{"id":1561,"date":"2017-06-13T08:33:55","date_gmt":"2017-06-13T14:33:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/estatesales.org\/university\/?p=1561"},"modified":"2017-06-13T08:33:55","modified_gmt":"2017-06-13T14:33:55","slug":"how-to-handle-hoarder-estate-sales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/estatesales.org\/university\/how-to-handle-hoarder-estate-sales\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Handle Hoarder Estate Sales"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hoarding is a serious mental disorder that manifests differently with each case. The Mayo clinic defines hoarding<\/a> as \u201c<\/span>a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them. Excessive accumulation of items, regardless of actual value, occurs…often creating such cramped living conditions that homes may be filled to capacity, with only narrow pathways winding through stacks of clutter.”<\/span><\/p>\n

One fact of conducting estate sales is holding hoarder sales. While some estate sale companies<\/a>\u00a0refuse to take on hoarder sales, many liquidators feel it\u2019s a part of the job, or at least part of paying one\u2019s dues. Estate liquidation is first and foremost a service people need, and denying all hoarder sales is a good way to lose out on potential cash, treasures, and future clients.<\/span><\/p>\n

That said, holding an estate sale for a hoarder is not for the faint of heart. Any newbie stepping into a hoarding situation should get educated on what hoarding is. Heeding advice is also wise, especially from liquidators who have been through the hoard and lived to tell the story.<\/span><\/p>\n

We talked to a few estate sale companies over the phone and on our Facebook Group Page at\u00a0Estate Sale Company Network<\/a> to find out the best tips on how to handle hoarder estate sales. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Hoarder<\/p>\n

Initial Interview<\/span><\/h2>\n

You can tell a lot from the initial consultation. Prospects can tell a lot about you, too. This is your chance to assess what type of hoarder you’re dealing with. Every hoarding situation is different, and just as various clients require different soft skills (a gentle touch, tough love, a sense of humor, a ton of patience) so does dealing with hoarders. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoarding is a very unique mental illness. . . Just from my experience in all the years of doing it, and how many different hoarding situations I have had, they are all very very different. \u00a0You have your everyday filthy hoarder \u2014 you go in, there\u2019s paper, trash, filth \u2014 \u00a0it\u2019s a hazard. <\/span><\/p>\n

You have the hoarder that is just actually a collector and there’s stacks and stacks and stacks and stacks, They can\u2019t even get to it, and they don\u2019t even know what they have,\u201d said Dixie Haley Brewer of\u00a0<\/span>In Your Wildest Dreams Antiques, Consignments and Liquidations. <\/a>\u00a0Brewer\u00a0<\/span>specializes in hoarder estate sales.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are people who are hoarders of good stuff \u2014 hundreds of thousands of dollars of stuff, but have no use for the stuff! So it can go from one end of the spectrum to the other,\u201d Brewer said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Knowing the types of questions to ask in the initial meeting is important. If you\u2019re dealing with a mediator, executor or family member, chances are they’ll acknowledge the hoard and want to do what they can to cover costs. <\/span><\/p>\n

In some cases, however, family members may be in denial about the hoarding situation and this could be a red flag. Use the initial consult to feel out the situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some questions to ask:<\/span><\/h3>\n