<p>Off topic sort of but can’t help myself…went to an estate sale this morning that was almost overwhelming–and no, the company had NOT brought in extra stuff. I commented to someone that Wal-Mart would be jealous of the inventory. Guy out front kept saying “Nobody leaves without at LEAST five books!” It was like walking into an overloaded antique shop with all the collectibles. And the wife was there. One room had a ton of costumes (fancy ones)–she said she and her husband used to dress up for Halloween every year . One year they went to an auction. The auctioneer had a rabbit costume and said “let the bidding start at 5 dollars!” Her husband bid (and won) and she asked him why he did that! He said “I just bought a rabbit costume for 5 bucks!” She said no, he had just bought 30 rabbit costumes for 5 dollars each…everyone they knew got a rabbit costume that year.</p>
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And hurt their sales.</p>
<p>We had a great experience downsizing radically from a suburb with an Estate Sale although we are alive. H is a charming salesperson, and we were curious to see it all happening. The company, however, was clear that having owners present inhibited sales. They described one client who insisted on being present, sat in one room and told stories. From that room, not a single purchase occurred – no problem elsewhere in the house. Some think they can sneak in disguised but a friend always hails them and blows their cover.</p>
<p>The homeowner’s neighbors and old friends, who are sometimes the most eager repeat visitors to the sale, do NOT want to be seen by owners as they consider, haggle or reject one item to move on to the next. It becomes too personal. After visiting and chatting up the owner’s future plans, they leave the house without buying. Others overhear and feel sorry to pick at someone else’s stuff. Weren’t they supposed to be dead?</p>
<p>In our situation, we had to arrange to be elsewhere for all the hours of the sale, several days, with a big dog whom we couldn’t impose on others. </p>
<p>Having to place your parents somewhere for all those hours might affect which company you choose.</p>
<p>Calling it Estate Sale versus Moving Sale might be based upon whether or not most of the formidable items of a household are on sale – dinettes, antiques, art, beds, dressers. </p>
<p>Our company, chosen based on good website advertising, planned a 3-day sale with the final day a discount, taking 25% commission PLUS advertising. Ask about that, in case they still post something in a print newspaper along with website/email ads.</p>
<p>Much was sold on first and last day, a bit quieter on the middle day. Ours went well so they asked us on Day 3 if we could do a half-day Day 4, unadverstised, which we did. As they said, we did fine but were still left with some unsold furniture and goods. </p>
<p>We had the patience and presence to work with all that was left after the sale, until diminishing returns set in. I’m not sure you’re up for that re: your parents, so having a good plan for what doesn’t sell sounds very important to the OP. </p>
<p>DETAILS of our 2 weeks post-sale: we got busy listing furniture on Craigslist and selling it piece-by-piece for the next 2 weeks. The goods we donated and drove around ourselves to Amvets because their pickup truck needed months advance scheduling in our area. The better children’s books all went to a refugee settlement project and our public library. In the very end game, we found a guy who’d take “everything left”, dumpster/remove it, and broomsweep the house as we were moving and time was tight. We left “everything” we couldn’t sell right in place, as he instructed, saying he saw value in things we couldn’t (such as valuable metal in parts). We enhanced his payment by setting aside a perfectly good, but too heavy, first-gen HD digital TV that wasn’t a flatscreen since he craved it on the walk-through. </p>
<p>Are you able to house your parents for the time of the sale? Will they eat out in restaurants repeatedly? To me, without many large furniture sets, art or antiques (most already spoken for) my instinct is the sales will occur on-the-spot, or not at all, since nobody needs to “think over” a saucepan, pretty lamp or hummel. That might lean towards fewer days. Books, ties, accessories, linens surprised us as they weren’t priced high but they make money by the quantity sold - everyone takes one or two. </p>
<p>Good luck, and bravo to your parents for preparing for a new chapter of their lives.</p>