WHAT IS AN ESTATE SALE?

  • Pros and Cons
  • Rules
  • Average Proceeds
  • Common Mistakes
Call (248) 587-8871Free Estimate

Estate Sales, sometimes referred to as “Tag Sales,” are used to sell personal property, either your own or on behalf of a family member, friend, etc. Estate sales usually contain far more items than your typical garage sale or yard sale and often take place inside a residence. They are designed to sell as many household contents as possible in a short period of time, frequently 2-3 days. In most cases, completely emptying the home is the desired outcome of an estate sale.

During an estate sale, the general public is invited into the home and provided the opportunity to purchase items made available for sale by the homeowner/seller. A professional estate sale company such as the Estate Pros organizes and conducts the event on behalf of the homeowner.

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Here are a few key characteristics of an estate sale:

  1. Usually occur inside a home, condo, or apartment.
  2. They are open to the public.
  3. Typically occur over the course of 2-3 days.
  4. Offer a large variety of personal items, etc.
  5. Merchandised like a boutique retail environment to boost sales.
  6. Generally selling everything: furniture, artwork, decor, housewares, clothing, etc.
  7. Most individual items are priced.
  8. Items are usually discounted as the sale progresses.
  9. If smaller, it may be conducted by the individual and not by a professional.
  10. If the items are valuable or the situation is complex, estate sales are best conducted by professionals such as the Estate Pros.
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Pros and Cons of Estate Sales

Pros

Whether you’ve lost a loved one or have decided to downsize and move, choosing what to do with personal belongings can be difficult and emotional. In addition, knowing how to organize, market, set up and price such belongings in order to conduct an estate sale can be extremely overwhelming.

Hiring an estate sale company is usually the most effective solution. A professional estate sale company can help remove the burden and stress of this process by handling every aspect of your transition. Most estate sale companies provide quick and efficient services, leaving the home empty, cleaned, and ready to go.

Cons

In having an estate sale, there are a few negatives to consider.

  • Entrusting your home and valuables to a third-party service
  • Paying a commission for the sale of your property
  • Allowing strangers into your home to shop through your items
  • Selling some of your items at discounted prices

Finding the right estate sale company is critical, and although finding the right estate sale company does take some work, it’s certainly a worthwhile effort.

PERMITS

Estate Sale Rules

Rules and proper etiquette at estate sales are common and necessary. On any given weekend, if you attend an estate sale, you’ll find that most estate sale companies will display their shopping rules via signs throughout the home, clearly defining such guidelines as:

  • Whether or not to remove your shoes in order to enter the residence
  • Where to place items on hold
  • If bids are allowed on certain items
  • What forms of payment are accepted – cash, credit, checks, digital pay, etc
  • & more

Average Estate Sale Proceeds

Why do most people have an estate sale? In short, estate sales are a terrific way to sell stuff for a great value in a short timeframe. They are the best way to reach a large buying audience looking for specific household items and goods. Not to mention, the average estate sale grosses nearly $20,000!

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Estate Sale Pricing Guidelines

Every estate sale is different, with each estate representing an individual’s or a family’s lifetime collection of personal items. This presents a wide variety of possible inventory from estate to estate, requiring varying approaches as to how these items are evaluated.

The majority of time spent preparing an estate sale is focused on pricing. This is why it’s essential to rely on professionals like the Estate Pros, who can provide you with the services of a certified appraiser. The Estate Pros have pricing down to a science. Our certified appraisers will quickly review and evaluate your items and estimate how much they will sell for.

Estate Sale vs. Garage Sale

Estate Sales, Tag Sales, and Moving Sales, are all commonly interchangeable terms used to describe the liquidation of personal property. However, there are definitely distinct differences between these terms and what is known as a garage sale.

Estate sales typically occur when people need to empty an entire home due to the death of a loved one. They are also common when downsizing, moving, dealing with a divorce, or resolving debt. Estate Sales can contain furniture, artwork, jewelry, decor, rugs, vehicles, firearms, etc, and are usually held inside a residence. When hiring a professional estate sale company like the Estate Pros, you will receive a full suite of tailored services, from the initial consultation all the way to the complete cleanout of the residence. That’s the Estate Pros difference!

Whereas garage sales and/or yard sales occur outside the interior of a home and are generally a means for individuals or families to sell a few unwanted household items, garage sales typically do not contain expensive or high-end items.

In addition, there are differences in the way estate sales are advertised and marketed versus a garage sale. Estate sales tend to be promoted to larger audiences via online industry websites, social media, email marketing, etc. This professionally targeted approach can attract interested buyers, dealers, and collectors from all over the world. Unlike garage sales and yard sales, which are typically marketed locally via hand-made flyers taped and street signs.

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Thinking about hiring an Estate Sale Company?

Contact the Estate Pros!!!

