed falling apart community cookbook. I've seen them come down 20-30% when you negotiate but it's just not enough to make it reasonable. The feeling is that the moment you touch something it is not imbued with value. I think they are relying on people getting attached to things while they carry them around and agreeing to crazy pricing because of that. I've never been there at the end of the last day but I just cannot imagine they are clearing these houses out at the pace they go. I don't know what agreement they make with the families but if there is any clause where they are keeping unsold items at a flat price or selling them somewhere where you are not getting a cut I would be very suspicious, they are not acting like people who are motivated to move inventory during the sales. read more

Total Estate Liquidation - Estate Liquidation Near Me - Oakland, California

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Kathy and her team were incredible! They organized and arranged so much stuff my mother had for the estate sale. It was an overwhelming amount that I did not think they would be able to show everything off. They priced things reasonably and so much sold. The sale kind of took off on social media so there were so many more people who came than were expected and they handled it great. They stayed past the closing times all days to make sure everyone in line got to make it in. There are a couple of complaints posted here about them controlling the people coming to the sale, which is not really their responsibility, but they did actually send away the person causing the issues without him being allowed in. There is also no way that they could have individually priced every item at the sale. There were literally 1000's of items for sale. They made the entire experience much less stressful than it could have been. I highly recommend them if you need an estate sale in the Berkeley area read more

I love going to estate sales held by this business. Because they are almost always fair and they are reasonably price compared to the company "Fun estate sale" They are very knowledgeable and are not stingy? They are also very polite and know how to conduct a state sales. their service is fast and efficient if you have the unfortunate circumstance of having to sell an estate, I would recommend using these folks! read more

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Proceed with caution with t e l estate liquidators Number one, they're selling items.Edna outrageous marked up prices that can't be justified. Number two, they have poor control over the sign up.Sheet. there were many people who waited for at least 2 To 3 hours prior to the 11 am. Start time.I'm one of the recent sells. They stated they were only gonna let ten people in at a time. One of the regular estate sale shop shoppers, who frequent many other sells in the area name Dan, it's consistently. Snatching things out of people's hands and cutting in line, or weaseling his way to the front of the line, any way he can. He did the same thing at this sale. I brought this to the attention of the person running the state cell and she's scoffed after I said that there are control of the line or respect. Of people waiting before dan got there.It was unacceptable and unethical. It seemed like they get preferential treatment to people that they know and let them cut in line We all waited patiently for the sale to begin. This dude, Dan. Always seems to in the center, if some sort of scheme or scam, I created to his advantage. No one shopper is entitled to bring their bad energy to the sale. I've seen him do this many times to many different people at different events. This estate sell company enables such bad behavior. Hi say that dan is worse than a pokemon scalper.. Entitled. And the estate sale company saying they can't do anything about it. That is supposed to be worked out by us. Is not true. Most other estate sell companies control the list. Scoffing and playing down that they let somebody in before other people we were waiting longer is unprofessional and unfair to those people that wait longer. Do better. read more

Half of the stuff at most of their "Estate" sales I have been to, I wouldn't give away! Old teflon style pans with scratches? Yikes. $75 for a no name, plastic string, bad condition ukulele? Laughable! You could buy a print like this, brand new, without a damaged frame, at Homegoods for $40 read more

They are the best! I've been to so many estate sales and I completely 100% recommend TEL. No job is too small or to large. They've practically cleared out most of the estate sales I've attended. Including very clutered impossible to walk in homes. They are dedicated and experienced. They get the job done SALE and CLEAR OUT. Fair prices. Less landfill. Welcoming positive vibes. Good Hours: 3 day sales open to later in the afternoon to around 4pm are the best. Good payment options. Very proffesional. read more

My favorite estate sales site. Houses are almost always interesting, good stuff not junk, reasonably priced. Staff very friendly. I appreciate that they are respectful of the owners. read more

Lol I went to one of these TEL estates. Everything was overpriced. Sure they entice you with high end stuff but when you get there the prices are sky high and it waste everyone's time. Never a good sign when your in a 30 minute line and you see one exiting customer's empty handed one after another. Whenever you see that just walk away. read more

Kathy & company recently did the estate sale for my family's house. The house was beyond packed, but they did an excellent reorganization of the house's contents, made enticing displays and handled Covid requirements strictly and professionally. "Professional" is maybe the top adjective I'd use to describe this company- along with courteous, kind, efficient and communicative. The house and I were treated with respect throughout the entire process. My friends who attended the sale were impressed with the way the sale was conducted and presented. The sale was very successful; I'm very pleased with the results. They even managed to sell a flute we've been trying to sell for 4 years....in 4 days! Highly recommend! read more

Total Estate is a great company. Their staff is very helpful and friendly! I've been to many of their estate sales, the quality of the items is very good and the price fair. I highly recommend them!!! 5 starts any day! read more

