Estate Sale Companies in Middle Tennessee

Busy Bee Moving and Estate Sales - https://www.busybeemovingsales.com 615-569-4734 - Estate Sales Professionals in Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin Tn.

With approximately 30 estate sale companies in Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin, Tennessee, how do you find the best company for your estate sale needs? 

I have many friends and colleagues conducting liquidation services in the Middle Tennessee Area and proud to say we have a wonderful group of companies.  By keeping a network of friendly communication,  we are providing the Nashville and surrounding area with a variety of services and integrity at a reasonable cost compared to other areas.  

The Best Estate Sales Company Based on Your Needs

Most companies in the Nashville area are in the 35% range of commission which is less than many of the larger cities in other states who are charging as much as 50% commission.  Some companies will vary in their charges depending on the cost of labor, distance and extra costs such as dumpster, trash hauling or necessary shuttle service.  Final cleanouts after the sale are also negotiable for most companies.  Busy Bee refers clients to local charities and final clean out individuals to complete the final process after the sale.  This insures the client full control of their personal property after the sale. Some companies provide their own in house junk removal.  Depending on the client's needs, these extra services should be considered when choosing the best estate sale company for their family.  

A walk-through with an estate sale company will give them a more individualized approach for conducting your sale and a give you the opportunity to negotiate services that fit your unique situation.

Is an Auction or Estate Sale better?

Due to the pandemic, many companies were forced to experiment with different business plans to accommodate for reluctant shoppers. Busy Bee does most on site tag sales however, we have done online tag sales if the client's situation did not merit an in-person sale due to parking, HOA restrictions or home conditions.  Several estate sale companies in Nashville exclusively provide online tag sales and auctions online through either estatesales.net, estatesales.org or Hibid.  Most companies in Nashville will also offer a privately listed estate sale where customers sign up through apps such as Signupgenuis.

Again, if parking, HOA rules, or privacy is a concern, a private estate sale is the best option.  We at Busy Bee have found that the best estate sale with the most shoppers is the in-person onsite tag sale.  

What do Estate Sale Companies in Middle Tennessee charge?

Middle Tennessee estate sale companies generally do not charge separately for base amounts of the total gross of the sale.  Since the final sale number is unknown and generally a guess, this method can be confusing.  Busy Bee does not have a percentage based on a minimum amount such as a sliding scale.  We simply must turn down sales that we feel will be less revenue than labor during the preview.  Those customers are referred to our estate sale referral list of companies and alternative resources such as charities and cleanout companies. 

How to choose an estate sale company?

Estate sale companies in middle Tn., have overall been a collaborating entity of family businesses providing a similar cost effective, honest service in our area.  With many new companies in the past 5 years, Busy Bee recommends you vet, interview and visit estate sales before choosing the best estate sale company for you.  Personal preference, communication and specific services will be the determining factors for a successful sale. 

Finding the Best Estate Sale Business

And lastly, asking your friends and relatives or even your local Facebook pages, for referrals for the best estate sale company near you will give you a start in your search for a good company. Google is only a search engine catering to businesses that can navigate SEO and advertise their way to internet presence, not a clear indication of a company that is best suited for your estate sale needs.

Estate Sales and Surviving Covid

Busy Bee Moving and Estate Sales - https://www.busybeemovingsales.com 615-569-4734 - Estate Sales Professionals in Nashville, Tn.

It's been three years now that I've updated this blog.  We have certainly learned a few things during this time thanks to the pandemic but we made it and yes, everyone learned a few lessons, most importantly, flexibility.  First we were met with fear and anger, then the shift of the market and now leveling out to an uptick in sales but a struggle for employees as most businesses are experiencing.

I'll never forget the first morning of our sale opening after only a 2 week break from the shutdown.  We announced that we would follow the local health guidelines for whatever area we were working out of as every county was different.  We posted signs of our new practices such as employee screening, handwashing station, masks (which we provided), social distancing and limiting the number of patrons.  We also made a plexiglass shield from an old poster I had, hand sanitizer and Lysol spray.  We also invented a term called "shop chat" where customers could Facetime us and purchase items and be given curb service.  We had no idea if anyone would even show up.  That morning I opened the door and there were about 50 people standing in the yard shoulder to shoulder with no masks waiting to come in.  Oh dear.  I quickly explained we wanted to provide this service and in order to do so we'd have to follow guidelines whether I liked it or not.  Everyone graciously complied and we had a great sale.  After 2 weeks of being couped up in the house, people were ready to get back to normal.  We did have a few use the curb service approach and many didn't come back to the sales for months.  We missed many of our older shoppers and a younger crowd surfaced.  

