HOW TO ADVERTISE AN ESTATE SALE

In order to have a successful estate sale, you have to know the best way to advertise for it.

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If you want to get a lot of shoppers and foot traffic, you should use multiple channels to advertise your estate sale. Using estate sale websites such as EstateSales.net and EstateSale.com is a good start. Also, consider social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Posting street signs with arrows directing drivers to the home at major local intersections and in your neighborhood will also be key in getting shoppers to the estate sale. In this article we will show you how to hire an estate sale company correctly. So you know you are working with someone you can trust.

Your estate sale advertisements should include the date, time, address and simple directions to the home. When you advertise the estate sale on estate sale websites, high-quality photos and descriptions are a must to give potential shoppers the ability to browse the sale items in advance. While some ads list prices, most estate sales wait for the day of the sale to reveal how much items cost.

How To Have and Advertise An Estate Sale On Your Own

There is a lot to consider when holding a successful estate sale:

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1. Inventory List

Canvas your home and make lists of everything you plan on selling and including in the estate sale. You may also want to create a list of items you won’t be selling as well – just to stay organized. You can even go a step further and categorize everything by room, item’s condition, etc. This will help when you start to research prices and determine where things will be set up and staged during the estate sale.

2. Clean and Repair

Most of what you sell will be “as-is,” but a quick polish or some super glue can take some items from “unsellable” to “worth a couple of bucks.”

3. Price As Much As Possible

Knowing what you have and pricing it accordingly is very important in having a successful estate sale. You can start by going online and looking at sold listings on sites like eBay and LiveAuctioneers. This will offer an idea of the fair market value. Google Lens/Photo is also a great resource. Just keep in mind, like garage sale shoppers, estate sale shoppers are looking for a deal.  If you’re considering two reasonable price points, it’s not a bad idea to mark your item at the higher of the two prices. You’ll see that whatever the price, most people will try to negotiate you down. See what the average proceeds are for an estate sale in our guide.

Clearly mark each estate sale item with a price tag or sticker. If you have multiples of an item or like-priced smaller items, you can group them together for bulk sale. You can also display everything together on a table, shelf, in a box, etc., with a sign such as “All Stuffed Animals – $1 Each.” This insures you get the most for your items.

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4. Manage Foot Traffic

Traffic flow is an important consideration. You want shoppers to browse each room at their own pace without any crowding or bottlenecks forming. Try to keep items to the perimeter or center of each room, allowing people to move around freely. Don’t clutter display tables or shelves with too many items; shoppers should be able to glance over your things and move on if they’re not interested. You also want enough room for a few people to stand and consider items without holding everyone else up.

5. Make Sure To Identify and Mark “Off-Limit” Items

You may have several items that you’re not interested in selling; it is important to clearly mark these items. Place a large “Not For Sale” sign on any items you don’t want people to try and purchase. Sometimes this isn’t even enough to deter people from trying to buy items. If possible, put all off-limit items in one or two rooms, and keep those closed off from shoppers to avoid any issues.

6. Have Security

Unfortunately, like in many other retail environments, you must consider theft and misconduct at your estate sale. Don’t leave an entrance or exit open and unattended. You should maintain a single entrance and exit for the sale, not multiple. This will control traffic flow and mitigate the opportunity for theft by allowing you to monitor everyone who comes and goes. Be sure to secure off-limits areas and have someone available to enforce those restrictions.

Close, lock and tape off doors to rooms you don’t want people entering. Keep your cash in a secure lock box under constant supervision. High-value small items, like jewelry, are best kept in constant site at the cashier’s table.

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7. Pictures Tell The Story

When advertising an estate sale, great advertising pictures are critical. Take pictures of the items most likely to interest people to help drive traffic to your sale. Big-ticket items like furniture, appliances, collectibles, antiques, comic books and sports memorabilia always garner interest. Make sure your photos are clear, well-lit and visually appealing.

8. Advertising Is Everything!

How will people know about your estate sale and all the available items? Simple, you have to advertise the heck out of it!

