People often don’t know where to start when dealing with a lifetime of possessions. I see it so often. An estate liquidator many times has the knowledge and resources to liquidate an estate. Organization is the key. They will know how to arrange items and how to group like items together. They will know what to keep and what to throw away. An experienced liquidator will know what needs researching and when to call in an expert.

An experienced liquidator will know how to write an ad, where to spend money to draw in a crowd and attract attention to specific items. They will also have a following and an online presence. Many times a family run sale is unwilling to spend a little on an ad in a local paper. The ad winds up being two or three lines. The potential customer won’t know if it is worth going to or not. With the price of gas they may just stay home. Other mistakes I see in family run sales is not finishing the set-up process before they open their doors. They think customers will keep coming back to see the new items. Well they may not. The third mistake is starting the sale too late in the day. Estate sale companies customers tend to be early birds.

When you hire a liquidator you need to know:

1. A reputable dealer will not pre-buy or insist on taking possession of the leftovers.

2. They will request that no items are removed from the property after they have commenced setting up the sale.

3. The amount of help that is needed will depend on the size and scope of the sale.
In a small sale, the revenue may not be large enough to hire a lot of help.

4. You should ask for references.

The antique market is as fickle as fashion. Many items that sold well five years ago, no longer sell. This is supply and demand. If the market gets flooded with an item, the price of course goes down. But still many antiques can still command high prices. A good dealer does need to be familiar with the antique market. The success of the sale can also depend on location. In any retail endeavor location is a key factor.

Many customers buy household items that they need for their own home. This includes sheets, towels, mixing bowls, drills etc. They want quality items in good shape. A lot of the revenue can be collected from such items.