Our Estate Sale Process:
1. Initial Consultation & Evaluation
We begin with a personal consultation where we’ll meet with you to evaluate your estate and discuss your needs. This is an opportunity for us to answer all your questions and explain the process in detail.
2. Clean Out & Sorting
The first step is to clear out any unsellable items like damaged furniture, expired food and hazardous materials. If there is no estate sale planned, will still sort and remove items for donation or consignment, leaving the property clean and organized. Please note that clean-out of attics, basements, or large quantities of items may be subject to additional drayage fees.
3. Inventory, Research & Pricing
We carefully assess each item in your home and research its value in today’s market. Whether it’s a vintage clock, fine china, or a collection of rare coins, we ensure everything is priced fairly and competitively, maximizing value for you.
4. Sale Preparation & Marketing
Our team stages and photographs the items for sale, creating compelling displays to attract buyers. We list your sale on multiple platforms-including our website, social media, estate sales listings, Craigslist, and more-reaching thousands of potential buyers. We also send out email alerts to our loyal customer base of over 2,500 subscribers.
5. Executing the Sale
On the day of the sale, our experienced team manages everything-answering questions, overseeing transactions, and ensuring everything runs smoothly. Prices are clearly marked, and on the final day, most items are discounted by 50% to ensure they find new homes.
6. Post-Sale Clean-up & Donations
After the sale, we take care of the clean-up, including arranging donation pick-ups with local charities such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, and the Alameda Food Bank. Charity pick-up as well as packing, hauling, and clean-up after the sale hours, are subject to additional drayage fees. Any remaining debris or unsold items are cleared from the property and we leave it broom-swept and ready for the next phase.
7. Final Accounting & Payment
Within a week of the sale’s conclusion, we provide you with a detailed inventory, donation receipts, and a full accounting of the sale. You’ll receive prompt payment, and we’re always available to discuss any aspect of the process.
Included in our service fee:
Sale setup: Staging, pricing, and organizing items for maximum appeal.
Expert research and pricing: Ensuring that every item is priced fairly based on market value.
Comprehensive advertising: Your sale is marketed across multiple platforms to reach the largest audience.
Sale Management: Our team handles all aspects of the sale, including transactions, customer service, and ensuring a smooth experience for both buyers and sellers.
Clean-up and donations: We handle all post-sale clean-up during last two hours of the sale and donation coordination.
Additional Services & Fees:
Online & Auction Sales: For select high-value or specialty items, we may list them on platforms like eBay, estate sales.org or even take them to our booth at the Antiques by the Bay show in Alameda.
Drayage Fees: These apply to packing, hauling, and handling any unsold items or debris. Clean-out of attics, basements, or any large quantities of items, as well as charity pick-up or packing beyond sale hours, will incur additional drayage fees. We will work closely with you to ensure that costs are clearly communicated upfront.