Auctions and Estate Sales in My Area
- Type in your city or zip code to pull up estate sales in your area.
- Navigate to estate sales near you via the easy-to-read US map
- Find estate sales by searching for an estate sale company you love
- Browse featured and regional estate sales to find ones near you.
Full Answer
What to expect when you hire an estate sale company?
- Do they have a contract for you to sign? If they don’t, that’s a big red flag! Always get a contract. ...
- How are they staffed? Do they have employees or do they hire contract workers for the sale?
- Are they set up to accept credit cards? You will sell more if people can pay with a credit card.
- Do they bring in extra items to YOUR sale? This is a big no-no! ...
How to hire an estate sale company?
- Know your stuff. Learn, or brush up on, the basics of estate sales. ...
- Be a mystery shopper. Attend one of the company’s sales anonymously so you can see how organized the setup is, the security measures they take, whether the company representative is ...
- Rely on references. ...
- Turn to the BBB. ...
- Get it in writing. ...
What to know about an estate sale?
More often than not an estate sale is conducted for one of the following reasons:
- The heirs do not have any interest in keeping the property left behind by the deceased relative.
- The heirs cannot agree on who gets what so a court has ordered the liquidation of remaining assets.
- The will of the deceased may have asked for an estate sale to take place.
What to expect from the estate sale organizers?
- Markers
- Tables and Table Covers
- Bags and Wrapping supplies “Newspaper” for your shoppers
- Runners and carpet protectors incase the home carpet needs protection
- Small step ladder for hard to reach places
- Rule Signs (do not cross, watch your step, etc…) Extra locks incase you need to lock certain gates
- Professional direction signs to your estate sale
How do I find local estate sales?
Sometimes estate sales are listed on Craigslists, Facebook Marketplace, your local paper, or street signs the day of, but most of the time I search on EstateSales.net. Click over to the site, enter your zip code, and this handy dandy resource spits out all the estate sales currently scheduled in your area.
Where is the best place to advertise an estate sale?
Advertise your estate sale and include pictures of your best items. Advertising is key to getting buyers to your estate sale. There's always a chance that a handful of people will walk or drive by, but the serious buyers scour for the best sales by looking online, on social media, on Craigslist, and in newspapers.
How do estate sale companies make money?
Most estate sale companies take a standard commission, typically 30 to 40 percent of the gross sales, for an estate sale that fits normal parameters. Sales that require extra work often incur additional fees.
How do I start an estate sale myself?
How to Hold an Estate Sale by YourselfCreate and Sort Your Inventory. Before determining the date and time of your sale, decide on your inventory. ... Prepare Your Estate Sale Inventory. ... Price Your Items. ... Display Your Items for Sale. ... Set Yourself Up for Purchases. ... Take Security Measures. ... Check Local Restrictions. ... Advertise.
What is the best month to have an estate sale?
Winter may just be THE BEST time to hold an estate sale. During spring and summer there hundreds of Garage Sales or Yard Sales to compete with in the winter. There are also fewer estate sales companies doing sales, which leaves us (and you) on a pinnacle.
How do I promote my estate agency?
10 Estate Agent Marketing IdeasYou've Got to be on Social. One of the best forms of estate agent marketing is social media. ... Check on Your Competiton. ... Create Email Campaigns. ... Have a Professional Website. ... Write Creative & Original Content. ... Make Use of Video Content. ... Be Present on Google My Business. ... Host a Webinar.More items...•
What happens to items that don't sell at estate sales?
Most liquidators can give you the information of a cleanout service they have used before. If you go this direction everything will be hauled off and thrown away. Those are the three most common ways Estate Liquidators handle “leftovers”.
How do I advertise an estate sale on Facebook?
Create a Facebook Marketplace listing titled “estate sale.” List your items in a bulleted list in the description and update the description when items sell.
Can you negotiate at an estate sale?
Negotiating at estate sales does happen and can help you get more knocked off the price, but there are a few things to consider first. The goal of an estate sale organizer is to get their client as much value as possible for their belongings.
