Interested in conducting an Estate Sale?

Unsure how or where to begin?

Check out some FAQ’s below that may help with the decision making process.

We’re Here To Help!

Whether it be the responsibility and hardships that occur with the loss of a loved one or the unending & overwhelming tasks involved with relocation, Emerald Estate Sales is here to help you.

Our roles as estate sale professionals is to be aware, acknowledge and assist with the circumstances that have been presented to you. We are here to help alleviate the stress of your given situation with positive solutions and peace of mind.

First Things First

PLEASE DO NOT DONATE OR DISCARD ANYTHING

Discarding or donating items prior to a consultation, in many instances, results in the loss of hundreds and/or thousands of dollars towards total sales. Our first job of many is to determine what items can be sold, donated or discarded. For example, those old clothes, broken chairs, canned goods, damaged wristwatches or vinyl records have been known to attract customers while positively attributing towards overall sales. Dependent on volume, we are able to help with the removal of items at zero extra cost to the client.

The Basics

How much time is necessary to prepare for an estate sale?

All estate sales are never alike and preparation time for any estate sale cannot be predicted without a preliminary consultation. Estimated times to prepare, setup and conducting an estate sale will be determined upon initial consultation. With consultation, we are able to address items of value, assess the amount of labor involved to complete the job, estimate overall attendance and predict daily fluidity.

How does your company determine pricing?

With a knowledgable staff of 6 and over 100 years of combined experience, we are able to determine pricing based on fair market value. By brand recognition, evaluating product condition and researching comparable values of items, we can successful determine a value that is acceptable to the client, the customers and overall outcome of an Emerald Estate Sale.

What types of items can be sold at an estate sale?

Aston Martins to Aluminum Foil. 30 years ago, Estate Sales were commonly known for the sale of antiques, linens and items from the past that were attractive to the buyer. We’re all getting older, but the same thing holds true today. Antiques included, it’s now vintage, and clothing are the new linens. The times sure have changed and so have the people. Rummaging and reflecting with items from the past has now become a pastime.

Anything and everything can be sold at an estate sale. By allowing us the opportunity to evaluate the property during a consultation, it’s difficult not to surprise anyone with a story of an item we’ve yet to sell during a sale. Having the ability to perceive a larger spectrum of sale-able items, we can also predict overall sales expectations.

The Setup Process

What do I need to do in order to begin the setup?

We ask that anything items that are considering to keep be removed from the home or sequestered into a room that we are able to mark off limits. Once this is done, the rest is up to us. If you don’t want it, leave it and we will take care of it.

Will you remove any trash or rubbish from the home?

Depending on which option of our contract you decide to choose, yes. Prior to our initial setup, we will remove anything and everything that we know cannot be sold at the sale or donated after the sale.

What do you do in order to setup for an estate sale?

After the removal of any rubbish, we focus on the organization and placement of similar items such as clothing, crystal, china, jewelry etc. With smaller items of value such as jewelry, we determine the best area in the home for display and organize accordingly. Any furniture or decor that is determined to have greater value that normal is also placed strategically throughout the home.

After the initial organization has been completed, we focus on brand recognition, item condition and presumed value. Most furniture, rugs, and artwork are measured for future research purposes and informative website descriptions. Precious metals and jewelry are weighed, inspected and tested for purity. Electronics are pre-tested for functionality. Books are inspected for age, edition, autograph additions and overall condition. Brand recognition of all items of perceived value are also determined. Cleaning, dusting and condition enhancements are also applied to items that need attention.

The Marketing

Will you take photos of the items for sale?

By specializing in the promotion and marketing of sales, we photograph any and all items that are may attract targeted customers. By staging and focusing on the esthetics of certain items we are able highlight appealing attributes to attract potential customers.

In which ways do you promote the items for the sale?

One of the key marketing factors that separates our company apart from the rest is our attention to detail. By providing the necessary details and information for certain products and utilizing strategic marketing techniques within our estatesales.net postings, we are able to attract and motivate potential customers to attend our sales.

Our weekly email campaigns outreach to over 8000 dedicated customers informing them of upcoming sales. Social Media posts are also created to reach out to followers and potential shoppers. By creating relationships with social media influencers, we are quite often highlighted within their blogs which reach a much broader base of interested buyers.

Estimated Costs

What is your commission / costs to conduct a sale?

Our commission is based on numerous factors and coincides with the industry norm of 30-40% of the gross proceeds of the sale. Any additional costs are determined and explained to the client after initial consultation.

Are there any additional fees besides your commission rate?

Any additional fees will be discussed with the client during consultation. These fees generally involve the removal of large or heavy items such as pianos, billiards tables and armoires that cannot be sold or donated or need professional assistance to be removed. Soiled & unacceptable mattresses are subject to landfill fees. All fees will be disclosed to the client prior to removal.

Do you charge sales tax?

Yes. Being a licensed business, Emerald Estate Sales charges sales tax determined by the state of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Tax ID and all tax exempt customers are required to prove exemption with proper documentation.

The Estate Sale

What days and times do you usually conduct your sales?

Normally, we conduct sales during the weekend from Friday - Saturday between the hours of 10AM-3PM. We can conduct sales to accommodate everyone’s schedule but we feel that by conducting a sale over the weekend,, the success of the sale is

How many of your staff will be conducting the sale?

We strategically place items throughout the home so that smaller items of higher value are always being observed and handled. By doing so we can determine how many staff members are necessary while also considering the size of the home, the potential customer attraction and the overall amount of inventory that is for sale. Typically, 4 members of our staff can successfully multitask while conducting a sale. The entire Emerald team can

Do I need to be present during the sale?

We advise that current owners, family members or anyone involved with the sale of the property are not present during the sale. Client participation most likely will negatively affect the sale’s open environment, sales opportunities and overall presumed sale expectations.

The Conclusion

After the sale has ended, what happens to the remaining contents that haven’t sold?

Depending on your needs, different options are available to facilitate remaining obligations to prepare for the sale of the property. For an additional cost, the most popular option that’s offered following a sale includes the removal of the items remaining via donation through a charity and if necessary, disposal of unwanted goods are taken to the landfill.

Will you provide a sale breakdown of how much and what items have sold?

At the conclusion of the sale, we will provide a detailed spreadsheet compiled by our POS System; Square, which will detail time and date of purchase, item descriptions of what was sold and the price that the item was sold for. It will also include a combine sales total breakdown with commission costs and proceed totals due to you.

If I choose the clean-out / donation option, when will the job be completed?

Preparations for charity pick-ups are scheduled in advance. Charity pick-ups and the removal of remaining items takes place the Monday following the sale. After the charity pick up, the home will be broom cleaned and a detailed donation list will be emailed to the client.

When do I get paid?

Within a week following the clean-out, a check will be issued and mailed to the provided address along with a printed copy of the sales orders, donation list and tax receipt.

Conduct A Sale