After the first year we noticed an increase in sales.  With the supply chain issues, we were able to sell furniture and items that were on back order.  People were buying used furniture until their new was delivered, sometimes months later.  With the supply chain issues came inflation so again, estate sales became an optimum opportunity to save money.  

There was a downside to the retail world too in the form of employment and customer relations.  We lost several of our older helpers who were invaluable to the knowledge of antiquities and due to closing down the local flea markets, it was a great loss of revenue for the vendors.  The estate sales we did were more successful due to the lack of garage sales for awhile. There was also a big turnover in companies.  Many estate sale companies decided it was a good time to retire while new ones filled the market demand.  We certainly had to cut back from our average of 40-45 sales a year to 26 in 2020,  21, and 22.  That decrease allowed us to use a smaller staff. 

We weathered through a tough year but fortunately for our company and the families that needed our services, we successfully stayed afloat. A new generation of estate sale shoppers, inflation driving more to estate sales for goods and more awareness of estate sales in the area due to social networking have all been factors in increased shoppers.

Why did I get turned down from an Estate Sale Company?

Busy Bee Moving and Estate Sales -

 https://www.busybeemovingsales.com 615-569-4734 - Estate Sales Professionals in Nashville, Tn.

What do estate sales companies look for?

After 7 years of being in the business we have learned a few tips on what not to do before calling an estate sale company.  You have just gotten a contract on your home and desperately need to purge, give, sell and downsize before moving to your new home.  It is difficult to restrain yourself from hauling everything in the garage, attic and cluttered areas of the home to charities so you can get down to the furniture and big stuff and you're thinking of calling in an expert to do it only to find they will not take your sale. 

What do I do before the Estate Sale Company arrives?

I just now returned from a potential client that was saddened by my confirmation that indeed she had gotten rid of too much for us to devote a week to liquidating her leftovers.  People are often surprised when I tell them that furniture is the hardest item to sell.  My observation is that the resources for reselling furniture has become so easy on social networking sites such as Face Book Marketplace, Letgo, and others have now made it the first place buyers look for used furniture, making it very difficult for those of us that resell even more difficult. 

What Does the Estate Sale Company do in the Walk Through?

So how do we avoid sabotaging our sale in order to liquidate those larger hard to sell items?  Estate and moving sale companies will come out and do a walk through and look for:

Estate and Moving Sale Companies will look for 3 things before agreeing to conduct you sale:

1. Value  
2. Volume 
3. Variety

 1. Value:

 Even if you have a great amount of items to liquidate there may not be enough value in the items to merit an estate sale company to devote an entire staff and week to clean, organize and conduct your estate sale. Honest and trained estate sale staff is expensive so estate sale businesses must be selective when choosing commission only liquidation jobs. You may negotiate the average 35% commission with the company if value is a concern or the trash and junk removal is a factor in the labor cost.

2. Volume:

If the family has taken too much, given away or purged too much in the liquidating of the estate, an estate sale company will not be able to conduct your sale.  Shoppers will often preview the vast amount of moving and estate sales nearby and only go to the ones with more volume.  Families often throw away garage sale type items they think are too inexpensive for an estate sale when those items will accumulate a good amount of the revenue of the sale.

3. Variety:

Another thing Estate Sale Companies will look for in a walkthrough is variety. An example of the variety they look for are books, clothing, nick-nacks, furniture, kitchenware, cookware, jewelry, tools, collectibles, clothing, decor, antiques and everyday household items such as cleaning, linens, gardening and even unopened pantry and toiletry items. Wait until the estate or moving sale is over until you donate these items as a variety will attract more buyers to your sale and save you time and effort in hauling things away.

We went to preview a sale last week in a great area.  The home was large and clean as a pin and filled in every room with furniture and furnishings.  As we were given the tour, I noted the furniture being the difficult era to sell, glassware that had been leftover after the family had removed the best pieces and overall an appearance of picked over items in every room.  I commented on a few nicer pieces and was told that one was earmarked for the maid or friend.  I spotted 3 signed Salvadore Dali prints on the wall and felt a sigh of relief only to be told those were not part of the sale.  As we continued our tour I mentioned the jewelry on the table and told again, that was going to be sold elsewhere as well as the coin collection piled up in the garage.  I had to tell her the truth.  I could have looked at my calendar and simply said, "It looks as though we can't fit you in on that date."  But I felt she needed to hear the truth, after all, they were expecting to have a company pay a crew for a week to set up, advertise, park, and conduct a sale on items that are notoriously leftover after a garage sale.  They had variety and volume but no value left.  The result would be that buyers would preview the pictures, not see any interesting items and choose one of the other 20 estate sales or 100 garage sales that day to go to rather than ours.  Without attracting the foot traffic, those hard to sell items wouldn't have a chance. 