Do you need an estate agent to sell a house privately?
Selling your house privately means putting your property on the market without using an estate agent. If you're keen to avoid estate agency fees and keep a higher percentage of the money after the sale, selling a house privately without an estate agent is well worth considering.
How do I attract buyers to sell my house?
Key elements to finding buyers.Understanding & profiling the target market to tailor advertising.Capturing the entire active buyers market.Gauging interest levels and market demand.Extracting offers from interested parties.Being able to negotiate offers into a sale.More items...
How do I make my house more appealing when selling?
Here are a few easy ways to make your home more appealing to buyers:Fix the Little Things. ... Clean and Keep It That Way. ... De-Clutter. ... Go For Neutral Paint. ... Look to Your Lighting and Fixtures. ... Avoid Personalizing Too Much. ... Handling Pet Issues.Up Your Curb Appeal.More items...•
How do you get the top dollar when you sell your house?
Top 10 Tips to Sell Your Home for Top DollarPrice your home aggressively. ... Use price points. ... Consider value range marketing. ... Offer a bonus to selling agents. ... Hire an aggressive listing agent. ... Encourage two way critiques. ... Offer incentives & pre-paids. ... Stage the home & use curb appeal.More items...
How do I organize my house for an estate sale?
Set up proper, secure display areas inside your homeDisplay your items with visible pricing. ... Clearly demarcate items that are not for sale. ... Keep your items organized by room. ... Close off the areas the private areas of your house. ... Keep the sale areas organized and manageable.
Find Local Auctions and Estate Sales
Find the best deals on unique items at estate sales: antiques, kitchenware, midcentury modern furniture, power tools, decorative glass, china, fine art and more. Browse estate sales, auctions, and online auctions near you. We list sales from professional estate sale companies and auctioneers all over the United States.
Estate Sales This Weekend Near Me
Another way to stay on top of the latest estate sales today and every day is to sign up for the Find Estate Sales Near Me mailer. Choose how often you want to be notified and get the scoop via email — before everyone else in the neighborhood!
Is an estate sale more time consuming?
You may have held successful garage sales in the past or have helped someone downsize. But holding an official estate sale is much more time-consuming and complex. Find out what goes into planning an estate sale before deciding you can handle the job yourself.
Is there a regulation for estate sales?
Since there are no formal regulations governing the estate sale industry, you must be extra diligent when researching estate sale companies to hire. Find out how to discover the best companies and which questions to always ask (including some you might not have thought of).
Do you have to hold an estate sale?
Not everyone needs to hold an estate sale, and an estate sale requires a lot of time, organization and emotional resilience. Find out if you should hold an estate sale, or if an auction, garage sale or yard sale makes more sense for your needs.
What is the best organization to join for estate sales?
There are also a few estate sale professional organizations to join. The American Society of Estate Liquidators ( ASEL) is the gold standard of estate liquidators, as it’s been around since 2001. While membership costs money, you get access to a bunch of educational materials, as well as the ability to use their badge on your marketing materials. Newer to the scene, but headed by estate sale veterans, is the National Estate Sale Association ( NESA) another valuable professional partnership. Professional memberships are also good for discounts on further education and conferences within the industry.
What is the best way to advertise an estate sale?
Word-of-mouth advertising is the way most estate sale companies stay in business. As your company ramps up, soliciting reviews from happy clients is the best kind of advertising: genuine and free.
What is the best thing about starting an estate sale company?
While the great thing about starting an estate sale company is the low overhead, don’t forget cash for marketing and advertising. It’s one thing to have all the resources ready to get your business up and running; it’s another to actually get people in the door.
What is networking in real estate?
While real estate may be about location, location, location, in estate sales, networking is the name of the game. Network with other estate sale companies. They are generally a knowledgeable, friendly bunch, who don’t mind sharing their expertise.
How to run an estate sale?