I am a reseller of quality clothing I buy at estate sales. Over the weekend I attended a sale and I have to say it was one of the better sales I've been. I came home with a lot of great stuff! More importantly, the friendliness of the staff was amazing! I am now on the email list and am looking forward to the next one. read more

Simply the best in estate sales. Kathy, Julie, and her other team members take good care of their clients and are extremely accommodating and efficient. They are also one of the best in terms of quality. They price fairly and are willing to work with you. They approach estate sales with grace, compassion, and care. I have recently been attending quite a few sales in the area and TEL is simply the best. read more

I have to say, Kathy gets the most amazing estates! I kind of lost my mind this week! Thank you guys! It was hot and your buyers were grumpy and you all could not have been any more accommodating and kind, I do not know how you do it! There is such a delicate balance of honoring an estate and engaging with the public. I think you do it with grace and dedication and I very much appreciate it! Thank you guys! read more

Thank you for being fair and friendly, it is a joy to go to your Estate Sales. read more

Dee and Kathy are freakin awesome!!!!!! I try to go to every estate sale they do. Great items and great prices!!! read more

If you are dealing with the aftermath of a loved one dying, or otherwise looking to put on a successful estate sale - look no further, go with Kathy and her team. Kathy has been doing this for 20 years and it shows! We were definitely unsure of whether we had much of anything worth coming out for, but TEL had a vision for things. Our house went from bags and mounds to an attractive little store within just 2 days of handing over the keys. The displays were classy and artful in a way I wouldn't have thought possible... It was more touching than expected, seeing my family's possessions laid out with such style! The sale did great, totally exceeding our expectations in every way! In general, Kathy has a very listening and human touch, the type of presence that is so  appreciated at an emotionally layered moment. She told me she'd done her graduate studies / dissertation on the theme of what objects mean to people, which cued me into a deeper relationship with the work. I really just found her to be a neat individual and enjoyed the couple moments we spent shooting the breeze. Her team is great too, super industrious, professional, and personable. Thanks TEL! read more

I always keep my eye open when TEL lists a sale. Invariably the people working the sale are friendly, and somehow very real. I don't feel like I'm in a race to grab great things before anyone else can. Somehow it's an uplifting and humane experience browsing the TEL sales, which I can't say about some of the other companies whose sales I've frequented. I think Kathy is the source of a lot of what works about TEL: she knows her stuff, describes it accurately in the write-up, and then offers prices that are more than fair. So, I can enjoy the experience of poking around the remnants of peoples' lives with a sense of dignity and adventure. read more

Kathy and her team always give us the best value and price during their sales. The more you buy, the more discounts you could receive. Plus, the homes that Kathy and her team take on are filled with high quality, top notch items that you'll certainly love! The team she works with is also fantastic and extremely helpful when it comes to the Estate sale- and they give good prices for the items you buy. Highly recommended business, and have been going to her sales for nearly two years! read more

Kathy and her T.E.L. team did a superb job running the estate sale at my folks' house. Knowledgeable, efficient, and thorough are just a few superlatives to describe them as they prepared for, oversaw, and followed up on the sale. The items in the estate were arranged and displayed beautifully, and Kathy was exceptional with attentive and compassionate customer service. I highly recommend T.E.L. to anyone considering hiring an estate sale professional. read more

I have been buying and selling estate items for nearly 30 years. Total Estate Liquidation is by far the most unprofessional company I have ever engaged with in that time. While one gentleman there working truly was courteous, the main women, who seemed to be" in charge" did not hesitate to reprimand her employees in front of customers if she though they were pricing items too low. The prices are in fact outrageously high She prices items way beyond retail antique and thrift shops. For example, we went through the effort of pulling out some terracotta pots from a pile in the backyard, nothing fancy, the same you would find at Home Depot. What could have been purchase at Home Depot for $30 new she was asking $65!!! I also approach liquidating an estate with a level of respect as this is a family's loved one who may have passed with their history now on display and being sold. The main woman was like a chicken without a head moving from room to room, constantly stressing about something and always complaining about the state the rooms were in after customers had gone through them. However, the worst part of the experiences was to be outside with items paid for on my way out, no one else around but her and I , have her look at me, and then yell to the other person working inside, "are you making sure people are not just walking off with stuff? " This was only exacerbated by the fact she is white and I am Latina. All I could think was, "seriously lady, get a clue!" I agree with KW who posted on 7/4/14 (maybe we were at the same estate sale). Now, when I see a listing for a TEL Estate sale, I will definitely pass on it! read more

Great sales and company. Really nice people who run the company and seem knowledgeable about antiques and textiles. I bought several things on the second day of the sale and she quoted a fair price for everything. I do thing some of their pricing was high to begin with. I saw a Royal Copenhagen Fajance vase they priced at $100 and you can pick the same thing up on eBay for about $30. So, do your research before you go! read more

