What is an estate sale?
Sometimes called a “tag sale,” an estate sale is a way to quickly liquidate the assets of an estate, usually through the use of a third-party estate sale company. While many people have experience with garage or yard sales, estate sales are generally much more extensive, giving shoppers looking for “estate sales in my area” an opportunity to purchase a much larger selection of items.
What types of situations call for an estate sale?
An estate sale is sometimes referred to as an “estate liquidation” because estate sales usually occur when a major life change triggers a need to sell a large volume of personal belongings. This is often a death in the family, but estate sales can also be the result of other significant life events such as relocation, downsizing, bankruptcy, divorce, or the dissolution of a partnership.
My relative passed away, and I live out of state. Do I need to be present to use your services?
Not at all. We have many clients we have never met face-to-face, and we communicate with them entirely through phone calls and emails. As a professional estate liquidation company, Memory Lane Estate Sales is here to handle all the details for you, and there’s no need for you to be present at all, whether you live right here in Kansas City or halfway around the world!
Does the homeowner need to be present during the sale?
Similarly, there is no need for the homeowner to be present in the course of in-home estate sales. Memory Lane Estate Sales is a full-service company. When you hire us, we will handle all the details of the sale for you! We even pack up any leftover items for donation and sweep and vacuum the floors after the sale is over.
How do estate sales work?
When you contract with Memory Lane Estate Sales, we begin with a free in-home consultation to help determine the course of action that’s right for you and your loved ones. We then perform extensive valuation research to accurately price all your belongings before handling all aspects of the sale across a three-day window (usually on a weekend). When the sale is over, we remove all unsold items for donation and even sweep and vacuum the floors!
How can I find estate sales?
Rather than searching for “estate sales in my area,” go to our upcoming sales page to see the next sales that Memory Lane will be overseeing. To find other sales near you, you can use the estate sale finder listings at estatesales.org or estatesales.net.
How do you price items?
We have decades of experience in the resale marketplace and a team of experts with specialties in a variety of areas. We do research and discovery on how to price both rare and household items for an estate sale to help ensure a fair return for you and a quick and successful sale based on local market values in your area.
How much do estate sales companies charge?
Estate sale companies should never charge any up-front fees. Instead, our commission is paid out of a percentage of the total sales proceeds, as determined by the amount of work we’ll need to put in and the number of employees that will be needed to conduct a successful sale. Some sales do, however, require a dollar minimum. All of these details will be discussed as part of our initial free in-home consultation.
Will you conduct a sale in an occupied home?
Quite simply put, you wouldn’t want us to. While we do everything we can to make the process of having an estate sale as direct and straightforward as possible, the fact remains that in-home estate sales are inherently invasive undertakings, and they’re almost impossible in an occupied home. As such, all homes must be vacated before the setup for an estate sale begins.
Can you sell my car?
Yes! In fact, as an estate liquidation company in Kansas City, we can and will sell everything but your house itself! We can sell the biggest items—like cars, boats, and RVs—to the smallest—like fine jewelry, coins, toys, or clothing. We can sell items from the everyday to the collectible, and we’re also able to sell items that have special requirements. We can even sell sporting and hunting related items.
How and when will I get paid?
Once the sale is complete, a check will be mailed to you within three days. Our fee will be a percentage of the total sale amount that we have agreed to in advance, and you’ll know exactly what’s happening and how much you can expect every step of the way.