All the companies we spoke with agree, once they step foot into a home, they \u201cget a feeling\u201d.<\/p>\n
Some homes have a good, positive vibe about them, while others may have an \u201ceerie\u201d feel.\u00a0 Either way, they are there to do their job, and focus on providing the highest quality service, and best value for the items they are selling.\u00a0 Or is it more?<\/p>\n
Estate Sale Business Communication<\/h2>\n
Communication before, during and after an estate sale is one key elements involved in the estate sale process, but no one ever expects to communicate with a person who is dead, or do they?<\/p>\n
Years back, long before she owned an estate sale franchise<\/a>, Simone Kelly owned and operated Grasons Co Estate Sale Services in Orange County, CA.<\/p>\n When she showed up to inventory a home she was hired to liquidate by an out-of-state family member, her employees hadn\u2019t arrived yet.<\/p>\n Alone in the home, and waiting for her team, she decided to begin the inventory process in the upstairs bedroom.\u00a0 The home and master bedroom belonged to a lady that passed away a few months back.<\/p>\n \u201cThe bedroom looked perfectly tidy as if no one had used it in a very long time.\u00a0 I wanted to empty the dresser drawers and begin organizing.\u00a0 I opened the first dresser drawer and saw a hand-written note\u201d said Kelly.<\/p>\n The note read \u201cYou have no business being in my room, get out!<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n As you can imagine, this caught her by surprise, knowing that the lady of the home had passed away, yet she is clearly communicating directly at her.<\/p>\n \u201cThe hair on the back of my neck stood a little\u201d, Kelly continued. \u201cDrawer after drawer, each had a hand-written note that stated the lady\u2019s wishes.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t touch anything, it\u2019s not yours!<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n As a compassionate estate sale business owner, Simone Kelly found herself apologizing out loud and comforting a lady she never met by assuring her that she will take good care of her items, and is there to do her job.<\/p>\n Later when the team arrived, and began staging the estate sale<\/a>, they realized the owner had been moved to the downstairs bedroom, and she had a security camera system<\/a> she monitored near her bed.<\/p>\n She must\u2019ve worried about caregivers getting into her personal belongings, and had someone place the notes in the drawers and closets of her room.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t help but relate to the people and their spirits in the home, we are all human and headed in the same direction.\u00a0 If we want to be honored at the end of our lifetime, it\u2019s important we do the same now.\u201d\u00a0 Said Kelly.<\/p>\n A few states over, in Arizona, Marie with Cameo estate sales<\/a> recently found herself communicating out loud by apologizing and comforting the spirit of a lady named \u201cJune\u201d while setting up her estate sale.<\/p>\n \u201cMy employees and I were in the process of organizing the sale, this sale had an abundance of clocks, every clock you can possibly think of was on the mantel.\u00a0 As we were organizing, we started chatting.”<\/p>\n I said, “Why would anyone have so many clocks?” A few minutes later someone else would say, “Who would need this many clocks?” or “Can you imagine how loud they must be when they chime?\u201d.<\/p>\n Marie continued, \u201cWe all froze quiet staring at each other when we saw one wooden clock fly feet away off the mantel all by itself.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t on the edge, it was behind other smaller clocks, it simply didn\u2019t make sense.\u201d<\/p>\n I loudly said, “I\u2019m sorry June, we didn\u2019t mean anything by it, we\u2019ll take good care of your clocks”, and continued with our estate sale staging process<\/a> very quietly.<\/p>\n When the sale began, a few of the shoppers would ask if anyone lit a cigar in the house? A distinctive smell of a lit cigar would come and go.\u00a0 The neighbor stopped by and Marie couldn\u2019t help but mention this phenomenon she and her estate sale business team experienced.<\/p>\n The neighbor explained that June loved her clocks, her children didn\u2019t care for them and always wanted her to get rid of them because they were loud and often chimed at the same time.<\/p>\n The neighbor also told Marie that June\u2019s husband who passed away 15 years ago, was a heavy cigar smoker, but he never lived in this house<\/strong>!<\/p>\n The estate sale industry is filled with people that are compassionate, and emotionally in touch with the clients they serve because they experience such a variation in personalities and situations.\u00a0 Their work is performed in the center of our most personal space, our home.<\/p>\n They don\u2019t experience fear when faced with these situations, it only confirms to them the importance of respecting and honoring people whether they are dead or alive.<\/p>\n Vivian Duplant, a certified appraiser, and co-owner of\u00a0\u00a0Estate Sales America in Austin, TX<\/a> with her son Logan Duplant.\u00a0\u00a0Estate Sales America has performed over 600 estate sales across Texas and Louisiana, and after 17 years in the industry, we thought for sure she has a great story to share.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery estate sale is an adventure, but some are more adventurous than others!\u201d said Duplant.<\/p>\n One of those very memorable adventures was \u201cThe Castle\u201d, located in Houston.\u00a0 It\u00a0was quite large, and required 3 weekends to sell.