Call (248) 587-8951Free Consultation

The Estate Pros are the most professional estate sale company in the area serving homes like yours all across southeast Michigan. We are consistently ranked amongst the top estate sale companies in America, recognized by EstateSale.com and other industry authorities.

We pay meticulous attention to every detail as we handle each aspect of the estate sale process from start to finish. Our experts will work with you from the initial free consultation to the complete execution of your event and everything in between. You don’t need to lift a finger; the Estate Pros will take care of everything for you!

What Our Clients are Saying

Estate Love was very helpful and professional. Will use them again.
One of the most amazing companies we've ever worked with. My wife needed somebody to help her with her mother's estate, and these gentlemen and ladies create a protective environment for her in her fragile time; they did everything and went over and above to make it seamlessly stress free. I recommend them with the highest degree of confidence.
Great company, great service, great people, great job! The Estate Pros are best in class! Thanks folks!
The Estate Pros are top notch! We were working on a very limited time schedule and they were able to come in and get everything done quickly, efficiently and professionally. Everything went very smoothly, great work!
My brother in law passed away earlier this year and we were having such a difficult time with everything. Especially dealing with his house, his personal belongings, etc. We approached the concept of an estate sale with great trepidation, not knowing what to expect but Jonathan and the team at the Estate Pros put us at ease and made the process seamless and stress- free. They are very compassionate and professional. Thank you Jonathan!
Jonathan was great to work with in helping to prepare my father's townhome for sale. He recently moved into an assisted living facility, and anything from the townhome that couldn't go with him was meticulously catalogued and valuated, then arranged for pickup and donated to charity. Highly recommend for anyone in southeast Michigan!
It was such a pleasure working with Estate Love. They made everything so easy. It was an emotional experience for me but Estate Love made me feel so comfortable and at ease about the entire thing. Payment was super easy. Same day! I was very impressed and would absolutely recommend them to family and friends!
Incredibly professional. Understands antiques which I found many estate sales people don’t. Answers any questions in a timely manner. Massively patient with customers & his clients alike. He just knows what he is doing. He has excellent relationship with Habitat & the junk man if you need everything gone. It can be an emotional experience for the client & he makes you feel good about the experience. Follow up paperwork is excellent too.
Excellent and professional, Jonathan and his team went above and beyond to protect my home and items and to get the best possible prices for me. I highly recommend Estate Love!!
We had a wonderful experience with Jonathan and his staff. They made us feel secure, comfortable and informed throughout the entire process of holding an estate sale after the death of my parents. From the initial meeting to the final clean up, Estate Love treated us with the upmost respect and professionalism. Our sale was wildly successfully. If you are looking for an estate sale PRO, then Jonathan is your man...go ahead and hire him! Thank you!
Had a great experience with Jonathan and the team at Estatelove! Very polite, caring, truly professional and efficient. We trusted him with our home and possessions and he cared for it as though it was his own. Our sale and experience couldn’t have gone any better! We highly recommend EstateLove and would definitely use them again. You’ll be in good hands, and we can’t stress that enough!
Awesome company. Did everything top notch. I would recommend them to anyone.
Jonathan and his team were amazing. From the start, Jonathan was responsive, professional, and a pleasure to work with. His marketing is the best in the area. Our house was packed with wanting buyers all three days. His team was sympathetic to what we were going through and gave us found precious items that were missed. I highly recommend him and his team if you are shopping around for an estate sale company.
Johnathan was the best! He explained the Estate Sale process very clearly, set up and priced every item, was present on the property for the entire sale, arranged for donation pickup of unsold items, and of course was very courteous and helpful. We were extremely pleased with the results of the sale and would highly recommend him and his team for your Estate Sale!! Julie &Sami Akroush
great work!!
Estate Love is a business with a heart. Jonathan and the Estate Love team are fantastic. This is an interesting industry. It is important to trust the Estate Sale company you choose. Thankfully, out of the many companies I interviewed and researched, the choice was obvious. Jonathan stood out positively from the very start. He was easy to work with and had some great ideas which made a super successful sale. Jonathan is extremely responsive, knowledgeable and professional. He gained my trust and I would highly recommend his company.It is always emotionally difficult to sell your prized possessions and family heirlooms but Jonathan was there for me every step of the way.Knowing he was caring for my home in the same way I would while the sale was in progress allowed for me to breathe easier. Jonathan, Jay and the other Estate Love personnel were polite and very willing to help in all areas of the sale. After the sale was completed, I had several shoppers tell me how wonderfully they were treated during the sale. This is the other very important part of having a successful sale (and one most people don't think about until it's too late). Jonathan has a great following of fans that frequent his sales and it is obvious that number grows with each new estate sale he runs. Honesty, trust and integrity are extremely important qualities which were all demonstrated by Estate Love.
Very good peoples and nice honest service.You can buy with confidence and trust .Sells very nice and appropriate products at good price and in friendly environment
Estate Love is just want you want from an estate sale company. Jonathan made what could be have been a stressful time into something positive and worry-free. Estate Love is professional, provides great follow-through and communication throughout the process, and ultimately got top $$$ for our items. If you are looking for an estate sale company, don’t hesitate to hire Estate Love. They will do a wonderful job for you!
Amazing company. Very social and helpful. Would so recommend for anyone needing help.
Jonathan and the Estate Love team are best in class. From our initial meeting it was apparent I had made the correct choice selecting them to handle our estate sale. Jonathan along with Jay and the other Estate Love personnel were knowledgeable, polite and very willing to help in all areas of the sale. A significant number of the furnishing were sold by Jonathan prior to the start of the sale. The sale was exceptionally well organized and promoted which ultimately resulted in exceeding our sales expectations. Additionally we were provided with a charity that was willing to take unsold pieces and a junk removal company to dispose of the unwanted items. Honesty, trust and integrity are extremely important qualities which were all demonstrated by Estate Love. At the end of the sale we received a spread sheet of the sold items. Base on my personal experience I highly recommend Estate Love to handle your estate sale.
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Southeast Michigan Estate Sale Service Area

