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Antiques...I need to sell an entire house full!

By Reece Mack

Home Stager with Simplicity Home Design, Thousand Oaks, CA

February 16, 2010 08:58 AM

I went to visit a new client today who is about to put his house on the market and the Realtor informed me that the client is going to be moving out of the country and everything, except his toothbrush, needs to be sold before we can put it on the market. Suddenly, I've gone from being a Home Stager to an Estate Sale Organizer and I need your advice!

The house is full of amazing antiques which consist of baskets, furniture, artwork, dishware, carpets, etc. and I just need some guidance in trying to pull this off from all of you who have gone through something similiar or have some advice on where to start.

A few of the questions I have are as follows:

1. I need to figure out how I would make money...I'm assuming I would charge a percentage of the money made.

2. Should I contact antique stores to see if they would purchase the items, or do an estate sale?

3. What is the best way to market such an event?

As always, thank you in advance for any advice you may have. I appreciate it all!

Cheers,

Reece

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Joseph Keech

Blue Atlantic Properties - Leland, NC

I would contact several antique or estate sale companies, to see what they would pay for everything, or what they would charge to hold an auction. They do this every day and would do a better job than I could. It seems like it could be quite a hassle dealing with it all. Best of luck.

Feb 16, 2010 09:02 AM

Janice Ankrett

Burlington, ON

Staging Professional

Antique dealers will give you a price/appraisal of the goods. Of course it will be a 'wholesale' price as they want to make a profit when they sell it.

Auctioneers and Estate Sale companies are going to take a percentage. If something is being auctioned off they are going to want to know if there is a reserve/minimum amount accepted on the item. If you have a figure from the antique dealer that may help.

Most of these decisions should be made by the owner. You don't want to get into some kind of legal swamp if they end up unhappy with the results.

Unless you are holding the 'sale' I would think you would charge an hourly rate for contacting these people and working with them on logistics.

As a Stager I assume you will be using some of it to stage the property for sale.

I'll be interested to see how this works out for you.

Good luck.

Feb 16, 2010 11:38 AM

Ginger Foust

Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA

Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Reece, I think that AR Stager Virginia Tatseos does a lot of this type of work. I suggest that you send her a private email asking for advise.

Feb 16, 2010 02:06 PM

Terry Chenier

Homelife Glenayre Realty - Mission, BC

Reece,

I would be inclined to have an auction house handle this for you and you negotiate a percentage with the owner,

Feb 17, 2010 02:13 AM

Connie Tebyani

Platinum Home Staging, Inc. : RESA-Pro - Calabasas, CA

Platinum Home Staging, Los Angeles and Ventura County

Since you're local, Reece, contact The Consignment Store on Via Colinas. Just across the street from the 4 Season's in WLV. They are an estate consignment shop, they'll pick it all up, sell it in their showroom and of course charge a percent based on the amount they think it can sell for. The balance goes to the owner - see them for further detals.

YOU might not make any money by going this route, but it will SAVE you SOOOO much time and effort having to sell it all. Since it sounds like you have to get rid of it all before the house is listed for sale - give it to them. This is what they do, get it out of the house so you can Stage it and list it fast.....

Feb 17, 2010 01:31 PM

Antiques...I need to sell an entire house full!

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Reece Mack

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