Brown Furniture Plague

Busy Bee Moving and Estate Sales in Middle Tennessee

How Trends Affect Our Estate Sale

Week after week I am faced with selling entire contents of homes filled with "brown furniture".  I start by educating my client about the decrease in value of nearly 50% in the past 10 years of their quality name brand pieces.  Pinterest and Youtube are full of ideas for repurposing, chalk painting and destroying the beautiful wood grain, in some cases rare antiques, as this modern craze of monochromatic continues to paint the decorating books in black and white.

What Brown Furniture Does and Doesn't Sell?

My concern is:  What if this trend passes and we are back to the old days of stripping furniture?  You know we've been through this before. The ugly label of "Brown Furniture" has been given to a whole generation of quality furniture purchased by our parents and grandparents in the day when you purchased the best furniture you could afford for your home with no expectation of ever replacing it. Companies such as Broyhill, Bassett and Thomasville or a few of the common furniture companies that still have a heavy presence in the estate sales due to their solid wood construction.

  

Will Antique Furniture Make a Comeback?

Remind me to buy stock in Formby's when it does because I have a feeling it's around the corner.  I shopped a Nashville antique mall this week and noticed NOT ONE quality piece of antique furniture on display.  Everything in there looked like it had been dragged out of the barn or dumpster painted and spit shined in all of its rustic qualities.

Don't get me wrong.  I am a fan of the farm table, tractor seat stools, railroad cart coffee table and who knew how many things could be made from a pallet?  However, we are certainly losing an entire era of finer antique furniture not only in America but throughout Europe as well as collectors are diminishing.

I had a sale this month with a client who insisted I ask prices for her mother's french Louis XVI pieces that I knew would never sell.  She couldn't believe the value of these inlaid wood and rare pieces had decreased even in the 20 yrs. she had had them.  And I sympathized with her as I know they are to be valued in age and quality but the market is just not there.

Should I Liquidate Rare Antiques in Today's Market?

 However, there is hope.  I had a young family call me last week who were purchasing a historic antebellum home in Brentwood, TN. and were given the option to purchase all of the furniture as well for 30,000.  I was delighted to find "millenials"  taking such interest in preserving history and keeping with the style of the home.  After previewing the pieces, or drooling rather, my suggestion was this:  you definitely have 30,000 + in furniture considering the German Grandfather Clock, Louis the XVI bedroom suite, Chippendale dining set, grande piano, etc...BUT... don't think you can liquidate this in an estate sale anytime soon and double your money.  

These pieces have value, stories, historical merit, local recognition and aesthetic brilliance to those who appreciate them.  However, the market is trending in rustics, contemporary and modern at the moment so you have the advantage of scarfing up an incredible buy and enjoying it many years and hopefully when your toddlers are grown will see a new appreciation for them as you pass them on. 

 In addition, I did give her many ideas and pictures of how to incorporate those pieces in an updated decor and marry them into a modern design that will blend them into today's world as they enjoy them for decades to come.  They accepted the deal and I can't wait to see it when they are finished.  If you must liquidate your antiques in today's market, be prepared to take a hit but remember trends are temporary and may be worth the wait.  Meantime, don't destroy it with a can of white paint maybe.

  Busy Bee Moving Sales - https://www.busybeemovingsales.com 615-864-8991 - Estate Sales Professionals in Nashville, Tn.

Let the Estate Sale Company Help You

Busy Bee Moving Sales - https://www.busybeemovingsales.com 615-864-8991 - Estate Sales Professionals in Nashville, Tn.

I write this blog with a heavy heart as I reflect on a recent sale in Brentwood, Tn. and analyze a family's moving sale.  Our 85 year old client died in the yard following our estate sale while hitching the car to the U-Haul to move to their new home in another state.