\u00a0 Due to the amount of time it required to setup, her team decided to spend a few nights on location.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, my goodness, the comfortable Louis XV beds provided no rest when the darkness fell.\u00a0 Ungodly sounds were coming from every dark corner and corridor\u201d said Duplant.<\/p>\n Her team came running down the hall clinging to each other with fear, and yelled \u201cDid you hear that?\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0They quickly decided to band together and fall asleep on the sofas in the Parlor downstairs.<\/p>\n \u201cThe creeks, flutters, scratches, knocking noises, and I\u2019m pretty sure I heard moans, they were terrifying!\u201d continued Duplant.<\/p>\n In the early morning hours, everyone peeked their heads from beneath the blankets, they vowed to work the setup quickly and look for accommodations nearby.\u00a0 There was no way they’ll spend another night there.<\/p>\n She continued. \u201cEach one of us started working quite efficiently, Wanda was working on her laptop with her back to the fireplace when Aunt Dot strangely whispered \u201cWhat is that?\u201d as she began slowly moving towards Wanda and staring at the fireplace screen behind her.\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone was trying to figure out what the “black dots” were all over the fireplace screen.\u00a0 Needless to say, it didn\u2019t take them long to figure it out.\u00a0 \u201cOh my goodness, bats!\u201d said Duplant.<\/p>\n Everyone spent the night thinking they are safe and protected under their blankets while the bats were flying all around.\u00a0 That was the one and only night they spent at the castle\u00a0or any other setup for that matter.<\/p>\n The estate sale industry does a great job of honoring those that have passed, they respectfully organize, price, and sell their items to new families, however, when the estate sale professional is hired to conduct a liquidation sale for the living due to a divorce or downsizing they are faced with a different set of challenges.<\/p>\n Stacie Boerger with Best Sales by Boerger<\/a> in Fayetteville, Arkansas says \u201cAsking the client to choose what to keep and what to sell is one of the first, and most important steps in the estate sale process\u201d.<\/p>\n Many people do fear letting go of items because they feel that a piece of them is missing, or they won\u2019t have enough of what they may need.<\/p>\n Even when a client thinks they are ready for an estate sale, they still struggle with the fear of letting go.<\/p>\n \u201cI tell my clients to focus on the positive.\u00a0 Focus on what comes next, whether it\u2019s retiring to a new location, traveling, or making room for new things in their life.\u00a0 Letting go is not an easy task, but sometimes holding on is much harder and heavier.\u201d said Boerger.<\/p>\n On many occasions, parents are upset when they downsize, and their children do not want to keep any of their items.\u00a0 To them,\u00a0 it\u2019s \u201cpartially letting go\u201d, and they are hurt.\u00a0 It’s a way of dealing with their fear of letting go but also keeping it in the family.<\/p>\n \u201cI remind the clients that objects do not represent their memory, and with an estate sale we are able to recycle those items into a new family that will build new memories.\u201d said Boerger.<\/p>\n The fear of letting go is harder for some, it\u2019s something they cannot overcome no matter how hard they try, it\u2019s no wonder hoarder estate sales<\/a> account for a large percentage of liquidation sales in the U.S.<\/p>\n As an estate sale industry professional<\/strong>, it\u2019s important to relate, communicate, and help the client along the way while they\u2019re overcoming the fear of letting go.<\/p>\n Steve Maraboli<\/a>, an author and speaker recognized as a leading voice in the field of Business, Peak Performance Mindset, and Human Behavior says,<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you let go, you create space for better things to enter into your life.\u201d<\/p>\n All you can do is try to remind the client of that while they\u2019re struggling to overcome their fear of letting go, the rest is up to them.<\/p>\n Guilt plays a big part when the children of a deceased parent hires an estate sale professional to hold a sale.<\/p>\n \u201cWe encourage children to keep items of sentimental value, but if that sentimental item is a set of china, and they have no room for it, they are overwhelmed with guilt as if they are letting their mom or dad down.\u201d said Boerger.<\/p>\n She continued\u00a0 \u201cI am always patient in these situations, and I assure them they have every right to keep the item, but the memory of their loved one is not in a set of china, but rather in their heart and the moments they shared together when their parents were alive.\u201d<\/p>\n Stacy Carver<\/a>, publisher of be more with less, and author of Soulful Simplicity, a book focused on how \u201cLiving with less can lead to so much more\u201d says that if an item is important to you but you can\u2019t keep it, take a photo of it, so you can enjoy the memory of the item without having to store it.<\/p>\n Most children will eventually overcome the guilt, and include items in the sale they originally intended to keep or felt guilty about, especially when they realize that estate sales, when professionally conducted do honor the memory of their parents and recycle the items their parents cherished into the life of new families.<\/p>\n \u201cWe recently had a sale where a shopper was thrilled to find a particular Wedgwood Fine China pattern<\/a> to complete the set her father gave her before he passed, I make sure and share stories like that with my clients at the end of each sale to assure them that what we do is done with compassion and care\u201d said Boerger.