ESTATE SALES are very different from
AUCTION ESTATE SALES
>> Click
Here to View Scheduled Auction Estate Sales
 In an Auction the items are UNPRICED and the price is
started lower and raised by the bids. In an Estate Sale, the items are sorted,
cleaned, numbered and PRICED. The buyers come and wish
to try and get the prices reduced, but the good Estate Sale professional
will not reduce the price.
Auctions usually are for one (1) day but Estate Sales are usually held
for a three (3) day period of time from 9:00 AM until 5:30 PM
Something you will want to do is decide if you want to do the sale yourself
or hire a professional. The advantage to doing the sale yourself is you
don’t have to pay a percentage of the money to someone else. The professional
gives you a number of advantages when you pick a qualified one.
Check to see if the person is bonded and certified as appraisers. Also
find out if the person does estate sales on a regular basis or only when
the notion strikes. Avoid the fly by night that isn’t knowledgeable
in all the various item and marketing possibilities. A professional will
come with a virtual library of knowledge and experience and references,
the amateur tries to bluff their way through and stick any price on something.
The next step in a profitable estate sale is advertising. I am sure most
people have seen the homemade, garage or estate sale signs tacked up to
fence posts or telephone poles with writing that is too small or simply
illegible. In most cases the only thing you can do is hope there are arrows
on each sign and that they are facing in the correct direction.
Most professionals will have direction signs with the address, directions
and some of the top merchandise such as dolls, antiques, depression glass
and tools listed.
For the entire week before the sale ads should be placed on a Web Site
and in all the media newspapers. This may cost $500 to $600 but in the long
run will pay off. Make sure the ads give a web site map for directions from
the closest freeways or major roads as well as greater detail than the signs
as to what all is offered.
There are people that check for these types of sales on a regular basis.
Not all of them are going to be antique dealers either, but Collectors and
resellers too. That is why you want to list as much listed as you can have
to catch the eye of readers.
Estate sales take time. Depending on the volume of merchandise, the sale
can take from a two (2) to three (3) days to be done correctly. It will
take the professional about a week to prepare and a week to advertise the
sale. When having an Estate Sale, take the extra time to clean the better
pieces like glassware, pottery, porcelain and nice pieces of furniture.
People are more likely to not only buy but to pay more for something that
looks good and not covered in greasy dust or dirt.
Call Silicon Valley Estate Sales for a FREE Consultation
and
cost
estimate to meet the needs of you and your family.
We clean, sort, dump and sell for YOU!
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