well-temperedforum.groupee.net The Well-Tempered Forum Off Key Estate Sales vs Auctions. Live or Online.Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Estate Sales vs Auctions. Live or Online. | Login/Join |
Minor Deity |
I began by asking many of these questions to PJ pertaining to his announcing he'd already included in his will, a determination to sell his (presumably remaining) possessions in an Estate Sale - company named in advance. (Not quite sure if the intention was for the sale to take place only after he was no longer on planet earth, or rather at any particular time when he was on the point of a major move.) In any case, I decided instead to broaden my inquiry. We've been talking for ages about retirements, downsizing, and decluttering. I'm remembering Cindy's description of having emptied much of her supposedly over-filled house, by the simple method of dumpstering it - many large plastic bags being dropped off at the nearby dump. I admit having been shocked at this approach, which sounded like wasting much desirable merchandise/stuff (large and small) without even offering it to possibly interested/needy parties. At least, that's how it struck me. For those of you who have contemplated either an auction or estate liquidation sale for much/all of your house contents. (like PJ), I would love to hear from you. What did you consider (pros and cons of various approaches) and how did you think to go about it? If you were looking at particularly valuable/salable items, were you thinking of approaching their disposal differently from their being part of an overall liquidation one way or another? (I'm thinking of a few especially valuable and/or special interest pieces that I can see proposing to one of the large NYC - or elsewhere - auction houses.) If so, why, where and how? Also, had you considered searching out speciality auction/consignment outfits for such items - for example, auction houses specializing in artwork, period pieces, or particular collections?) Regrettably, I have given up on trying to sell items with special value somewhere like eBay (worth a few hundred $ let's say), not feeling up to the necessary legwork - good photographs, diligent email correspondence, tax records, mailing. Probably others of you (wtg, especially) could manage such transactions in your sleep, but not I.
| ||
|
| twit Beatification Candidate |
Amanda, I can appreciate the situation. We (I) have large collections of Asian art, funky art, books, cds, and oodles of music. We don't have children. Recently, I fantasized about just leaving it all to some deserving couple who had similar interests - assuming such individuals existed - but I doubt it. Your best bet is to give those things that have meaning to those people who you know would truly treasure them. Then provide specialist items that have significant financial value via an appropriate auction house. For example there are auctions houses that pretty much cater to Asian art or at least have a significant portion of their business devoted to that area. These auction houses would reach the right audience for your items. Still, some things will come in above value - and some, regrettably below one's expectations. One thing I've learned from recent experience is that even though one might have spent hundreds (or thousands) of dollars for an item 30 years ago, one may still realize only a fraction of what you paid because the market isn't what it once was. After that, the quick bandage pull may work best which is to use a firm devoted to estate sales in your area. There's a website that will show you what estate sales are in your area - estatesales.net You can register with them and start seeing who seems to do the best job with sales similar to yours. Sadly, you'll also see things that you can't live without. I have a beautiful stained glass window I bought at an estate sale. The owner informed me they paid $3,000 for the window. I paid $400 at the sale. Some folks rely strictly on an estate sale for everything - but if one has some special area of collecting - i.e. the art of Tanaka Ryohei or Yoshitishi woodblock prints - one really needs a specialist auction house to handle that. Otherwise, you'll have people paying a few hundred dollars for something that might bring a few thousand dollars with the right auction house and audience that monitors that auction house. I've been decluttering via FB marketplace for a lot of clunky things that I just don't want around - or things I think people in my neighborhood might pick up. I put out a chair on the front lawn today with a "Free" sign on it - and within about 4 hours, it had been picked up. My most embarrassing things cluttering the house our magazines I mean to read and boxes in the garage that I use to ship things out that I sell via Ebay. I've decided that my box collection needs to be significantly downsized - as I have many more boxes than stuff I plan to sell. As for the magazines - I'm an addict - and when I start to toss, I find articles that I MUST read - which does not help the process. I need to think of magazines as distraction delivery systems and less as fascinating things to peruse. | |||
|
| Minor Deity |