  Let Go of the Reins and Let Them do Their Job

Our estate sales company specializes in making transitions in life such as moving, estate liquidating and downsizing as stress free as possible.  However, many times I find the client not only allowing us to help but trying to control the process beyond their means.  I retraced the couple's plans and searched for solutions in what I could have done more to have made their move less stressful.

When is it time to turn over the moving to someone else?

The first thing Mr. D said to me when we met was, "I wish she would just let you sell everything we don't need but she insists on taking more than we have room for and I all of this will have to go to a storage unit."  She packed a large library of books for weeks into small boxes and continued to pack clothing and accessories long after what they had room for in their retirement home.  I wasn't sure what he meant by his statement, "Please be gentle with her."  when referring to his wife of whom I later realized was suffering with dementia.  We have had many sales for elderly individuals with the beginning signs of alzheimers  and recognized some symptoms.  Because their memory is often more clear of early past long term memory experiences, they will be more attached to things that associate with those memories thus making it more difficult to let go of them.  Also, their perception of their world becomes more self centered therefore not realizing the strain of their demands on the loved ones around them.  Mrs. N was a victim of both of these.  I don't think she realized her husband of 60 years was unable to do the physical move of a lifetime of collections that she wanted.  She even stated that her children had tried to help and she told them they didn't need any help.  Mr. D continued to drive back and forth 500 miles with a U-Haul and pack more items over a course of 2 weeks. 

I clearly stated they must be moved before we start setting up as the home will be completely transformed as we move and merchandise for the sale.  We also begin work at 7:00 and work quickly throughout the home all day making it uncomfortable for homeowners trying to carry on daily home activities.  Their sale had to be postponed another week because of needed time for another trip.  I received a frantic call from Mr. D after our first day saying everything was missing including, the blood pressure machine, pace maker machine, her medicine etc.  We went over and found the items they were missing.  They clearly had not prioritized in moving the things they needed or organizing them.  We also had to start completely over with setting up as she had repacked and rearranged all the things in the sale.  It looked like we had never been there. 

My contract states that we will mail a check to the client within 5 days of the sale.  Mr. D. did not want his check mailed.  He insisted upon driving back from OK to personally pick up his check.  We had a very successful sale despite the delay and freezing weather delay.  I even sold the car he was trying to sell on his own without success.  I connected them with James a final liquidator to haul away the remains.  James called me crying, "I tried to revive Mr. D tonight but I think he is gone."  My heart goes out to his wife who will not be able to move to the new home or live in the old home due to her health.  I'm not sure what they will do with the many U-Hauls, boats and vehicles at their new home but hopefully now Mrs. N will let her kids help her make decisions and find a home that she can easily manage on her home. 

In Conclusion:
I will continue to try to prepare my clients for the transition ahead and prove myself trustworthy to assist them through the process and relieve some stress associated with a life changing event.  RIP Mr. D...

10 Tips On Selling Your Home Quickly

Busy Bee Moving Sales - https://www.busybeemovingsales.com 615-864-8991 - Estate Sales Professionals in Nashville, Tn.

How do I get my house ready to sell?  I just got an offer on my home,  How do I move before closing?

All of these statements are typical when I talk with a client for the first time.  Many people are unaware of the benefits of hiring a professional company liquidate their personal property before they move.  I have listed the following tips to assist a seller before or after they sell their home.

1.  Staging - Before hauling away all your clutter to Goodwill consider using the revenue you would gain from those small items to assist in your move.  Some realtors will advise as to which furniture should be left for staging and what should be stored or removed in order for your home to "show" better.  An estate liquidator can sell everything except what you need for staging or sell everything and have the realtor stage accordingly through their resources.  Storing your excess in boxes in a garage, pod or storage until the house sells is also an alternative if you choose to have an estate sale after you have received a contract on your property.

2.  Sell Everything - In cases where the home needs repairs, maintenance, flooring or painting, selling it all before putting it on the market may be wise and it gives an older home a fresh new open look. This choice is also a great way to introduce your home to the market as hundreds of people will attend the sale and inquire of the home, possibly leading to a, "For Sale By Owner" opportunity.  Again, you must remove, or store your wanted items and be moved from the property.  These are actually the easiest sales to conduct.  Remember, the moving sales company will sift through everything, separating items and throwing away the trash.

3.   Downsizing - You want to sell your home or just received a contract but haven't moved yet.  How do I have an estate sale if I'm still in the house?  A moving sale company can advise you in what rooms of your home would be best in storing the items you want to keep.  Separating your items will take longer to set up but can be done in order to stay in your house until it sells or closes.  You must be very clear in this case of what does not sell even down to the electronics and appliances.  Remember, if you are still living in the home you may want to keep your refrigerator, washer, dryer and tv.

