WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO CALL AND SCHEDULE A MEETING? The sooner you get in touch with us the better! We are often booking a few months in advance; there's a much better chance we can meet your timeline with advance notice.
WHAT DO YOU CHARGE TO HOST AN ESTATE SALE? No two sales are alike, some require extra attention and preparation while others are very tidy and organized. Our commission rate is based on the projected time it will take my staff and I to prepare your sale to the high standards we have set. Most of our sales fall in the 60/40 range, 60% to our clients and 40% to our company. There are times when that percentage can be adjusted; we will discuss those terms at our initial meeting. Shortly after entering the front door at out initial meeting, I'll have an idea of how time intensive our scope of work will be and can accurately quote our best possible rate.
ARE THERE ANY OUT-OF-POCKET FEES OR MONIES DUE UP FRONT? Our company does not charge any out of pocket fees to host an estate sale. Sometimes a home needs a little extra TLC to be ready for the estate sale, those fees can be deducted from your percentage of the final accounting. Those services could be extermination, plumbing or electrical repairs necessary to proceed with the sale, trash removal, lawn care, etc. These fees will be clearly listed on your contract and there will be no surprises at the end for our clients.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO GET READY FOR YOUR VISIT? Not much! We understand that times of transition can be messy. There is no need to clean or organize prior to our first meeting; we can overlook packed boxes, piles of treasures & stacks of family photos. We realize this is a difficult time for our clients and approach each sale with compassion, patience and grace. The most important thing you can do is have some idea of what items will not be for sale and point them out to us when we meet. We encourage prospective clients not to throw anything away or donate anything, we will determine what items are not suitable for sale while prepping the home. In the past 12 years, we’ve seen it all…so don’t worry, just call us so we can help!
SHOULD WE THROW AWAY OR DONATE ITEMS PRIOR TO THE ESTATE SALE? We encourage our clients to refrain from throwing away or donating anything before meeting with us. You'd be surprised what others are willing to purchase! We will take care of purging your home of unsellable items when we get to work. Half empty cans of spray paint, older linens, cleaning supplies….all items that we sell at every sale! Allow us to maximize sales by leaving everything on site.
WHAT IF OUR HOME ISN'T FANCY AND FILLED WITH VALUABLE TREASURES? The majority of our clients are regular folks with delightful homes. While we love estates full of antiques, fine art and lovely jewelry, a typical sale contains quality furnishings, pretty décor and a range of utilitarian items. A home does not have to be fancy or filled with high-ticket items for us to proceed, we are happy to meet with any family to chat about how we can help! When needed, we are always willing to suggest other ways to liquidate an estate if we feel it best for our client.
WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE ITEMS LEFT AT THE END OF THE SALE? While our goal is to liquidate as much as we can from the estate, there are always items that remain. We offer two options at the end of each sale. A “Pack and Go” means we gather up our supplies, tables and any other work products and leave unsold merchandise on site. The family then decides what will happen to the items that remain. Our other option is a “Haul Off” where everything that does not sell during the estate sale is boxed up and donated to a local nonprofit charity. This leaves our clients with an empty home that has been swept and vacuumed. The tax-deductible receipt is sent to our clients in their final accounting packet. Details of both those options can be discussed when we meet.
WHAT IF WE LIVE IN A GATED COMMUNITY/RETIREMENT OR ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY/TOWNHOUSE WHERE ESTATE SALES ARE NOT PERMITTED? We often get calls from folks in gated communities or those moving out of retirement/assisted living facilities where estate sales are not allowed. For those clients we offer what we refer to as a Consignment Sale. Best Estate Liquidators would add your items to an upcoming traditional estate sale that has the space to accommodate them. In those instances, we would pack all items in the house, pad and wrap all furniture and deliver them to the sale site. This Is a great solution for folks who are unable to host a sale at their current location as well as clients whose homes may not have quite enough for a full estate sale themselves. Blending the two sales together works for both parties. While those opportunities are not frequent, we are happy to discuss availability.
WHAT IF SOMEONE IS STILL LIVING IN THE HOME?
We are unable to host estate sales when someone is living on the premises. Not only is it disruptive to the resident but it also significantly slows our process. If the homeowners or tenants are willing to vacate the property from Monday morning through Saturday evening, we'd be happy to chat.
DO WE NEED TO BE PRESENT FOR THE ESTATE SALE? Families do not have to be present during the preparation of or running of the estate sale. In fact, we encourage them not to be. While we are extremely transparent and encourage short visits with our families, we know this is an emotionally trying time for them. With memories attached to so many pieces, it can be hard to watch those items go home with new owners. Our shoppers are also quick to pick up when family is on site at which time they are much more hesitant to make purchases. You are more than welcome to stop by quickly or send a friend or neighbor in to see how the sale is going… but we do prefer for our families to remain off site and allow us to do what we do best!
ARE YOU INSURED? Absolutely. We carry $1,000,000 policy and are happy to provide that information to our clients upon request. That said, clients should always keep any homeowners or renters' policies in effect as ours is limited to our scope of work on your property.
DO YOU HAVE A RETAIL LOCATION? We do not have a retail location. While many shop owners or those who rent booths in antique co-ops shop at our estate sales, we believe having a retail location of our own is a conflict of interest. We feel strongly that our commitment is to do our very best for each client, not to fill a retail location with items purchased at deep discounts from our own estate sales or with items remaining at the end of the sale.
WHEN WILL WE RECEIVE THE PROCEEDS FROM OUR ESTATE SALE?
Proceeds from the estate sale are ready to be mailed or delivered to clients the Wednesday after their sale closes. If you are local, we are happy to meet you somewhere. Otherwise, final accountings are sent priority mail with tracking to avoid any “lost mail”.
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