Hiring a professional estate sale company may seem like a daunting task. It’s not something most people are knowledgeable about, making it hard to know what to expect. Common questions we get are: What do estate sale companies do? How much should you be paying an estate sale company for their services? How much do estate sale companies charge?
When researching estate sale companies, educate yourself on how their estate sale fees are structured and investigate what services they offer. This can assist you in making a smarter, more-informed decision, especially when it comes to maximizing your profits from your estate sale.
How Do Estate Sale Companies Work?
Most estate sale companies have one main objective: liquidate everything in your home. Estate sale companies want to earn the largest possible amount of money through the sale of the estate’s items in a short period of time.
The estate liquidation industry has evolved over the years. Some estate sale companies have different specialties, while others build their business models around a particular way to liquidate. Hybrid estate sale companies have also started to emerge.
Below are the five types of estate liquidation companies you will most likely encounter:
- Traditional estate sale companies conduct onsite liquidations where customers can walk through a house and buy items.
- Estate auction houses bring entire estates (or specific pieces from an estate) to an offsite location to auction them off. Some auction houses specialize in high-end liquidations, featuring items like high-end fine art and luxury furniture, etc. Mid-range liquidations frequently include cars, guns, etc.
- Estate auctioneers liquidate estates onsite at the home. They are similar to the traditional estate sales in their offerings, but the merchandise is auctioned off rather than priced individually.
- Hybrid estate sale companies conduct both auctions (usually online) and estate sales depending on the type of estate, what’s included in the estate, and the client’s specific needs.
- Estate sale companies with an auction house partner will conduct traditional estate sales but use an auction house for certain big-ticket items like priceless pieces of art, high-end furniture, etc.
Estate sale companies will try to sell as many of your items as they can for the best price possible. Traditional estate sales usually last one to three days, and prices are determined by the estate sale company. Most estate sales are often discounted as the sale progresses. At an estate auction typically only lasts one day and the prices are determined by the buyers through the bidding process.
Regardless of format, what happens when you hire an estate sale is pretty much the same across the board. Estate sale companies will:
- Stage and price the sale, either by taking the items offsite and displaying them in their showroom or by setting up tables in your home. Depending on the condition of the home and how much there is to sell, this can be a time-consuming job. The items must be unearthed, evaluated, inventoried, and priced.
- The estate sale company will also advertise the sale and put up the necessary signage. Management of the sale and post-sale cleanup will follow. Most companies will also arrange the donation of unsold items and complete a trash removal if requested.
Estate Sale Cost
Most estate sale companies operate on a commission basis. Money is made as items sell. Gross incomes vary from sale to sale, but the average estate sale grosses over $18,000. Keep in mind, estate sale revenue has many variables that affect it.
In addition to commission, some companies include other estate sale fees such as trash hauling and advertising.
Hiring the estate sale company with the lowest estate sale commission rate might not mean you’ll be getting the most money in the end. A seasoned estate sale company could have a 50% commission rate but they offer years of practice, know-how, an established customer base, and relationships with brokers and auction houses, which could mean more money for your estate items. You may also consider an estate sale company with a lower commission rate such as 25% – but a lower estate sale commission rate may mean you’re working with a less-experienced company.
You might also want to ask the estate sale company what they expect the sale to gross. However, you must consider some margin of error as many variables can affect the outcome of a sale, from the merchandise to the weather.
So how much does it cost to hold an estate sale? As mentioned, there are many variables – it depends on who you hire, what you’re selling, how many people attend the sale, how you are advertising your estate sale, the parking situation in your neighborhood, etc. How much your estate sale will make and the commission the estate sale company makes are difficult to predict. Finding the best estate sale company for you and your situation is the most important consideration. Ultimately you should choose the one you feel most comfortable with.
How Much Do Estate Sale Companies Make?
Most estate sale companies work on a commission and charge you a percentage of the estate sale’s gross profits. Estate sale commission rates may vary for each different estate sale and may even vary depending on where you live. As an example, a company might charge you an estate sale commission rate of 35%. So if the estate sale grosses $10,000, you’ll owe them $3,500.
Some estate sale companies may have optional services they provide at additional estate sale fees, such as trash removal, post-sale cleanup, etc. When you are getting quotes from potential estate sale companies, ask about these additional estate sale fees. Ask how these fees are calculated and ask what they normally amount to for the average estate sale. This will give you an idea of how much you might have to pay.
When determining how much the estate sale company is going to charge, they generally draw from one of three different approaches:
- Set percentage: The estate sale company determines a set the percentage of gross sales for their estate sale services and that’s what they take for every sale, regardless of size, complexity, etc.
- Sliding scale: The estate sale company determines their percentage based on the total gross sales. For example, the higher the sale grosses, the lower your percentage may be. Here is an example of how an estate sale company might structure their sliding scale:
- Estate Sale Gross Total Percentages
- $5,000 to $10,000: 50% estate sale commission rate
- $10,001 to $15,000: 45% estate sale commission rate
- $15,001 to $20,000: 40% estate sale commission rate
- $20,001 to $30,000: 35% estate sale commission rate
- Over $30,001: 30% estate sale commission rate
- In-person estate sale evaluation: Perhaps the most common method of determining estate sale company fees. In order to understand this approach, you’ll want to know what the estate sale company is looking for during the walk-through. Most a
The amount of work required is determined by how many hours the estate sale company thinks they’ll need to put into your sale. Including set up, pricing, running of the sale and post-sale duties such as donation, trash removal, clean up, etc. This can all effect how much estate sale companies charge If you are liquidating the estate of a hoarder, the company will need to put in a lot more hours and work sorting, pricing, and staging the home. These sales also often require more days. Conversely, you may be liquidating a home that’s already staged and ready so it just needs to be priced. This takes significantly less time. The more work required to prepare for the sale, the more you are going to be charged in estate sale fees.
In addition, the estate sale company will need to consider what the estate is worth. If an estate sale company comes into your home and finds fine art, a collection of jewelry, designer furniture, large power tools, etc., they are going to want to manage your estate sale knowing it will be very profitable. Because of that, they may actually offer you a lower estate sale commission rate in order to win your business and outbid other estate companies. This, too, can effect how much estate sale companies charge. If they see a lot of damaged furniture, old clothing, etc., they are going to charge you a higher estate sale percentage; the lower value items mean they’ll be making less money for the same amount of work.
Go With The Estate Pros!!!
The Estate Pros are consistently amongst the top estate sale companies in America as ranked and recognized by EstateSales.net, EstateSale.com and others. We specialize in working with families and individuals who in need residential liquidation, donation, clean out and personal property appraisal services.
The Estate Pros are an estate sale authority with hundreds of years of combined experience among our ownership and staff. Our owners, sale teams, and support staff are held to the highest standards. This includes professionalism and experiential service, treating each of our clients and shoppers with the utmost care, compassion and respect.
The Estate Pros are meticulous at attention to detail as we handle every aspect of your estate sale 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. We will take care of everything for you!
Thinking about hiring an Estate Sale Company? Contact the Estate Pros!!!
Contact the Estate Pros!!!
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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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