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Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,632
Registered: ‎04-03-2010

Re: Ever held your own Estate Sale?

I am of the opinion that if you have quite a bit of stuff to clear out hire an estate sales person.  But if you don't have ENOUGH stuff to make it worth their while, they won't take the job.  I cleared out my parents home slowly getting rid of stuff as I could, trips to dump, packing up what I wanted to keep, etc...The furniture and big items were so dated - although very good quality - and not worth keeping.  I wound up having yard sales - several - and you get next to nothing for the stuff.  If you ask a quarter, they want to give you a nickel.  I think its worth commission if they can ask more for the items and do all the work.  Its a stressful enough time.

Flowers are nature's way of laughing
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,946
Registered: ‎03-08-2018

Re: Ever held your own Estate Sale?

If the idea of the house itself is overwhelming, imagine having to price every item in that house for sale and constantly check on those coming through your home.  Can you handle all of the haggling with people and re-pricing of items each day.  Its a garage sale on steroids!!!!  

 

My parents sold their home and moved out of state last year.  They hired someone to run the estate sale and it was still overwhelming to deal with that.

 

 

Another option on the sale of a house, my MIL's neighbor passed away last year.  The home needed a ton of work.  Strangely the will apparently required the house be put on the market within 30 days.  It was sold As Is.  Of course the price was lower but it saved the family from having to make major updates to that house.  

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,168
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Re: Ever held your own Estate Sale?

[ Edited ]

I think it is best to have someone who doesn’t have an emotional or sentimental attachment to the home contents handle dispersing the contents. My mother asked all of us one Thanksgiving when we happen to all be there to put a sticky note with their name on it on anything that had special meaning to them. I went around and made notes of who wanted things. She passed away two years later...and I was so glad I kept my notes. The grown grandkids are scattered everywhere from Alaska, California and Lyon, France, etc. so it was quite a challenge. My niece cried and cried when I took her my mothers cookie jar she had been promised. A very old, small set of tools circa WWI was treasured by my nephew. They would have brought pennies from a professional sale....let the family take what they want first...then bring in a pro to handle the rest..they more than earn their money. To me, it was more important to get things into the right hands than making a few dollars on each thing

Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,523
Registered: ‎09-01-2010

Re: Ever held your own Estate Sale?

No, but I have been heavily involved in emptying the homes of 2 close relatives, and sincerely hope to NEVER have to do that again.   

 

Auctions and estate sales are not a common thing here in my area of southern WV.   While I did sell a few items to a local antiques dealer, 80% of what was removed from both homes was burned.  We live out in the boonies, and there were no issues in piling the stuff in an open field and watching it burn.   One pile actually burned for a full week; family took turns watching it for several days until it burned low enough to smolder.   

 

Family took all they wanted, we offered many things to friends, good stuff went to Salvation Army and Union Mission, numerous bags went out in weekly trash,

and the rest we burned.   

 

It is exhausting to empty an entire house, so unless you have an unlimited amount of time, I would highly suggest looking at all options to assist you in this task.    Best wishes!

 

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,020
Registered: ‎05-06-2016

Re: Ever held your own Estate Sale?


@mimomof4 wrote:

 

Another option on the sale of a house, my MIL's neighbor passed away last year.  The home needed a ton of work.  Strangely the will apparently required the house be put on the market within 30 days.  It was sold As Is.  Of course the price was lower but it saved the family from having to make major updates to that house.  

 


@mimomof4 After my grandfather died the house went to me. It also needed a ton of work and I was preparing to list it As Is with a realtor, but I ended up selling it for cash to a company who buys "ugly" homes and hires another group to come in and gut it. My stepdad heard their ad on the radio and called them. They offered me a decent price the day they came out to look at it and in a month, the deal was done. Now it's been completely renovated and sold a few months ago for $205,000. 

 

I never had an estate sale. I allowed family members to come in and take what they wanted; the rest I either donated to Green Drop or trashed because it was no good. Luckily my grandfather was not a big hoarder of knicknacks, however he kept every receipt and financial statement. I found garbage bags full of paperwork dating back to the 70's! Now that was a headache.

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Posts: 1,946
Registered: ‎03-08-2018

Re: Ever held your own Estate Sale?


@Cumbercookie13 wrote:

@mimomof4 wrote:

 

Another option on the sale of a house, my MIL's neighbor passed away last year.  The home needed a ton of work.  Strangely the will apparently required the house be put on the market within 30 days.  It was sold As Is.  Of course the price was lower but it saved the family from having to make major updates to that house.  

 


@mimomof4 After my grandfather died the house went to me. It also needed a ton of work and I was preparing to list it As Is with a realtor, but I ended up selling it for cash to a company who buys "ugly" homes and hires another group to come in and gut it. My stepdad heard their ad on the radio and called them. They offered me a decent price the day they came out to look at it and in a month, the deal was done. Now it's been completely renovated and sold a few months ago for $205,000. 

 

I never had an estate sale. I allowed family members to come in and take what they wanted; the rest I either donated to Green Drop or trashed because it was no good. Luckily my grandfather was not a big hoarder of knicknacks, however he kept every receipt and financial statement. I found garbage bags full of paperwork dating back to the 70's! Now that was a headache.


In my MIL neighbor scenario the family across the street finally convinced the deceased's family to sell it to them. after 2 months of no movement.  Mainly because she wanted to "pick" her neighbor and didn't want a renter or someone moving in who wouldn't update the house.  Honestly she was really stressed about who would move it, I got tired of hearing her complaints.  They renovated the home themselves and sold it 4 months later.  

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,288
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Ever held your own Estate Sale?


@IdahoGram wrote:

If your over whelmed now, wait until you start digging things out of every nook and cranny, washing it, researching, pricing and stageing for a sale.  Believe me it's worth more than the 35%.  Unless you have unlimited time to prepare for a sale it is worth having the pros do it.  


The above is my opinion also.  I went through this and it was indeed overwhelming. I ended up hiring someone that did this for a living.  It was worth every penny paying the commission in the long run.  I don't regret it.

 

 

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Honored Contributor
Posts: 36,053
Registered: ‎08-19-2010

Re: Ever held your own Estate Sale?

Sure would be a task !

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,887
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Ever held your own Estate Sale?


@Sunshine Kate wrote:

@IdahoGram wrote:

If your over whelmed now, wait until you start digging things out of every nook and cranny, washing it, researching, pricing and stageing for a sale.  Believe me it's worth more than the 35%.  Unless you have unlimited time to prepare for a sale it is worth having the pros do it.  


The above is my opinion also.  I went through this and it was indeed overwhelming. I ended up hiring someone that did this for a living.  It was worth every penny paying the commission in the long run.  I don't regret it.

 

 


Do the estate people really *wash* things?

 

I guess where talking porcelain, ceramic, glass, etc. etc. etc.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,401
Registered: ‎07-15-2016

Re: Ever held your own Estate Sale?

We inherited my aunt's house and had someone come to evaluate the contents to see if anything was worth selling - or just donate everything. 

 

We wanted the house cleaned out before we put it on the market.

 

Turned out the value of the contents weren't worth all our time and effort (none of us lived near the house).  We just decided to just let family and friends to take what they wanted and donated remainder.  Leftovers went to 1-800-got-junk.