4.  Cleaning and maintenance before selling:  If you are planning a sale, wait until after the sale to have carpets cleaned and walls painted.  Even the most beautiful homes have dust bunnies and nail holes that can be more easily assessed after the sale is over.  Designate what areas can be used for parking and what areas of the yard need to be roped off.

5.  Removing items to be sold to another location:  In some rare cases, it may be necessary to have your estate sale at an alternate location.  Condos, apartments, gated communities and some Home Owner Associations prohibit estate and moving sales on the property.  In these cases you may need to seek out a company that has those capabilities.  Keep in mind you may be charged a higher percentage or extra fees for relocating your merchandise.  You may also be required to pick up the items that do not sell.

6.  No time to move:  Your dream came true.  The house sold quickly to a cash buyer and they want a quick closing.  Most moving sales companies can do the entire process in a week.  Before they come out to preview, label the items you want to keep so they can assess and staff the sale accordingly.  Communication is the key in a quick sale so be clear in your timeline and list of not for sale items.  Leave a few days after the sale for time to liquidate the leftover items and the final cleaning before the final inspection.

7.  What if we are not able to be there?  Our realtor called and said we sold the house but we are in another state and don't know how we can move in such a short notice.  I have done moving sales in which I never met my client.  They left a key hidden, communicated what to sell over the phone during an on site walk through, had me arrange for the final items to be removed and I mailed them a check.  Some estate sales companies have further services such as hauling, and cleaning as well.

8.  My parents' house needs to be put on the market but we do not have time to get it ready.  Whether you are nearby and able to personally guide the estate sales co. through the process of liquidating your parents house or live many miles away and need someone to do the entire process, it can be done.  With modern technology communication, pictures, video and face time can be great tools in deciding on the best plan to conduct an estate sale for your family.  Check the credentials of the estate sale businesses in the area, ask for references, research their reviews on Yelp, Facebook, and Better Business Bureau.

9.  How to have a garage sale to get my house ready to sell.  Before I moved I held 3 different garage sales and sold the large items one by one on Craigslist and Facebook.  It took the entire summer.  I found that after the first garage sale I had less people come to the following as they recognize the address and think it's the same old stuff.  Craigslist can not only be a bit risky but time consuming as arrangements and no shows leave you hanging.  Items taken to the garage to be sold WILL NOT bring as much as items sold in a home setting.  A moving sale company will provide their pricing knowledge, advertising, email list and materials to sell your items but will expedite the whole process and most likely increase your sales therefore covering their commission as well.

10.  OVERWHELMED:  This is the word I most hear when a client calls me the first time.  For whatever reason, they are overwhelmed with the whole process of selling their home.  Whether you are going through divorce and not able to agree on separating your personal property, cleaning out due to a hoarder situation,  emotionally too attached to deal with liquidating your keepsakes or simply too far away or too busy to deal with cleaning out the home to sell, a free consultation with a moving sale company can give you ideas and a plan to make the process quick and easy.

How to decorate with garage sale and estate sale finds.

Busy Bee Moving Sales - https://www.busybeemovingsales.com 615-864-8991 - Estate Sales Professionals in Nashville, Tn.

Decorating your home from weekend treasure hunting can be not only a smart money saving idea but fun and creative as well.  Start with a plan, make a budget and make some new friends.

1.  Plan and list for the items you are looking for by visiting your favorite home decor websites.  Mine is Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware.  Also plan a timeline for what items you need first and prioritize with your budget in mind.  You will not find everything you want in one weekend so be patient and find places to store your things until you need them.

2.  Research the current prices of furniture pieces you are looking for and know what is a good deal when you find it.  Although you have access to a mobile phone during the yard sale, sometimes a quick decision in a crowded estate sale doesn't give you the opportunity to do ample research.  Often pictures of estate sales are listed on www.estatesales.net and www.estatesales.org before the sale so you can have more time to research a fair market value.

3.  Keep an open mind when shopping that repurposing, painting and easy maintenance may be all it takes to turn that table into the red one on your list.  However, reupholstering furniture is quite expensive.

4.  Take advantage of all the places you can find second hand items.  Local Facebook buy, sell and trade pages are the newest and fastest growing sources of buying used merchandise.  Craigslist, Estate Sales and Moving Sales Companies, auctions, Flea Markets and thrift stores are listed weekly for weekend treasure hunting.