Many many thanks for recounting your personal "journey" with a houseful of collectables. I wrote you a carefully penned reply much longer than yours, pressing "POST" apparently milliseconds after my server went down. I don't have time to even allude to any of the contents and won't for the foreseeable future. That's owing to a combination of out of town medical appointments and a long-awaited reunion with my distant sons (sort of) for Passover. I'm WAY behind in preparation for all the above. (Arranging medical records be sent to other doctors is unachievable all by itself. That's because of the ridiculous hold times all require thanks to the hired anarchists creating their "unusually heavy call volume".) Naturally, instead of attending to the TODOs, I gave into the temptation to first reply to your informative and entertaining post. Hoping to come up to something rising to your standard, instead it vanished into the Purgatory of brilliant, forever lost posts. I so sympathize with your situation, though if I or a spouse were capable of eBay sales, I would be far less inundated. (FWIW before Covid - and it might work now - I used to donate unread magazines to our hospital, where they were welcomed as reading material for waiting rooms and wards). More later when I emerge from the other end of this tunnel. (Believe me, even if one has produced a litter of offspring, ones situation is not markedly different in  )
| |||
|
Has Achieved Nirvana |
I've been thinking about this thread a lot, both as it pertains to me as a recipient of my mother's things, and as to me (and Mary Anna) as owners of "stuff". I've decided that, as far as my mother is concerned, there are things she just doesn't want to live without, even if it's mostly a household full of stuff that isn't used. If just having it is comfort to her, OK. I can hire someone to sell it through an estate sale or put it in dumpsters someday. It'll be a time-consuming and unpleasant process, but if it makes the end of her days easier for her, then so be it. For Mary Anna and me, I'd like to declutter, even though it raises my anxiety level through the roof. I have control over my own stuff, and responsibility for it, and the guilt associated with not dealing with it. Mary Anna's stuff is her own. But, like my mother, there are things that Mary Anna doesn't want to live without, regardless of utility. If it makes her happier/more comfortable, then, again, so be it. I can cope. Ken, if you like living with your things, then live with them, and don't worry about what happens to them after you're gone. Decide that that's part of the price of enjoying your life. Even if it's just piles of magazines. We all have books on the bookshelf that we may never read but we can't bear to part with. | |||
|
| twit Beatification Candidate |
When my mother passed, my father started sorting through the tons of stuff they had accumulated during their lives. It was painful - lots of memories and time spent in a dark, cluttered basement. I told him - don't bother. Enjoy your time. Do what you want. We'll take care of things later. My mother was always horrified that her idiot kids would just bring a big dumpster to the house and toss everything. Fact is, when my dad passed, we did have a lot of stuff to go through - and deal with it quickly. There was no dumpster. We did a yard sale, donated things, gave to stuff to neighbors and yes tossed stuff. Did we mess up? Maybe a little. I regret tossing my mother's indexed cards of recipes. It was only a shoebox of stuff - so - one possible mistake. Still, I'm glad my dad got to enjoy a bit more of his life without having to sort through things that had more meaning to him than to me. As for us, I have one nephew, my spouse has a few. All of them are good on their own. If I'm the last one standing, right now I feel like ensuring that people who have had limited success in life be given a better chance through what we leave behind. My spouse feels similarly. We have experienced more kindness the past couple of years during my spouse's health challenges than from her family. We'll try and sort that out over the coming months and put together our plan - and if necessary, change it if needed as we move forward. Yeah, I'm definitely at the point where I don't want to spend much time on anything that doesn't bring satisfaction or joy. I remember doing a yard sale years ago. For the what came in from the sale, it would have been more satisfying and fruitful to have taken a weekend job at McDonalds - not worth it unless you make it fun - i.e. get some neighbors involved and not take anything too seriously. My biggest challenge is I have a spouse who asks "are you sure you want to get rid of _____?" I'm in heavy toss mode right now - want to clear our our garage attic to render it more conducive to being our home gym. When employed, a lot of stuff just got tossed up there. Now, I'd rather enjoy the time than the stuff - or even the modest cash value it might bring. | |||
|
Has Achieved Nirvana |
I think I must be channeling my inner kluurs..his whole post resonates with me, especially this:
For whatever reason all the "stuff" being around at this stage of my life seems like it's weighing me down. I started out as a collector, then did some selling, and now am in Great Giveaway mode. Getting rid of the things that I have no use for feels liberating, almost like a new lease on life. It also brings a lot of enjoyment seeing someone get excited about being the recipient of something that they can use or that they want, and that we no longer need. Win-win. edit: May just be a coincidence, but I am losing physical pounds of weight (that I've been carrying for the last decade or two) as we downsize our possessions....
