Preparing for Estate Sales
When you are downsizing, there is always the question: What do you do with belongings you are not taking with you? With everything else you need to consider, this is not what you will want to be focusing on.
Consult an estate sale company for help. Left over furniture, housewares, tools, clothing, collectibles, and knick-knacks can all be sold after you’ve moved. Your old home will be left empty – and ready for “move-in” or home sale preparation.
Leaving items behind to be sold at a moving sale is not the same as giving them away or throwing them out! The professional will conduct a sale for you and manage the disposition of your items in a professional manner.
That professional manner includes a number of services prior to, during, and after the sale. The company staff will:
- Prepare items for sale – which may involve some cleaning, polishing and even minor repairs
- Set up, arrange, and display items to maximize their appeal for the buyer.
- Research items to assure proper pricing.
- Conduct the sale – which may be by invitation only or open to the public.
- Hire sufficient, trained staff to assure security as well as the safety of customers.
- Provide effective marketing and advertising for the sale – from newspaper ads to email notices to personal calls.
- Dispose of the items that didn’t sell in accordance with the client’s wishes
These are the basic services offered. Some items in a sale may be best sold through other methods such as eBay ® or other auction venues. In those cases, the estate sale company will provide those services as well.
Additionally, the estate sale company can provide a menu of services to assist those customers who want to conduct their own sale. They can give guidance on pricing and display. They can write advertising copy and consult on the important matters of security during a sale.
Estate sale companies charge a commission on the gross sales. The company will provide a free consultation, references, and a service agreement or contract that spells out their services. The best part about the moving sale is that you will receive a check for the sale of your items.
This article was contributed by Sandra Millius from Millius Estate Services, who have been providing these services for over 11 years. Their principals are trained personal property appraisers. They have experienced set-up and sales staff and are licensed, bonded and insured. They are dedicated to putting their client’s needs first.
Millius Estate Services, Inc. – 503.282.3838 – sandramillius@comcast.net – www.milliusestatesservice.com
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