The Estate Pros have been proudly serving Oakland, Macomb and parts of Livingston, Genesee, Lapeer & Wayne counties for the past 15 years. No matter what your situation calls for, the Estate Pros are here to help!

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  • Auburn Hills
  • Berkley
  • Beverly Hills
  • Bingham Farms
  • Birmingham
  • Bloomfield Hills
  • Bloomfield Township
  • Brighton
  • Canton
  • Clarkston
  • Commerce
  • Commerce Township
  • Dearborn
  • Dearborn Heights
  • Farmington
  • Farmington Hills
  • Ferndale
  • Franklin Village
  • Grosse Pointe
  • Grosse Pointe Farms
  • Grosse Pointe Park
  • Grosse Pointe Woods
  • Huntington Woods
  • Lake Angelus
  • Lake Orion
  • Lathrup Village
  • Livonia
  • Macomb County
  • Milford
  • Northville
  • Novi
  • Oakland
  • Oakland County
  • Oak Park
  • Orchard Lake
  • Ortonville
  • Oxford
  • Pleasant Ridge
  • Plymouth
  • Rochester
  • Rochester Hills
  • Romeo
  • Roseville
  • Royal Oak
  • Shelby Township
  • South East Michigan
  • Southfield
  • South Lyon
  • St. Clair County
  • St. Clair Shores
  • Sylvan Lake
  • Troy
  • Walled Lake
  • Warren
  • Washington Township
  • Washtenaw County
  • Waterford
  • West Bloomfield
  • West Bloomfield Township
  • White Lake
  • Wixom

Upcoming Estate Sales

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BLOOMFIELD HILLS MICHIGAN ESTATE SALE

1045 Timberlake Dr.
Bloomfield Hills , MI, 48302
March 24, 2023
March 25, 2023
March 26, 2023
view the sale
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CHESTERFIELD TOWNSHIP MICHIGAN ESTATE SALE

To Be Announced
Chesterfield Township, MI, 48047
April 1, 2023
view the sale
2fccb928-e001-471d-9062-8cc415e1a057

ROCHESTER HILLS MICHIGAN ESTATE SALE

2254 Flanders Dr.
Rochester Hills , MI, 48307
March 26, 2023
view the sale
9cf2347e-2202-4749-a2f7-58f9b7adb4fa

ROCHESTER HILLS MICHIGAN ESTATE SALE

To Be Announced
Rochester Hills , MI, 48307
April 7, 2023
April 8, 2023
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5501ed32-b73e-4609-a916-31c8a86742f3

AUBURN HILLS MICHIGAN ESTATE SALE

To Be Announced
Auburn Hills, MI, 48326
April 15, 2023
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Estate Sale Resources

Estate Sales vs Garage Sales
March 22, 2022

Estate Sales vs Garage Sales

Estate Sales vs Garage sales, two sales generally at home hosted for very different reasons. Estate Sales, Tag Sales and Moving Sales, are all commonly interchangeable terms used to describe the liquidation of personal property. However, there are definitely distinct differences between…

Read More
How to Find Estate Sales
March 22, 2022

How to Find Estate Sales

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How to Prepare for an Estate Sale
March 22, 2022

How to Prepare for an Estate Sale

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Estate Sales vs Estate Auctions
March 22, 2022

Estate Sales vs Estate Auctions

Estate Sales vs Estate Auctions, what’s the difference? Which option… Read More
Why Have an Estate Sale?
March 22, 2022

Why Have an Estate Sale?

Why do most people have an estate sale? In short,… Read More