Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Understanding New England Estate Sales

By Dale Peck


New England estate sales are events at which property and belongings of deceased individuals are advertised and sold. Events of this kind are generally completed by companies that specialize in such sales. The property and belongings offered may include personal items, the dwelling itself, in the land where it is located. Motor vehicles and other large items may also be offered. An auction is sometimes conducted at the same time.

In most instances, the event is held on the property where the deceased individual lived. The latter's relatives usually inspect the household initially, and take whatever items they want. Once this has been done, they can proceed to conduct the sale independently, or avail themselves of the services of licensed professionals to handle the pricing, sorting, cleaning, and moving of leftover items. Even if more than one person shares this responsibility, organizing a sale of this type without professional help is a daunting endeavor. This is why most people hire professionals.

In numerous cases, prior to the actual sale date a presale is held for relatives and friends. This gives such individuals a chance to buy or take items for free before the sale is opened to the general public. However, in certain cases, a presale is not desired. This will primarily depend on the personal preferences of the deceased's relatives.

The home of the deceased individual is typically vacated prior to the sale being conducted. In unusual cases, however, members of the household are still residing in the home when the sale is underway. The majority of experts suggest that the residents vacate the home before a sale or auction.

Researching the background of any agency with which one may do business is recommended. It is also in one's best interest to discover if the individual chosen to conduct the sale has adequate experience. Asking relatives and coworkers for referrals when looking for such a person is also wise course of action. Some individuals choose to visit other sales for the purpose of observing the style of the agency and how well they handle the belongings and property being offered to the public.

Typically, the person in charge of the property will be asked to sign a contract with the estate sale operator. This is because the latter is paid a commission on the overall amount the sale brings. It is essential for each client to read the contract in its entirety before signing on the dotted line.

Another wise course of action is to avoid discarding any items that are not damaged or broken. This is because certain items are worth more money than a person may realize, but a trained estate sale operator will be able to tell the difference. In addition, there are collectors for essentially every kind of item, so even those that may only fetch a dollar or two will add to the total amount of monies earned in the sale.

In addition to the sales transactions for the property and belongings offered at the event, advertising duties are typically handled by New England estate sales professionals as well. It is essential to understand, however, that such things vary considerably from one agency to the next. For this reason, it is a good idea to ask in advance about details of this kind. Ultimately, when the most suitable company is selected, an estate sale should be a seamless and smooth event.




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