If you or a family member is considering conducting an estate sale in order to move into an assisted living facility, Alzheimer’s care center or retirement home, here is a general primer that will answer your questions about estate sales. Hiring an estate sale professional is probably the easiest and most efficient way to liquidate all of the possessions in your home. It is a tremendous amount of work that is usually best left to a professional. When you consider the amount of work that goes into itemizing and pricing each and every possession in your home, (with the exceptions of pictures of family members and very personal items that you want to keep) it can be a daunting project.

Generally, an estate sale sells everything from your clothing, jewelry, pictures, linens, appliances, dishes, pots and pans, furniture, plants, mirrors and even cars. A good estate sale company knows what price to place on each item and if they don’t, as may be the case if you have antiques or other collectables, they have access to professional appraisers who specialize in pricing specific items. It is important to find an estate sale company that is licensed and bonded and has been in business for a number of years. Bonding is important because a third party insurance company or separate entity helps to guarantee that all agreements and contracts between you and the estate sale company will be honored.

A good estate sale company will usually charge between 22% and 36% to inventory, itemize, price, advertise and conduct your estate sale. It’s a completely “turn key” operation and will make what can be an emotionally hard task, as painless and easy as possible. Don’t necessarily hire the cheapest company unless you have checked them out thoroughly. It is usually better to hire someone who really knows what they are doing and knows the value and how to price your items appropriately. Keep in mind, the more money you receive for your items, they more they will receive so it is to everyone’s benefit that the highest fair prices are obtained.

No doubt, over the recent years, you may have seen estate sale signs along the street advertising an estate sale. If there is a name that you remember, you can start your detailed research by calling them. If not, you can begin to screen estate sale companies that may even specialize in sales for people who are planning to move to an assisted living facility, retirement home or Alzheimer’s care home. A reputable company will make your life easier, get the most money for your valuable possessions and make your move to assisted living or retirement community much smoother. You can begin your search online, ask neighbors for a reference or use the phone book.