5.  Lastly, a well planned direction of pictures of your items and lists accessible on your phone either in notes, photos or Pinterest album will be accessible while you are on the road and eliminate random buying and an overabundance of items you thought were a good buy at the time.

How your HOA restrictions can effect your estate or moving sale.

Busy Bee Moving Sales in Nashville, Tn.
Before you plan or book an estate or moving sale you should contact your Home Owner's Association.  Our contract requires our clients to sign saying they are in compliance with their current HOA rules and regulations in regard to an estate sale and that any rules stated will be shared with us in order to conduct the sale.  However, are still finding issues with the communication between the homeowner and their Home Owner's Association.  No one wants to spend a week setting, pricing, advertising and working a sale only to be shut down shortly after it begins.

This does not mean you should read over your HOA packet you were given when you bought your home.  My last client read her manual that stated that she was allowed 2 garage sales or yard sales a year and was completely satisfied that a moving sale was permitted.  She was wrong.  The board had revised their restrictions in regard to estate sales since her signing of her regulations to  absolutely no estate or moving sales in their community.  Although we had previously conducted sales in that community, they went unnoticed and were not penalized.  The charge was 500.00 dollars for the sale and they told the homeowner 500.00 an hour unless we shut down.  The homeowner questioned the legality of a revision that was never presented to her and the fact that she had only signed one in which she was in concordance with and was told that they provided updates on their Facebook page.  It hardly seems fair that monetary obligations would simply be presented on a social networking site and not officially mailed to the recipients home address.  We contacted a lawyer to question this practice and they too confirmed that because Home Owner's Associations hold public meetings and vote on rules and regulations that it holds home owners accountable for all updated rules regardless of their efforts to contact the effected individuals.

We finished the sale with a 500.00 fine without any signage (which greatly decreased traffic).  We were also approached several times in  heated arguments between board members and the homeowner in which some information was not in the revised HOA document we found on the internet such as 500. dollars an hour fine.  Even when the home owner refused to pay the fine she was told they would place the fine on the next homeowner.

In conclusion, notifying your HOA board before your sale is necessary as your HOA packet may not be up to date even though your neighbor may have had an estate sale the week before.  HOA rules and regulations are binding by law and they can and will fine you for breaking them.  Although liens and foreclosures take time, they can proceed with legal action if they choose to.  Get involved in your HOA meetings and demand a vote for a moving sale to be allowed in your community even if it states no signage.  Most families need to liquidate some personal property upon selling their home.

Nashville Tennessee Moving Sale

Franklin Tennessee estatesales

Moving Sales in Franklin Tn.

Moving Sales in Brentwood, Tennessee

Estate sale in Bellevue Tn.

Mid-Century Modern is the HOTTEST thing going in Estate Sales

Busy Bee Moving Sales is a Nashville Tennessee Estate Sales Company.

When I started selling antiques 20 years ago, we turned our noses up at the 50's and 60's furniture.  I have heard it called motel furniture, doctor's office furniture and school furniture.  And yes, the simplicity of its design, durability and less is more approach is reminiscent to all of us who remember it from our youth.  Whether it's a decor you like or not, it is here to stay and going forward with potential value for your pocket if you are a dealer.
What should you look for?
1.  Look for quality.  Solid wood in good condition does matter greatly.
2.  Look for a furniture maker and then look for the designer.  Google images of the names you find until you find your piece of furniture.
3.  Danish mid-century modern furniture is in high demand.  Much of it is made from teak wood and very sleek in its design.  Very desirable look for new families.
4.  Search the name in craigslist.org as well as ebay.com and 1stdibs.com to find the value.

My client had no idea this John Widdicomb desk would bring 1200.00 and the upright chest 1500.00.  The value was added by the fact that the designer's name is Bert England and called the Persian design.  It is solid mahogany in a walnut finish with solid brass pulls.

This table brought 600.00 without any chairs and is a Danish design teak wood marked made in Sweden underneath.  It extends with 2 hidden leaves and breaks down into 3 parts for easy moving.

These two tables reeled in the most attention online and at the sale.  With absolutely no marks or tags they are apparent in their modern design to be of significant value.  Furniture designer Harvey Probber was the closest we could find to identify them.  The three drawer chest with silver handles sold for 450.00 as well as the console cabinet.

The mid-century modern rocker was clearly a danish design as well.