Here is how to Advertise an Estate Sale

Estate sale advertisements take many forms, but most successful estate sales typically include the following methods:

  • Post your estate sale listing to all of the major estate sale industry websites, including EstateSales.net and EstateSale.com.
  • Create posts for social media platforms and community apps like Facebook, Instagram, Craigslist, and NextDoor.
  • Advertise in town, city and village papers a week before your sale, as well as on any online classifieds for your area.
  • Post signs with big, legible letters specifying the dates, times and the address of the sale at nearby intersections a few days ahead of time. Clear, visible arrow markers placed at intervals between the signs and the sale can help people find you. (Make sure to check local ordinances and homeowner association regulations before placing signs.)
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9. You’re Going To Need Help Advertising Your Estate Sale

It takes a village! From cashing people out to loading big items into customers’ vehicles, it’s best to have lots of helpers to keep you from being pulled in too many directions the day of the estate sale. Offer to pay them in cash, food and beverages, etc., and maybe even throw a party at the end while everyone pitches in to clean up. Go Estate Pros is an excellent alternative to friends and family when you are thinking about how to advertise an estate sale.

10. What To Do With Leftovers

Even the most successful estate sales will have leftovers. It’s inevitable. You may want to contact local charities and donation centers ahead of time to find out what their policies are on large donations and pick-ups. If you have a lot of unsold items, you may be able to arrange a truck to pick them up at the end of the sale, or you can assign someone to take them to a drop-off location. Never leave large piles of garbage or recycling on your curb without calling your town’s waste management provider first for permission so that you don’t incur a fine. You may even need to consider a junk removal company.

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Where To List & Advertise Estate Sales

Posting your estate sale listing on estate sale finder sites and publications will drive traffic to your sale. You can advertise for free on social media, Craigslist, NextDoor App, etc. If you’d like to spend a few bucks, you can even spring for some ads on estate sale industry websites such as  EstateSales.net and EstateSale.com. These sites are tailored specifically to individuals looking to shop at Estate Sales. It may cost you $100 or so to list on each of these sites, but it’s well worth it as they are highly targeted to individuals looking for Estate Sales.

Hire An Estate Sale Company

Doing all of the above on your own is certainly feasible, but if you’re pressed for time or planning and logistics are not your passion, you may find it worth your while to pay for professional help. An estate sale can be a highly emotional experience for people, but it’s important to remain unsentimental in the face of your shoppers. Especially if you are helping to sell a deceased loved one’s possessions, as you may have no idea what these items were originally purchased for or what they’re truly worth. Hiring a professional estate sale company like the Estate Pros can make your life much easier, as we specialize in advertising, planning, organizing and operating estate sales.

Go with the Estate Pros!!!

The Estate Pros are consistently ranked amongst the top estate sale companies in America as recognized by EstateSales.net, EstateSale.com and others. We specialize in assisting families and individuals who are in need of residential liquidation, donation, clean out and personal property appraisal services. The Estate Pros are an estate-sale industry authority with hundreds of years of combined experience between our ownership and staff. Our owners, sale teams, and support staff are held to the highest standards of professionalism and experiential service. We treat each of our clients and shoppers with the utmost care, compassion and respect, and educate them on what an estate sale is and how to successfully host one. The Estate Pros pay meticulous attention to detail for advertising your estate sale as we handle every 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. We take care of everything for you!

Wanting to learn more about how to hire an estate sale company? Contact the Estate Pros!!!

Overwhelmed? 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, advertising, 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

