Quick Questions and Answers For Our New Customers
What is an Estate Sale?
Our definition is the selling of the majority of one’s possessions. There are many reasons for needing an estate sale: a death in the family, moving to assisted living, retiring to Florida, selling the contents of one home when there is a new marriage and two households, financial hardship, or moving to another country.
What sets you apart from other estate sale companies?
- Colorado Estate Sales does not have antique stores. Therefore, all your items remain on the premises until the public sale. No pre-sales.
- We can sell special items or collections for you on the Internet.
- We have a fabulous following of buyers who frequent our sales.
- We do our best to price everything.
- For 20 years, we have had a personal ethical policy of not buying any collectibles from your sale.
- We collect and remit sales tax from the shoppers. It’s the law.
- We give you your cash immediately following the sale. If you are out of town, we send you a cashier’s check.
How do you decide whether to take a sale or not?
Many years ago we designed the three V’s: Value, Variety, Volume. A sale we take must have at least two of the three. Also, we like lots of PRETTIES!
What if we want to do the sale ourselves…can you just price it for us?
Yes! Also consider hiring us to price your sale before the family decides on which items they are keeping from the estate, so it is fair for everyone.
What if you find important personal items?
Rest assured, we set aside any family items we think you may have missed, such as photographs, vital records, love letters, safe deposit keys, wedding rings, etc.
How much notice do you need?
Approximately 2 weeks. Sometimes less, sometimes more.
What do I need to do?
Please remove the items you wish to keep. Maintain trash service. Also maintain cable service so we are able to sell TVs. Do not dispose of anything, except obvious trash, until we can meet with you.
What do you charge?
We work on a percentage of the total sale, anywhere between 35–50%. The majority of time it is 35%. Labor is the determining factor.
Do you have a minimum size sale you will take?
Yes. We will have an idea after we chat on the phone, and then see your home.
How do you advertise?
- We design a recognizable ad and put it in the paper the day prior to the sale.
- Out front of the home we hang a large banner announcing the time of sale.
- We email hundreds of loyal buyers.
- We advertise your sale right here on our website at Our Next Sale.
- We hang fluorescent posters and arrows on the street corners — and we remove them after the sale!
- We announce your sale on our very popular Facebook page.
- The night before, we also post your sale on Craigslist.
- We also post your sale on estatesales.net, which sends out thousands of emails.
Who pays for the ad?
We both do. The cost of the ad is taken off the top of the sale.
What do you do with the leftover items that didn't sell?
That is your choice. You can leave those items to be picked up by your favorite charity, left in the home or garage, or if possible, we will provide a “clean out” person who will leave the home “floor clean.” In most cases this takes an additional few days.
Do you sell cars?
Yes. We have been very successful selling cars, trucks, and boats.
What other conditions are there?
Our contract specifies that everything that you are keeping MUST be out of the home by the Sunday before we begin work. It also specifies that you are not to sell or remove any of the items designated for sale. You are responsible for maintaining or scheduling trash removal until after the sale is complete.
Do we need to be there?
No. We work hard and fast, and it is easier for us to do that without conversation and interruptions.
Do you enjoy your job?
Yes, we absolutely do!