When done right, an estate sale turns a full house into an empty one plus cash. You hold an estate sale by affixing price tags to everything that isn’t nailed down, announcing the event, and attending the property during the days of the sale. It is one of the quickest available methods for liquidating virtually all of a home’s contents.
Estate sales are typically held by heirs who have inherited all of their relatives’ earthly possessions; or, alternatively, people who need to move as quickly as possible. Like a garage sale, an estate sale is open to the general public. Unlike a garage sale, it makes all of a home’s contents available for purchase (minus whichever property the seller wishes to keep, of course).
Holding successful estate sales in Denver requires more than a roll of blank stickers and a few pens. If you want to sell as much of a home’s contents as possible – with the least headache, for the most money, and in the shortest length of time – just follow Colorado Premier Realty’s expert tips!
Take Inventory
You don’t want to begin inviting strangers into a home before you know all its contents. If you’re selling a home you haven’t lived in recently, search it and account for its most valuable items first. You don’t want an unscrupulous browser to discover gold, silver, handguns, wristwatches, or any other small, easily stolen valuables the decedent may have hidden around their home.
Be Objective
It’s hard to assign a fair market value to an item you’ve attached personal meaning to. If you can’t part with something for a price an impartial buyer would be willing to pay, then you’re better off not offering it for sale at all. A buyer who notices an unreasonably high price tag is likely to doubt whether fair deals are afoot.
Get Expert Appraisals
A first edition of The Scarlet Letter in mint condition. An original painting by Andrew Wyeth. An original pressing of The Velvet Underground & Nico. Most people don’t recognize these and other treasures that would fetch thousands at auction. Did your inherit a collection of items you know nothing about? The person who previously owned that collection probably valued it for more than just sentimental reasons. Hire an expert to conduct a personal property appraisal and discover what your inheritance is really worth!
Work the Weekend
This may seem too intuitive to beg mentioning, but the most successful Denver estate sales are held on the weekend. Not a holiday weekend, mind you, but a normal one when people are free to pursue quick and easy entertainment.
Advertise
We’re not recommending that you buy an ad on page two of The Denver Post. You can advertise an estate sale for free by leveraging social media and Craigslist. If you’d like to spend a little more time and money getting the word out, then you can place signs or hand out fliers around the neighborhood. And remember: a picture is worth a thousand words. Whichever advertising methods you use, include a few photos of your estate sale’s most eye-catching and desirable items.
Hire Professional Help
Inventorying all the contents of a house. Determining realistic prices for goods you’re attached to or unfamiliar with. Engaging an expert who will make sure you don’t accidentally sell a Gutenberg Bible for $5. Spending several hours supervising the sale for multiple successive days. Placing effective ads where people will register them. As effective as they are, our tips do require time that you may be unable to spare.
That’s why our final tip is to ignore all our other tips and hire an estate sale service instead. Asset liquidation services typically only charge a percentage of the money each estate sale generates. That lets you avoid upfront costs – and potentially make significantly more money than you could have on your own!
Have you inherited a home in the greater Denver, CO area that you have no intention of keeping? Then we welcome you to contact Colorado Premier Realty & Auction Services today to learn more about our comprehensive auction and liquidation services. We sell houses and their contents quickly and for the best prices local buyers will pay!