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[pegsue]

Looking for some advice.  Both of my parents passed in December-9 days within each other and I have been cleaning out the house.  The plan is to have an estate sale.  My questions are-do you actually price anything or do you just have people make offers?  or both?  

Is it helpful to put like items in groups instead of individually trying to sell?

Plan is to have the sale for 2 days and then anything left go to thrift stores, Good Will-or any other suggestions?

I know there are companies that do this however my sibling does not want to pay the fee for it.  

My parents were always concerned about a few items in the house having value and I did have an antique lady come in.  Of course the items my parents were concerned about turned out otherwise. She showed some interest in a few things in the house but it's been awhile and she's ghosted me.  I was going to take those items and put them aside and deal with them later. 

So just asking for any helpful suggestions to do or not do from anyone who has done this themselves.  Thank you so much.  

[sunshine45]

we had one maybe 6 years ago when my mother sold her "i need to get away" condo. we had a company come in to help with the sales. anything she wanted to really keep came home. the company had prices posted.

i dont know how big your estate is, but it was worth it for us to just have someone else handle it. of course, many things that the owner thinks will go for some high amount, will probably go for some low amount, then a portion of that goes to the company. it may make you mad or upset, but that is the way it works. if YOU are attached to anything, you may want to think twice about being there when the sale is happening.

[kaydee50]

Don't know about "estate" sales.  I think it would depend upon the size of the estate??  We did hold a yard sale once.  Wasn't worth the time and effort.  In the future I would just donate to whatever organization is willing to take the stuff or at the last resort call 1-800-gotjunk.

Sorry I can't be more helpful but unless there are true antiques or artwork most people overvalue their items and are disappointed for what they eventually sell for.

[Icegoddess]

We had one after my Dad died.  We also hired a company.  Personally, I hate yard sales and an Estate Sale isn't much different.  My sister and I both live about 2 hours away and it was often difficult for both of us to get together at the house.  

I did get a bit upset that they sold my Dad's Troy Bilt tiller for pennies.  Had I known that, I would have given it to the neighbor who gave us a lot of help after Dad died.  They probably didn't know if it was in running condition, but I can guarantee you it was.  They could've called us and asked.  We probably should have left more in the house.  

I have no idea how they organized it or priced things, but I think it was mostly like a fire sale, cheap, cheap, cheap.  The one thing I've heard though from others is you need to have everything where you can keep an eye on it, especially smaller things or they'll walk away.  

[Carmie]

I had to dispose of everything in a friends house that I am POA for.

It was difficult.  Everything was priced, but offers were accepted.

We were stuck with a ton of stuff no one wanted.  Everything was in great shape....she lived alone. It was way too much work and not worth it.

I had my two sons and three nephews carrying heavy stuff and they helped with packing.  There is no way you can do it alone.

We ended up giving a lot of things away, just to get rid of it and not having to pack it up for donating.

Tons of stuff ended up in the dump.  Charities won't take everything.  Expensive collectibles and holiday decor was difficult to sell and donate.  We ended up tossing it.

If I had to do it again, I would sell by auction.  I have gone to estate auctions and pretty much everything sells. 

I would sell the items you think you for sure know you could get a great price for outright, then auction the rest.

[tends2dogs]

Had estate sales for both inlaws and my parents.  We hired estate sale people to do it.  It is totally worth it because it is a lot of work, however, you will pay for it.  These people know what the market will bear and they aren't guided by emotions.  

Things that are valuable to you are most likely not to others.  It is better if you aren't there for the sale.  Most sales are two days with the third day deeply discounted.  

When it was all over, the estate people took what was left and cleaned up the house.  It was well worth it.  

Not unlike garage sales, it is more work than the return $$$.

All the best.

[ThinkingOutLoud]

No experience with estate sales but a while ago, there was a lady in our local 'buy nothing' facebook group that was going through her parents house to get rid of stuff. Maybe this is an option for people to come get it instead of having to take things to Goodwill yourself? 

[Marsha2003]

I've cleared three different estates, none of which had any valuable items.  I handled the first one, helped by my cousins.  We priced everything to sell and people still tried to haggle over the price.  I learned that it's absolutely worth the 30% (on average) of the gross sales that an estate sale company charges, especially if they clear out anything that doesn't sell.  You are left with a cleared property to sell with no effort from you.  

I would tell your sibling that if they don't want to pay the fee, then they should be responsible for doing the work.

Remember, the estate sale value of an item is about 1 - 10 cents per dollar of its replacement cost if it doesn't have collectible or intrinsic value.

[Puppy Lips]

So sorry for the loss of your parents.

I am a bad one to respond to this because I keep way too much stuff of my own, and of my parents'.

The only thing I would say is to take your time and be sure that you are ready to part with what you want to get rid of.  There are things of my Mom's that I was going to donate and then later decided to keep and I am glad I did.

I have never had much luck at garage sales or the estate sale we had.  There are so many factors involved into whether it is worthwhile.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

[We rescue cats]

That is our next project-emptying the attics and sheds. We have all of my mom's family things, all of my husband's moms things, our holiday decor and things and a whole shed full of 'stuff'. Three attics and a huge shed, we became the repository for our parents' homes when they passed. 

I have been talking to a local auction house, the owner will come out and take it all to his shop, sort it and wll then put it all online for review and then announce the date of the auction. It all goes, one way or another.