I went to a sale today, I waited 2 hours before the sale opened. I was told by my friend that this is standard procedure. There was a crowd 1.15 hours before the sale. The sale opened, and the speaker I wanted were priced at $2250. They were $900 new, and are selling for $600 on ebay. The first 10 people who entered all walked out without buying anything of value (less than $50 teapots etc). While standing in line, I heard from the 'regulars' that Kathie's sales are generally overpriced and that most 'regulars' have stopped coming to them. read more

After reading through some of the negative commentary, I find the cynicism and criticism presented thoroughly unmerited and disingenuous. My advice to the one star kvetchers: if you grasp your ears firmly and tug, you might just be able to pull your head out. Kathy was highly recommended to my family by the trustee of my father's estate. Prior I had reached out to several estate liquidation companies, but many refused to even work in the East Bay or take a meeting with me for fear that I didn't meet their "minimum". Kathy on the other hand, didn't discriminate and in the end helped us monetize and create tremendous value for many of my father's collections. Even with her busy schedule, she took the time to accommodate us and made herself available every step of the way. She took the time to listen, understand our situation, while also providing very high touch service and involving me in the process as much as I wanted. Additionally, her network of appraisers and collectors were instrumental in helping us value some of the esoteric pieces. While Kathy, her right-hand man Paul, Dee, and the rest of the team were setting things up at the house, they found two 14k gold rings with diamonds and rubies that I didn't even know existed! The text message I received with the picture of the rings, demonstrated to me the highest level of integrity and ethical standards flowing from the head of the business on down. I can't say enough good things about her team. Throughout the sale she would call or text frequently regarding big ticket items and would verify if I was comfortable with the offers. After a full day of sales on the first day, I got a call from her at almost 8pm (while she was back at home) concerned that even though the jewelry at my dad's house was locked in the display case, perhaps it would be better to put it back in the safe. She literally went the extra mile(s), pun intended, to drive back to the location of the sale and lock the jewelry in the safe. After the estate sale was over, she connected me with Josh who helped clear out the remaining items and trash to leave the house floor and walls. Josh and his team did such a great job removing brackets and things off the walls (that they don't normally do, but I asked), that they mistakenly removed an antique coca-cola bottle opener that was fastened to the wall in the kitchen. After realizing that it was missing, I immediately called Josh and he not only apologized for the mistake but also was able to track it down and return it. Once again, impeccable character and integrity. We enjoyed working with Kathy so much that we agreed to put some items on consignment and will likely be doing more business with her in the future. Objectively, if there is a knock on Kathy it is that she is faithfully 10-15 min tardy-- but then again, so are most successful professionals... read more

Over the past 15+ years my wife has searched for vintage linens to sell on eBay. We attended garage and estate sales throughout the Bay Area and beyond. One of the main sources of quality pieces was at TEL estate sales in the East Bay. I can only imagine the job of meeting with families looking to liquidate their estates and be confronted with a home full of household goods, not to mention the emotional issues of relatives. Of interest to me is not so much "what" is offered for sale but "how" the estate sales are run. For many years in my career, I used to liquidate financial institutions (that was also messy!) but to take on 50+ years of accumulated "stuff" and to organize it in a way to maximize the return for the family as well as assure that taking on a job like this is a profitable venture is a difficult balancing act. In contrast to other similar organizations, I have found TEL's process to be both orderly and fair. Each buyer receives a detailed receipt that benefits all parties (Estate Owner, Buyers and TEL). I often wonder where the accountability is of other Estate Sales when the cash is given to the "sales person" and it is promptly placed in their pocket and the person walks out of the house with the merchandise and who knows what else!! A few YELP! members had some negative comments on pricing. I have found pricing to be reasonable and fair over the years. Merchandise cannot be 'given away'. Kathy and her crew have a great amount of experience dealing with all kinds of household goods. They know what sells and what doesn't. They are quick to separate someone's emotional attachment to an item versus the 'real world' value of a 'family heirloom.' We have found their experience in pricing products of all types to be very fair....most at "garage sale prices" to be able to move the merchandise in a limited window of time. Some complaints seemed to relate to needs of more formal advance announcements, a more 'professional presentation' of the products, etc. The fact is these are estate sales that are borne out of many families who have accumulated housefuls of 'stuff', many of which are cluttered and unorganized. These Sales are more the result of the family estate rather than TEL. They hired TEL to liquidate a portion of the estate not to clean their home. So, whether you're someone looking to having an estate liquidated or interested in searching for something of interest, TEL Estate Sales are always a great experience. Items not sold, which TEL owns, can be viewed for purchase at the Oakland store on Telegraph near Alcatraz. read more