4.9Jennifer BowlerJennifer Bowler ★★★★★ Estate Pros is amazing! We recently enlisted them to assist us with an estate sale in Bloomfield Hills and they did a phenomenal job. Jonathan was responsive to our questions every step of the way and he made the entire process so smooth and seamless. He managed every detail related to the estate sale with such care and professionalism, even providing detailed itemization of the sales and subsequent donation items. We are so impressed with the Estate Pros team and we highly recommend them!!Response from the ownerThanks Jennifer!!! Kellie DevitoKellie Devito ★★★★★ Johnathan and his team were very helpful and made a difficult time much easier. Highly recommend the team!Response from the ownerThanks Kellie!!! Annette SpencerAnnette Spencer ★★★★★ Jonathan and his team are the best! You will be in such wonderful, professional and experienced hands. Jonathan made the whole process seamless and stress free. Give him a call, you will be glad you did!!Response from the ownerThanks Annette!!! Dana RochlenDana Rochlen ★★★★★ Jonathan did a fabulous job. He was caring and kind during a very difficult time for my family. We had a successful estate sale and then he made arrangements for everything else to be donated and provided a comprehensive itemized list for tax purposes. I would recommend Jonathon and the Estate Pros to anyone who needs their services. Thank you Jonathan!Response from the ownerThanks Dana!!! Kari DahlquistKari Dahlquist ★★★★★ We had a very short window to liquidate my dad's estate when his house sold quickly. Jonathan and the Estate Pros dropped into our laps like a gift from the heavens and I cannot imagine doing business with anyone else! There are not enough superlatives to describe our experience, but professional, personable, and punctual will get the ball rolling. Their marketing efforts drove astonishing traffic, their preparation ensured our sale days went smoothly, and their follow up throughout the process was second to none. Jonathan and his team handled our sale with so much care and commitment that at every moment we felt like we were family and they were always in our corner. I whole-heartedly recommend the Estate Pros.Response from the ownerThanks Kari!!! Don SmithDon Smith ★★★★★ Very professional, friendly, and thorough. I would not hesitate to use them again.Response from the ownerThanks Don!!! Brian CowallBrian Cowall ★★★★★ Jonathan and his team did a great job handling my parents estate sale and house clean out. We only had to meet a couple of times and he took it from there. Great experience, I would recommend his services.Response from the ownerThanks Brian! Brian NolanBrian Nolan ★★★★★ Jonathan Tomlanovich and the team from Estate Pros are absolutely the best! After learning of an unexpected time crunch to conduct the estate sale, Jonathan could not have been more responsive in getting the complete sale process accomplished within a week. And the successful results were beyond our expectations! I would recommend Estate Pros and Jonathan to anyone looking to conduct an estate sale. They are courteous, professional, highly skilled, excellent communicators, and they kept me informed every step of the way. I highly recommend Estate Pros to anyone considering their options for an estate sale. Thank you Jonathan for running a great sale and for helping me and my family. You have a fan for life!Response from the ownerThanks Brian! Ray SalernoRay Salerno ★★★★★ Great experience and service.Response from the ownerThanks Ray! Julia AkroushJulia Akroush ★★★★★ 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 AkroushResponse from the ownerThanks Julia! BritneyBritney ★★★★★ They were amazing. Jonathan was great, very informative. All the guys made the day go by fast. Super friendly, fast and respectful. I would use them 100x over. Thanks so much, you made this process much more bearable ❤️Response from the ownerThanks Britney! David LettsDavid Letts ★★★★★ Response from the ownerThanks David!!! Lori D. BeckerLori D. Becker ★★★★★ Estate Pros is a business with a heart. Jonathan and the Estate Pros 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 Pros 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 Pros.Response from the ownerThanks Lori! Gary BlumerGary Blumer ★★★★★ Estate Pros were great! They did exactly what they said they would do and it went down seamlessly.Thanks JonathanResponse from the ownerThanks Gary! Sharon SmithSharon Smith ★★★★★ Estate Pros 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 Pros 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 Pros. They will do a wonderful job for you!Response from the ownerThanks Sharon! Valerie ArcoriValerie Arcori ★★★★★ Estate Pros was timely with necessary documentation and updates throughout the entire process. Would highly recommend to friends and family. A huge THANK YOU Jonathan.Response from the ownerThanks Valerie! Tracey MarieTracey Marie ★★★★★ My family hired Jonathan and his team to handle our parent's estate sale in 2019 in Dearborn. Jonathan and his team treated our parent's home and items respectfully and courteously. His communication throughout the entire process was fantastic. Jonathan's knowledge, professionalism and integrity made us all feel secure and confident. We are grateful to have had Johnathan and his team to guide us through this emotional process.Response from the ownerThanks Tracey! Kurt SchwarzKurt Schwarz ★★★★★ Looking for an estate sale PRO? Jonathan is your man...go ahead and hire him! 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 Pros treated us with the upmost respect and professionalism. Our sale was wildly successfully. Thank you!Response from the ownerThanks Kurt! Lynda CareyLynda Carey ★★★★★ So helpful. Perfect experience. I could not ask for better service. Thank you and your team for everything you did to help.Response from the ownerThanks Lynda! Emily PrysbyEmily Prysby ★★★★★ Awesome Compnay to work with! The best of the best! Highly recommend!Response from the ownerThanks Emily! js_loader

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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METAMORA MICHIGAN ESTATE SALE

To Be Announced
Metamora , MI, 48455
December 8, 2023
December 9, 2023
December 10, 2023
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MACOMB MICHIGAN ESTATE SALE

To Be Announced
Macomb, MI, 48044
December 16, 2023
view the sale

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