Here we are in a new year and as family situations may have changed in the past few months, an estate sale might be planned for different reasons, one of them being a home going into a probate situation. 

Use Professionals

Estate sales usually include selling a home along with a large amount of its contents and planning an estate sale can be stressful.  Deciding what to sell, how much to charge, how to advertise, running the sale, and discarding unsold items is a huge job.   Liquidation agents or estate sale professionals can navigate the process for you from start to finish and are very successful due to their experience, but this will also take a large portion of your profit, usually 30 to 50%. 

Hire Appraisers

Whether you are holding an estate sale after the loss of a loved one or selling off some of your own assets, deciding what to sell and how much to charge for each item is laborious.  Hiring someone to appraise items, especially those of higher value, will give a more accurate idea of their worth.  But if you don’t want to hire a professional appraiser, ask a trusted friend to help price items since they will have a more objective, realistic idea of value and will not be emotionally attached to the items being sold.

Advertise

It is very important to advertise your event.  Antique lovers, bargain hunters and estate sale hobbyists frequently search advertisements for the best estate sales on Craigslist, Facebook, newspapers, and other local marketing.  Selecting a weekend day in the middle of the day will usually bring the most shoppers. 

Experience Matters

www.WhippetPropertiesFlorida.com

Remember that real estate agents with the SRES designation (Senior Real Estate Specialist) have experience working with the senior population and know how to navigate estate sales.  At Whippet Properties of Florida, we have the SRES designation and are also certified as Probate Real Estate Advisors, so can assist in that area as well.  We are licensed as notary publics and will offer that service free of charge.   We look forward to assisting you with any of these needs!