Pretty much everything you'd expect to find from an estate sale - except in a store. There's some cool enough stuff, and I've done my share of antique and second hand stores, but this is really Amy Z's thing. Some nice stuff, but nothing I needed or wanted. Having said that, it fits along nicely with the other antique stores in the area. read more

Total Estate Liquidation is a very good business operated by Kathy Pimpan. She has allot of experience in liquidating estates and has a good knowledge of current values for collectables and household accessories. I highly recommend her for all of your Estate Liquidation needs. read more

I was out driving & I followed some signs & found myself at another TEL estate sale. I decided, what the heck, go see if things are different. I got as far a a table full of salt & peppers, not having seen one thing priced along the way, & none of the salt & pepper shakers were priced either. There was big fat line waiting to be priced & checked out, and the line didn't look happy. So I left. read more

I recently attended an Estate Sale run by TEL and I have to say they did an amazing job displaying and selling the massive amount of items. I've been to many a "dig for it" estate sale, and I'm not afraid to dig, but this one was merchandised/organized nicely. Given the amount of items they were dealing with this one could have easily been an absolute mess but it wasn't. Kathy, Duke, Maria and Lydia were all very helpful and knowledgeable. They followed Covid safety procedures and treated everyone and every treasure with respect. I will be attending another TEL sale in the future for sure! read more

I was lucky enough to stumble upon an Excellent "TEL" sale yesterday 4/2/2021 in El Sobrante. Kathy & her crew of Energetic, Knowledgeable and friendly staff made me feel as if I were in Harrods of London not an Estate sale by any means. Each & everyone of the TEL staff obviously Loved what they do and also Loved the public interface experienced during the sale. I felt confident that you had my interests at heart at all times. I personally met a plethora of attendees that apparently do these type of Estate sales on a regular basis, Never could I have imagined the network of followers that flock to events staged & held by "Total Estate Liquidation". At times I felt I was at a Grateful Dead concert of old,The fans you have cultivated & who appear to be passing the torch to a younger group of Estate sale Devotee's was just fabulous. In closing thank's again for the streamed lined check out process & the fact that savings and discounts were the norm up until payment was processed. I cannot recommend you guys highly enough!!!!!!! read more

I had to vacate my house of 35 years in three weeks. The whole process of planning and executing the estate sale was outstanding. Kathy and her crew were so easy to work with, under stressful circumstances. The sale was a big success and afterward Josh and his crew completely cleared the house so it was ready for the painters. read more

I found them to be professional, friendly and reasonable about pricing, moving materials out of the house, and just about everything else. When I left some items behind by mistake and wrote to them I got an immediate response. Would recommend them highly! read more

Quite disappointing. You hire an estate sale company with the expectation of getting rid of your stuff. The prices were so high that relatively little was sold and we were left to deal with all the leftover stuff ourselves. read more

Just wanted to share some warm fuzzies about Total Estate Liquidation. After 6 years of hoping, I am now finally a home owner in the Bay Area. Coming from apartment living, though, I had nothing to put in my new house! I went to a couple of estate sales and this one rocked my world! Kathy Pimpan and her crew Josh, Paul and Lydia were so helpful and generous in helping me feather my new nest. Kathy in particular took a real interest in items I needed, including offering items from other sales she's running, since the first one didn't have everything I needed. Many thanks to Total Estate Liquidation for helping cool stuff get from its former home to its new one. read more

Kathy Pimpan has the knowledge, experience and expertise to accurately appraise your belongings and assign appropriate values. Her events are very well run, organized and well-advertised. Selling a loved one's possessions is an emotional time and the TEL team is so respectful, considerate and caring about selling family heirlooms and prized possessions. They do an amazing job of cleaning and staging the home, leading to a very successful sale. They can arrange for clear out and hauling service to remove unsold items as well. It's a tremendous relief to be able to put this daunting task into the hands of this very trustworthy, capable and reliable company. read more

I always have fun at TEL estate sales. There's always something interesting and fairly priced and Kathy and her crew are always friendly and helpful! If you see the bright pink signs follow them! read more

TEL's sales are ALWAYS good! Houses are jam packed full of unique items, the sales are well organized, and the prices always fair. 2nd / 3rd day prices are even better. I've been to a lot of their sales and have never been disappointed. The folks from TEL are very courteous and helpful. I cannot rate them high enough!!! read more

I have to heartily concur with most of the comments of the other one star posters. I have been to four of TEL's sales, and the most recent one will be the last. Kathy posts a time for the sale but can never seem to manage starting or even arriving close to the posted time. She rarely seems to want to bother pricing the goods but tells you to gather a pile at which time, she will provide you a price. So, once you've wasted your time accumulating a pile, you get to hear high retail numbers and you leave empty handed, shaking your head. She does in fact have several retail outlets and I have to agree that her conflict of interest is the best explanation of why she seems so disinterested in selling the goods at the estate sale. Buyers and sellers beware! read more