When we meet at the house, the first step is for you to give us a tour. We will ask lots of questions and hope you do the same. This is a great time to point out any items that will not be included in the sale. We'll sit and chat for a few minutes before going over the contract page by page so expectations are clear for all. Based on your needs and our availability, we will choose a suitable date. Some clients are ready to sign the contract and secure their date at that point, others need some time to check with family or await probate. When we have the signed contract in our hands, we will put you on our schedule and add your sale to our online calendar.
Preparation for most sales begins the Monday prior to their estate sale. During this process we will empty every cabinet, closet and drawer. We will do small repairs when advantageous. We will make sure everything is clean and in working condition. Every area of the home will receive our attention; closets will be organized; linens will be wrapped together in matching sets; bookshelves will be tidy & purposefully arranged; items in lower cabinets will be brought up so they are visible and easy to reach. When needed we will bring in additional shelving for display purposes, clothing racks, locked cases for jewelry and coins, gun safes or other items needed to keep valuables safe and to be able to properly display your home's treasures. Any personal items we come across (photographs, medical information, tax forms, banking, keys, currency, etc.) will be placed in a box that we will get to you after the sale is complete. Our goal during the preparation phase is to be sure that everything looks its best and that the house is organized and staged in a way that allows shoppers to easily see (and purchase!) all the treasures your estate contains.
Advertising is key to a successful estate sale. We will place a listing on estatesales.net with a detailed description of what's contained in the estate, anywhere from 150 to 300 photos, directions to the sale location & any other pertinent information. All our other advertising will link directly to this post. This includes info placed on our website; ads placed in local newspapers; posts on Craigslist; paid ads on our Facebook and Instagram pages; an e-mail sent to our subscribers; flyers & any other mediums that fit the needs of your specific sale. We make ourselves available to answer questions via text or e-mail to prospective buyers. We are sure to feature any special collections or high-ticket items. We also maintain a Shoppers Wish List and reach out to buyers who may be looking for something specific that your sale contains. We work hard to get the word out about your sale and to get shoppers excited about coming to visit.
Each item in your home will be priced with a price gun. High ticket items or items of special interest will have a printed placard displaying relevant information. The pricing phase also includes a considerable amount of research for each estate. You would think after 12 years in business that we had seen it all, that is not the case! Each sale brings new artists, new crystal or flatware patterns, one-of-a-kind pieces and specialty items. Our goal is to price items in a way that allows us to maximize the sale total while still completing our task of liquidating as much of the estate as possible. We are mindful that day two of the estate sale is discount day and take that into consideration when pricing. We aim to price things fairly for our shoppers and for our clients, encouraging quick sales while being mindful of each items value.
We will start by placing professional signage from the nearest major intersection to your home, allowing shoppers and passersby to find the sale easily. We'll do a final walkthrough to make sure everything looks perfect and that the flow of the home is not only pleasant for shoppers but safe as well. We will have already set up our register allowing to take cash, credit or debit cards and most cash apps. We are no longer taking personal checks. We will have paper ready for wrapping fragile purchases. Sturdy totes are available for folks to borrow while shopping if needed. We provide a “Hold Table” so shoppers dont have to juggle arms full of treasures. We have plenty of staff on hand at every sale wearing our company T-shirts so they're easy to spot. Their job during sale hours is to be helpful, to make sure everything stays tidy, to answer any questions and to make sure things are running smoothly. They are always ready and willing help load large or bulky purchases or to arrange for delivery (for a small fee to the buyer) after the sale is over. Music will be playing, a citrus candle will be lit & lollipops will be waiting as a reward for well behaved mini-shoppers. Our goal is to present a professional sale that is enjoyable to all and where all are welcome.
When the sale closes we'll be in touch right away to chat about the outcome, the sale total and the plan for what's next. When we signed the contract, you would have chosen one of two options. “Pack & Go” means we pack up our tables and supplies and leave what remains for the family to deal with; we will make sure that floors have been swept and counters have been wiped. This process will be complete by the time we leave late Saturday afternoon. If you chose our “Haul Off” option, we will begin packing up all unsold merchandise for donation to a local charity. We will chat about any valuables that remain giving you the option to either retain those items or include them with the charity donation. Those decisions will need to be made quickly as the Haul Off will begin immediately after we close on Saturday. As our contract states we have 72 hours to complete this process. Once the home has been emptied we will sweep, vacuum and wipe the counters. It is not a deep clean, but the home will be tidy for whatever step comes next.
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