It should be obvious: If you want to run estate sales, you need to shop at estate sales. How else will you know what you’re getting into? Attend as many estate sales in your area as you can. You’ll find there are varying opinions on how to run an estate sale. It’s also great opportunity to see what works and what doesn’t from a customer’s perspective. Talk to the customers to get their feedback. Ask questions of the estate sale company holding the sale. Find out what some of their biggest challenges are. Learn everything you can before committing to starting your own business.
How long is the free trial for estate sales?
To cover all bases, it’s not unusual for estate sale companies to get listed on several estate sale websites. EstateSales.org offers a 30 day free trial to test it out. Plus we run several other websites that cross-post your estate sale for maximum exposure.
Why do you need to streamline your estate sales?
Once you’ve conducted a few estate sales and as your business grows, you’ll want to streamline to make things easier. This involves setting up processes in order to stay organized. Processes become even more important the bigger your staff gets. If you end up hiring part-time or full-time estate sale employees, a uniform system of doing things ensures consistency and quality.
How much does McNeil charge for home sales?
McNeil says he charges 35 percent of the final gross sales, up to $35,000, and then moves to a sliding scale. The more money the seller makes, the smaller percentage McNeil takes. Whitney Pittman says homeowners should expect to pay a commission of 30 to 40 percent, and that should include setup, photographing, pricing and advertising.
What should be a priority for auctioneers and estate sales managers?
Managing a client’s expectations should be a priority for auctioneers and estate sales managers. “The bottom line for my client and myself is that we have the same goals; top dollar and an empty house,” Whitney Pittman says, adding that for a multi-day sale, it’s not unusual to drop the prices as time goes on.
Why did Grogan bring in items from other sales?
The St. Georges say they let Grogan bring in items from other sales to help enhance theirs. After a couple of truckloads pulled up, Margaret says Grogan told her she would need more insurance to cover the items. “That’s when Mike and I sat down and read the contract and realized we were in a mess,” she says.
What is the most complained about on Angie's List?
Auction Services has been one of the most complained-about categories on Angie’s List for the past two years, with nearly 30 percent of reviews earning D or F grades. Many members say they’re satisfied with the initial interaction between themselves and the estate sales planner or auctioneer. However, after the sale, things go awry. Members complain of lack of accounting — both monetary and regarding their property — unexpected fees, items disappearing, non-payment after the sale, and items discounted lower than what they expected.
Who is the CEO of the National Auctioneers Association?
Hannes Combest , CEO of the National Auctioneers Association, recommends consumers research a company before hiring. “You want to find someone who has experience selling the kind of goods you have,” she says. “If you were going to sell an automobile, I wouldn’t go to an auctioneer who specializes in fundraisers.”.
Who advises discussing prior to the sale what should happen with the leftovers?
Whitney Pittman advises discussing prior to the sale what should happen with the leftovers. Doug Stinson, auctioneer and appraiser with highly rated Carl W. Stinson, in Reading, Mass., says beware of companies offering to take care of the leftover items themselves. “They’ll take the merchandise and bring it to their next sale,” he says, adding that consumers can avoid those companies by researching them first. “Look at Angie’s List. Do they have negative reviews?”
Who owns Attics to Basements Estate Sales?
Mark Whitney Pittman, owner of highly rated Attics to Basements Estate Sales in Dallas, works on organizing items during an estate sale. (Photo by Lisa Means)
Step 1: Decide if the Business Is Right for You
Before you start an estate sale business, you’ll want to understand the market dynamics first. That way, you can determine if venturing into the industry is worth your time and effort.
Step 2: Hone Your Idea
At this point, you have an overview of the market. You’ll now want to develop your business idea further by working out the following aspects:
Step 3: Brainstorm a Business Name
Your business name is your business identity, so choose one that encapsulates your objectives, services, and mission in just a few words. You probably want a name that’s short and easy to remember, since much of your business, and your initial business in particular, will come from word-of-mouth referrals.
Step 4: Create a Business Plan
Every business needs a plan. This will function as a guidebook to take your startup through the launch process and maintain focus on your key goals. A business plan also enables potential partners and investors to better understand your company and its vision:
Step 5: Register Your Business
Registering your business is an absolutely crucial step — it’s the prerequisite to paying taxes, raising capital, opening a bank account, and other guideposts on the road to getting a business up and running.
