The Changing Face of Estate Sales by Prestige Estate Services
The Estate Sale, it can be foreign, intimidating, confusing. Going to an estate sale has in the past been a little scary. It feels like a subculture of antique dealers and collectors, and a place the average Joe wouldn’t venture. Often, many times people feel like maybe they don’t belong.
I am here to assure you that this is not the case. Let me address a few of the questions that most often come up:
Who is having the estate sale?
People have an estate sale for a number of reasons. Most assume that there must have been a death. While in some cases this is true, there are a number of other reasons to have an estate sale. It may be a homeowner who is downsizing to a smaller home, or to pay off debt. Retirement, divorce, and foreclosure are a few of the other common reasons one would have an estate sale. In any of the above cases, the majority of the time having the sale is a blessing to the family. Whether they are mourning a death, or celebrating a move, an estate sale provides a quick, efficient solution to their problem.
What can I expect to find at an estate sale?
This is the best part! Each sale has different treasures and finds that range from high-end furnishings, jewelry, and silver all the way down to board games, books, and cleaning supplies. You name it, and you can probably find it at an estate sale. These sales provide great deals on both new and antique finds. It is an extremely economical and green way to do your shopping. What may have ended up needlessly in a landfill (like brand new light bulbs, barely used pots and pans, and gorgeous vintage clothing) will now be given a new life. Bottom line, there are great deals to be found, and something for everyone at each sale.
Who is running the sale?
Most of the time the family is not on site running the sale. They hire us, an unattached, third party to run the sale for them. This saves them the work of organizing, cleaning and pricing. It also allows them to remove their sentimental attachments from the products and allow us to price based on monetary value vs. sentimentality. This also makes it more comfortable for you, the consumer, to browse at your leisure without feeling awkward or intrusive. We are there on site during all sales to answer any questions you may have.
So there you have it, the truth about estate sales. I encourage anyone and everyone to go and check it out for them selves. It is a fun and interesting experience that will surely provide economical alternatives to your traditional shopping trip.