FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: If I live out of state, can I still have an estate sale in Utah?
Absolutely. We can do everything via email, Zoom, text and phone. Just remember, trust is a big deal in this business. That’s why we advise prospective clients to interview two or three companies, ask lots of questions, check references and then follow your gut. If you have a local Realtor or attorney, we are happy to work through them as well.
Q: What should I expect from our initial consultation?
The initial consultation gives us the opportunity to meet one another personally (or virtually), canvas the house together, gain an understanding of your objectives, needs and desires, review our services and fees, and then decide if we are a good fit for you. If we decide to work together, we will sign a contract, shake hands, and get busy.
Q: Is there a charge for the initial consultation?
Our initial consultation with you is always free of charge.
Q: Does it matter if an estate sale company is licensed and insured?
It does matter. You are trusting the estate sales company with your home, your possessions and the liability associated with conducting an important business event on your behalf. You want to be certain you are dealing with a legitimate, reputable operator that is responsible and accountable.
Q: Should we remove anything from the home before we hire an estate sale company?
You are free to take anything you wish out of the home prior to hiring an estate sale company. After all, it belongs to you. However, once a contract is signed, whatever is in the home should remain or be purchased at the agreed upon terms. That said, do not throw anything away! Seemingly unwanted or unusable items, even if they are old or broken can sometimes have surprising value. It’s our job to figure all that out. It’s often all the little things added up rather than the big items that make a sale successful. We do advise that you remove any legal documents from the home such as birth certificates, social security cards, passports, bank statements, family photos, mementos and the like. We don’t want anything important to you, personally or legally, to be inadvertently discarded.
Q. How long will it take to schedule and conduct the sale?
As in any business, the better companies are the busiest and can be booked out months in advance. The sooner you can decide on the company you want to use the better. As for the sale itself, a typical sale is two or three days, depending on the size of the home and the volume of the contents. We typically schedule a sale for three days, beginning on a Thursday or Friday, depending on the time of year and/or the particular circumstances of your sale.
Q. How much money will I receive at the end of my sale?
The honest answer is there is no way to know for sure. And while that’s not what anyone wants to hear, it’s the truth. We don’t make promises we can’t guarantee and we advise you to be wary of anyone who does. There are just too many uncontrollable variables to know how a sale will turn out. We will make this promise to you. We will do everything in our power to maximize the proceeds from your sale. After all, the more you make, the more we make. We’re in this together.
Q. Can you help me sell the home too?
We are happy to make known that your home is for sale. If you are already working with a Realtor we will work hand in hand with them to promote your home throughout the weekend of the sale. We are also happy to refer you to real estate professionals who have earned our respect and trust over time if that helps. We pride ourselves on the relationships we have made over time and understand good networking serves everyone. To us it’s all just part of being of service to you.
Q. Do you leave the home empty and clean at the end of the sale?
Good question. Yes, and that’s a big deal. No one, especially you, your Realtor or Trust Officer wants to deal with cleaning up after a sale. Be sure to ask any company you are considering if they leave your home “empty and broom clean” at the end of the sale. We pride ourselves on leaving you with a completely empty home, that is broom clean and ready for whatever is next.
Q. What happens to any unsold items after the sale?
Any items remaining at the conclusion of your sale will be donated to a charity of your choice or to one of our selected charities and a receipt will be provided with your final paperwork.
Q: What if we have some random questions before we are ready to commit to an estate sale?
No problem. Call us anytime at 385-316-9828. We are happy to answer all your questions and otherwise help you in any way we can. We actually get referrals from time to time from people we’ve never even worked for! Karma Baby!