Busy Bee Moving Sales sold these Dux travertine top coffee tables in Nashville, Tn. for 800.00 each in January.

Books - Estate Sale finds that can make you money.

Busy Bee Moving and Estate Sales-

Every week people hit the roads in search of the garage sales and estate sales in their area.  Some are furnishing their own homes but many are looking for something to turn.  That is, get it for a bargain and sell it at a profit either online or in an antique booth.  Most dealers have an area of expertise in which they know what to look for but what about the novice that is wanting to get started and not sure what to invest in.  My suggestion is books and here's why.  Books are often found at every estate sale and priced very reasonably.  Also, many estate sales companies do not have the time to research every book adequately before the sale thus missing first editions, signed by the author and rare editions.  If you want to sell on ebay or amazon books are easy to ship and often at a lesser book rate at the post office.  You will need to ask for it but book rates still exist due to the postal service being first started in efforts to spread literacy. 

Remember these points when searching for books.  Not all first editions are labeled as such.  Many will only have one copyright date.  When searching for the value, keep in mind that book jackets are sometimes worth more than the book.  Just because it is old, doesn't mean it's worth more.  And lastly, offer a bulk price for all of the books for a better deal and you may be surprised.

Children's books are a wonderful investment as they are still purchased in hard copies and not digital downloads as adult books are.

Online Estate and Auction Sales - Is it a better idea?

www.busybeemovingsales.com
The new and upcoming rage in the estate sales business has combined the traditional on site estate and moving sale with the power of the internet.  By combining the local personal property, online bidding, shipping or local pick up, an auction platform for pricing, new estate sales companies claim they are going to lead the industry.

After reading several articles on one of these companies in which I will not name as I do not believe in building my business by discrediting others, I decided to try one of these companies out.  I must say I was at first very intimidated.  I saw raving reviews by bloggers that I later found were all contacted by the company to write positive articles about them.  However, another great strategy for search engine optimization as a marketing tool but I couldn't find many reviews from actual unsolicited customers with honest opinions.

I located a sale near my home and drove over to check it out.  There were no signs by the roads going to the sale and none in the yard where the preview was to take place.  Although you can not buy at the property, I think a sign would have helped greatly.  It was closed.  So, I logged onto my computer and found the sale with gorgeous professional pictures, descriptions and an easy online auction format.  I must say, technologically, this company was on top of their game.  I was a little apprehensive to have my credit card number on file for an estate sale company I was not familiar with but I took the chance.

Everything started at 1.00 which I felt was a very risky move but as a buyer, it was great.  I noticed the small items such as coins, jewelry and easily shipped items went up in price quickly.  The larger heavier items, even the BMW car were not getting bids.  I found an old antique radio that only went to 30.00.  I would have priced it at 150. for an estate sale.  However, not having the opportunity to inspect, plug it in, or see multiple angles and up close shots at it, 30.00 is all I was willing to pay.
I had to go back in 3 days to pick up my radio in which I was very happy with.  I noticed the girl working the sale was overcome in paperwork, computer transactions, and a phone.

Overall I had a good experience with my transaction but did not get the entire satisfaction as I would at an on site sale.  Ebay has proven that there is definitely a market for those that want to sit at home and take the chance that what they see in a picture is what they are going to receive as well as paying for that extra shipping.

My setback would be as the personal property owner that chooses an online auction company rather than an auction or estate sales company to sell their estate on site.  This particular company advertises that the average estate sale only gets 7,000. a sale as they claim they can get 27,000. a sale.  I did not see that possibility at all.  And this is why.  Opening up small items to an online auction will give a broader market to that item however, it's often a different customer altogether.  The impulsiveness of the buyer is lost when you have to preview one day, go home and bid, pay for the bid, then schedule to pick it up or wait for it in the mail.  Estate sales usually sale everything in the home including all of those little garage items and grouped or boxed items for the sake of clearing out a home.  I don't see that being a viable option in the online estate auction.  Also,  the BMW sold for 5,000.  Another item more customers would have viewed and considered in a traditional on site estate sale.

Again, technology has changed the estate liquidation business but has it made it better?  Online estate sales will never take the place of venturing out on Saturday mornings and digging through tables for hidden treasures.  The interaction of the buyer and salesperson is an age old custom of haggling that spreads across many cultures.  Pictures on a screen will never replace being able to touch, inspect and interact with the seller about the belongings they are passing along.  My advice is this.  If there is an online estate auction in your area, check it out for the big stuff because you will get a great deal.  If you are looking to liquidate your estate, beware, you may get more selling it straight from your home depending on the merchandise you have.