Step 6: Register for Taxes
The final step before you’re able to pay taxes is getting an Employer Identification Number, or EIN. You can file for your EIN online or by mail or fax: visit the IRS website to learn more. Keep in mind, if you’ve chosen to be a sole proprietorship you can simply use your social security number as your EIN.
Step 7: Fund your Business
Securing financing is your next step and there are plenty of ways to raise capital:
How many liquidators are there in the estate sale industry?
Building a reputation as a great estate sale manager isn’t easy, in part because the estate sale industry — which has about 14,000 liquidators working across the U.S. — is sort of the wild west. You don’t need special training or certifications to become an estate salesperson. That’s what makes it a good, low-investment business to start. But it also means you’ll have to work extra hard to earn the trust of your potential clients.
How much do estate sellers make?
Estate sellers usually earn a percentage of the total sales from the estate, about 30 to 40%. It’ll be up to you to advertise a sale in local newspapers, estate sale directories, and blogs, so that as the sale does better, you earn more — Gunning recommends ...
What is conflict of interest in a liquidator?
O’Brien says that conflicts of interest arise if a liquidator buys items from an estate they’re managing, prices items too high to deter potential buyers, or pays those who worked at the sale with items from the estate.
What to do if you are not knowledgeable about antiques?
If you’re not extremely knowledgeable in a certain area of antiques or collectibles, call in help. Having an expert check up on your preliminary research can make or break the success of a sale .
What is bonding insurance?
Bonding is a guarantee that if there’s a financial loss during an event that you manage, your business will be able to cover the loss. Talk to an insurance agent (or two or three, to compare rates and services) to find out the right coverage amounts for your business.
What is estate liquidator?
I’m talking about the estate liquidators: the people who painstakingly research and tag each item that’s up for sale. When you see the same estate sale company handling several sales near you, it’s a sign that they have an excellent reputation.
When do estate sales start?
And remember: estate sales usually start at or before 8 a.m. You’ll need to be an early bird to love this business!
Research The Estate Sale Industry
(net)work It!
- While real estate may be about location, location, location, in estate sales, networking is the name of the game. Network with other estate sale companies. They are generally a knowledgeable, friendly bunch, who don’t mind sharing their expertise. Not sure where they hang out in your area? TheEstate Sale Company NetworkFacebook Group is a great place to start (plus, you don’t have …
Take Care of Business
- Starting an estate sale company costsmoney. Put your money where your mouth is and get some accreditations under your belt. While nothing in this business beats years of hard-won experience, a little schooling can help you fast-track. Several programs offer certification in appraisal – which has the double benefit of education + credibility with clients. There are also a few estate sale pr…
Build A Buzz
- While the great thing about starting an estate sale company is the low overhead, don’t forget cash for marketing and advertising. It’s one thing to have all the resources ready to get your business up and running; it’s another to actually get people in the door. Again, the Internet comes in handy. Thanks to social media sites like Facebook, Instagr...
Just Do It
- The best way to get your feet wet is to dive in. At some point you’ll be ready to host your first sale. While a high-end client is unlikely to hire a newbie company anyway, it’s possible you could land a big money-maker. But is it wise? The best advice is to start small. Think: estate sales under 5k. This means you probably won’t need to hire extra staff, which can get more complicated. Consid…
Devise A System
- Once you’ve conducted a few estate sales and as your business grows, you’ll want to streamline to make things easier. This involves setting up processes in order to stay organized. Processes become even more important the bigger your staff gets. If you end up hiring part-time or full-time estate sale employees, a uniform system of doing things ensures consistency and quality. In oth…
Refine, Rinse, and Repeat
- An estate sale business is constantly evolving. Learn from trial and error and never be afraid to modify your estate sale business planaccording to what works — or what doesn’t. The more you tweak, the more your business has a chance of thriving. Remember: the key to success is finding out what works, then doing it again and again. Good luck! Are you a new or established estate sa…