<\/p>\n Quite often, greed plays its evil part in the estate sale process, an experienced estate sale planner<\/a> knows how to handle the situation when faced with it.<\/p>\n Once an estate sale contract<\/a> is signed between the client and the estate sale company, that contract clearly defines the responsibilities outlined between the parties that signed it and no one else.<\/p>\n Childhood friends, loving neighbors, long-lost cousins, or siblings will sometime appear out of nowhere during the sale and cause havoc like ghosts in the night.<\/p>\n Many estate sale companies<\/a> have endured threats, verbal abuse, and disruption of their sale when a greedy family member or friend suddenly shows up feeling entitled to the items at the sale.<\/p>\n Greed is one of seven basic character flaws or \u201cdark\u201d personality traits.\u00a0 Everyone has the potential for greedy tendencies, but in people with strong fear of lack or deprivation, greed can become a dominant pattern.<\/p>\n While it\u2019s their job to sell the items in the home at the highest value, and protect their clients interest, it\u2019s an ongoing battle and a balancing act between client, family members, and shoppers.<\/p>\n Keeping everyone happy while maintaining their good reputation requires finesse.\u00a0 Veteran estate sale professionals know this, new estate sale companies will learn it quickly.<\/p>\n Often times, those family members will attack the companies on social media or leave them negative reviews because they didn\u2019t get their way.<\/p>\n Estate sale professionals aren\u2019t robots, they are also human that have experienced losses, death, divorce, downsizing, and every possible life-changing situation their clients experience.<\/p>\n Many of the successful estate sale professionals understand the balance and know that this industry requires a strong whit, heart, compassion, and a lot of patience.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t think for a moment that their experience makes them become easier and more forgiving, but rather stronger and resilient with a focus on doing what\u2019s right for their client.<\/p>\n Now that we\u2019ve covered the dark, and ghostly side of estate sales, there are many stories that will warm your heart and give you an appreciation for the estate sale professionals and your own life.<\/p>\n Have you visited a local estate sale lately<\/a>? If not, we highly recommend you do.\u00a0 Whether you\u2019re a spiritual person or not, when you walk into a home filled with personal possessions, you can\u2019t help but self-reflect.\u00a0 \u201cThis will be me or someone I love someday\u201d.<\/p>\n In the unregulated world of estate sales, there may be a few bad apples, but overall, estate sale professionals value their reputation and understand that the business of estate sales isn\u2019t simply about selling people\u2019s items for profit.\u00a0 It\u2019s about providing a service that helps the living and honors the dead.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we define ourselves by objects that surround us, once those items are gone, so is our memory.\u201d\u00a0 Going to an estate sale will remind you that this life we live is precious, and one that we must enjoy to the fullest.<\/p>\n We must not allow objects to define who we are, but the relationships and memories we build along the way are everlasting.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re starting a new estate sale business, you should know that whether the industry itself is regulated or not shouldn’t matter, but regulating your own business is a must in order to last.\u00a0 Reputation in this business is key, and bad news travels fast.<\/p>\n While there are many topics that will help you start by teaching you the estate sale process, provide you with an estate sale contract, and even teach you about staging, and marketing an estate sale<\/a>, there are some things in the estate sale industry that cannot be taught.<\/p>\n Not sure if it\u2019s Karma, or spirits that successful estate sale businesses believe in, but it\u2019s knowing that while they may be in a home to hold an estate sale for a client today, someday they will be the client.<\/p>\n An estate sale professional with morals will always conduct themselves in the compassionate, and professional manner they expect for themselves someday.<\/p>\n We value our network of estate sale companies and want you to get involved.\u00a0 Have a tip, subject or idea you’d like to share or hear more about? Leave us a comment below, or email us so we can research and deliver or share your topic with others.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/eso-wordpress.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/university\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/21151505\/clock-from-arizona-estate-sale-business.jpg\")
![\"Estate](\"https:\/\/eso-wordpress.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/university\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/21151501\/The-Spooky-Castle.jpg\")
The Spooky Castle<\/h2>\n
![\"Fear](\"https:\/\/eso-wordpress.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/university\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/21151504\/fear-and-greed-in-the-estate-sale-industry-e1506976888577.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe Fear of Letting Go<\/h2>\n
The Guilt of Letting Go<\/h2>\n
Evil Greed in the Estate Sale Industry<\/h2>\n
Good Spirits in the Estate Sale World<\/h2>\n
Let Your Estate Sale business Shine!<\/h2>\n