How to have an estate sale. 10 top tips.

Busy Bee Moving Sales in Nashville, Tennessee

When I am not having a sale I go out and shop both estate sale company sales as well as privately conducted sales by family and friends of the estate.  Below I have listed 10 tips to remedy the most common flaws I have witnessed at these sales.

1.  Advertising - Don't assume everyone has a GPS.  Make plenty of signs with arrows on all major intersections.  Laminate them to eliminate dew and rain damage for the duration of the sale.  Take advantage of Craigslist, and Facebook pages relevant to your sale.

2.  Staffing - The first day at opening is your busiest time so be prepared.  Make sure you have at least 2 people at the register and someone on each floor as well as outside at out buildings.  If you have jewelry or small valuables, you will need someone dedicated to that one area. 

3.  Set Up - Plan carefully for the flow of traffic throughout the home and outside areas.  Lock room doors, place do not enter signs, and consolidate like items to simplify shopping.  Block off hazardous areas.  (I just returned from a sale that didn't have signs on doors so people kept walking out the back door to leave despite the owners request.  I suggested she put up a sign but she said, "but the workers have to go out of it".  Hmmm.  

4.  Pricing - Put a price on everything!  Even estate sale companies sometimes do not mark everything and it discourages me from buying.  If the staff is busy I will often not wait and get a price for an item.  Even grouping items on a table with a single price or displaying signs for clothing, books, toys etc. are great for communicating with the customer and much easier on a very busy staff.  Just make sure the cashier is aware of those signs and prices. 

5.  Appraising - This may be the most common problem with private estate sales or garage sales.  If you are not very sure about appropriate estate sale pricing, find someone to help you with this.  Do not price antiques at the same prices as an antique store unless you are prepared to have some or most of them leftover at the end of the sale.  Do not price items for what they SOLD for on ebay unless it is a rare piece.  Do not let sentimental value determine your pricing.  Look at the item as if you were looking at it for the first time and what you might pay for it at a sale.  Also, do not let the price you paid for the item determine your pricing.  Most things lose value, even if they are NIB.  You should price items a little higher than that of a garage sale if they are displayed neatly inside of the home. 

6.  Merchandising - Don't throw everything away before the sale.  I went to a sale last week that had the largest dumpster I have ever seen outside the small home full to the top as customers stood on chairs to pull salvagable items out.  Purging and cleaning is an important aspect of merchandising a sale but pricing items according to their condition is better than tossing a potentially fixable item.  Use outside areas to display these items and your trash hauling cost may go way down as well. 

7.  Price Reductions - If you have priced it reasonably, there isn't much need in reducing prices at the beginning of the sale.  If someone is buying a large amount or an item you feel may be a hard sell, yes, a 20-30 percent reduction at the beginning of the sale is great.  If you have most customers walking away without buying, you've priced too high and you need to start reducing.  Encourage larger quantity sales by only giving reductions on multiples such as (books 4 for 5 dollars) etc.  Write down the name and phone numbers of potential customers that make offers on larger items such as a car or bedroom suit and call them at the end of the sale if you accept their offer.

8.  Security - Staffing wisely is the key to security but also flow of traffic.  Placing small valuables in clear view of personnel and behind glass will aid in theft.  Be aware of groups of people that may be distracting you.  Control how many people are entering the house at one time to eliminate these distractions.   If the cashier becomes tired, overwhelmed or in a conflict with a customer, relieve them immediately and remove the customer from the line to another location to settle the dispute.  Remove excess cash from the checkout often and lock staff belongings away.  Customers open closets, cabinets, drawers and enter closed off rooms as they curiously shop through.

9.  Parking - Think over the parking for your sale.  Notify neighbors about the sale and ask if they would like a no parking sign in their yard.  Rope off areas that parking may be hazardous and allow staff to park in designated areas as an example.  We have had sales lose money that required customers to walk a long driveway. 

10.  HOAs - Not everyone has a Home Owner's Association but those that do should be well aware of the rules pertaining to estate and yard sales.  Some require advanced board approval and fines given to home owners that ignore these rules. 


I am sure I have left out some very important ideas but these are a few that often get overlooked.  Estate Sales can be lots of work, don't let a simple detail cost you lots of money.  Visit several sales and talk to several estate sales companies before you decide so you can have the most profitable sale you can.