| |||
|
| Has Achieved Nirvana |
Oh, and getting back to the original topic, kluurs posted some excellent info. I hadn't heard of estatesales.net. When I checked it out there was an estate sale not far from me and I looked at the photos of what was up for sale. Looked way too much like my house (scary) and prompted me to go down in the basement and pack up four boxes of stuff to donate. Thanks, kluurs!
| |||
|
Minor Deity |
I figure it will be up to my kids. Jf
| |||
|
| czarina Has Achieved Nirvana  |
I have a few things that can't just be left to an estate sale. My horses and my dog. And my grand piano. The people I think would best custodians of the piano are older than I am. The horses and the dog--that is really tough. We in the local horse community have discussed this quite a bit. One friend has assigned a trio of friends to be responsible for her animals and has prepaid a place for them at a retirement facility and set up a trust for their continued care. I have an informal arrangement with a woman I trust to take them for herself or find them good homes. The dog... she is a resilient girl and would adapt readily to a new home, I think. But I don't know anyone who can take her or who wants her if something happens to us. As for the rest of the contents of our house--I'd like to pair it down just so we don't have to pay to move so much stuff when the time comes. I am going to slowly convert a lifetime of research to electronic files, and for the files that are the research behind published work, I am going to look into donating them to a library. Most of the rest of what we have does not matter. When my grandmother's silver was stolen a few years ago, I looked on it as having spared me trying to sell it. I used the insurance money to buy a new horse trailer--I think that would have made my grandmother happy. When a wildfire came right up to our property while we were out of town a year ago, on the long drive home all I cared about was if my horses were safe. If the house burned down and took everything with it, I was ready to look upon this catastrophe as an opportunity for a new beginning. Which reminds me, we have to get to work on making the property "fire wise" for the coming season.
| |||
|
Has Achieved Nirvana |
Going back to what Kluurs said about artwork, my neighbor said something today that resonated. They moved here from another part of Cleveland metro about three years ago. Their previous house was older and this house is an open plan deal. He said that he has a basement full of artwork because this open plan house just doesn’t have as many walls as the old place. My basement is similarly stocked for the same reason. Which reminds me to mention consignment stores. I basically swapped two paintings I have no space for in favor of two flower pots I do need. They take a hefty commission but at least I’m getting something.
| |||
|
| Has Achieved Nirvana |
Pique, what is involved with making your property “fire wise”? Clearing brush or more high tech stuff like fire sprinklers, smart vents and such?
| |||
|
| czarina Has Achieved Nirvana |
creating what the fire scientists call "defensible space." so that could look like a few things: trimming all lower limbs from trees, clearing out what are called "ladder fuels" from under the trees (shrubs), getting needles and leaves off your roof, getting firewood away from house and deck, keeping anything flammable away from buildings, creating a buffer between the house and the woods--I think 30 feet is what they recommend. the buffer could be lawn you keep moist, or a driveway or gravel that encircles the house. basically, give the firefighters a decent chance of saving structures by keeping fuels away. our neighbors burned off all the grass on the windward side of their property in a "controlled burn" so the fire wouldn't have fuel. we are probably going to cut a fire line--a wide swath of bare dirt--on either side of our fences so that if a fire does come through we won't lose them. oh, and i forgot--raking. 
| |||
|
Minor Deity |
While staying in NJ caring for my Mom, my sister and I attended an estate sale contracted by a company...The house was FULL but there were some real Mad Men gems of 50-60's furniture..I was in awe... But it was not selling... I felt like the vendor was not advertising well enough..this is very close to NYC were mid century mod is the thang..and yet..the gorgeous teak wrap around sofa with chenelle cushions was not taken? I would say if you think you have things of value your kids would not want, start googling and see if you can find a buyer one at a time. My sister and I returned on the last day and got the chairs we wanted for less than half the price they were asking...(I bought DR Dimes Windsor chairs, two arm chairs, two sides made in the 70's $350 for the set, in my area with some refinishing, an arm chair sells for $450) I am keeping them as I love them.. Selling yourself might be more work for you but at the same time you may meet some wondeful people who treasure your treasures...That is worth more than money. 
| |||
|
| Has Achieved Nirvana |
I just checked a local consignment shop that donates their fees to charity. It has some really nice stuff and I was thinking about consigning a couple of oil paintings I have that have some value, though not auction house-level. They take appointments for you to bring in your stuff to consign it. The first available appointment is November 9th. Holy carp.
| |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
well-temperedforum.groupee.net The Well-Tempered Forum Off Key Estate Sales vs Auctions. Live or Online.