Fine Estate Liquidation, Inc.

Here is an overview of the 30 best estate liquidation questions to ask an estate liquidator, these are some of the best questions I have been asked by executors, realtor’s and attorneys. My goal here is give you a starting point for the interview process between you and an estate liquidator, and make your estate liquidation task much easier.
Note:Some of the sections below have links which will lead you to additional information. Just click on any blue text and you will be redirected to a new page. To get back to this page just hit your back button.

Estate Liquidation questions you might want to ask yourself:

1. What would the decedent want?
2. What does the family want?
3. There are conflicts, how do I address them?
4. What are the first 3 things I should do?
5. How do I find an estate liquidation company in my area?

Tips: At this point refrain from the natural impulse you may have to begin throwing things away.

Thoughts: Some family members will attempt to work out with death what they could not work out in life, so go as easy as you possibly can with your co-heirs.

Phone interview estate liquidation questions to ask:

1. What is your companies set-up and estate sales fees? Are there any debris removal cost? What are your lead time requirements, do you have room on your schedule?
2. How long have you been in the estate liquidation business?
3. What is important to you about your service?
4. How many estate sales a month does your company conduct?
5. What is one of your biggest success stories?

Tips: Ask them if they are insured and licensed, or if they belong to any associations?

Thoughts: You want to find a company that you like, one that you can trust, and one that has a history of providing their clients with excellent estate liquidation services.

Estate liquidation questions to ask: The Interview, and things to notice:

1. Are they well groomed, professional, and courteous? Are they informative and patient answering your questions?
2. How long will the estate liquidation process take? What will be their procedures?
3. Do they take time answering your questions? Do they seem knowledgeable?
4. What sort of security do they provide? How many people will they use to staff your estate sale?
5. How do they handle high value items? Do they send them to an auction, or sell them through estate sales?

Tips: Before the estate liquidator arrives separate the estates valuable items and remember to point them out during their visit. Notice if they seem enthusiastic, clear, and respectful.

Thoughts: People are not their possessions, retain from the estate what is important to retain either emotionally or because it is stipulated in the will - remember once an item is sold it will be difficult or next to impossible to have it returned.

Post sale estate liquidation questions:

1. How does your firm account for each estate items sold?
2. Do you provide a written item by item post sale inventory?
3. How long do you take to reconcile your books and send a check to the estate?
4. What do you do with the estate sale remainders? Do you donate them to charity, if so, do you provide a written valuation and a receipt?
5. Does your company leave the house broom clean?

Tips: Ask for a sample copy of a past estate sales inventory sheet.

Thoughts: If they seem unclear in their answers or if they are impatient, this may be an indication that should a problem occur, it could be difficult to resolve.

Ten other estate liquidation questions:

1. Do they buy items from the estate, and if so, how do they valuate the items they purchase.
2. Are their purchases transparent - in other words do they let you know that they have purchased items from the estate?
3. Do they charge a commission on the items they’ve purchased?
4. How do they handle any cash found in the house?
5. Do they conduct preview sales for dealers?
6. How do they advertise their estate sales?
7. Do they bring in items from outside the house, and if so, what is their system for accounting for the sale of their companies items?
8. How long will the whole estate liquidation process take from start to finish?
9. How did they get in the estate liquidation business?
10. Ask them this question: Are there any questions I have left unasked?

Remember you have other resources:

Ask friends, family members and professionals what sort of questions they wished they had asked an estate liquidation company. Also check back here for further updates, tools, and information.

Take a breath you are going to do great!!!

The following is a list of estate liquidation questions to ask in an interview with an estate liquidation representative.
But before your meeting with an estate liquidator can take place, there are a few preparatory steps it will be most helpful for you to take.
Preliminary Steps Before Interviewing an Estate Liquidator:

1. Do a thorough search of the house. Look for surprises…
2. Make note of all valuables.
3. Decide what is not going to be part of the estate sale.
4. Remove or place sticky notes on items to be retained by the estate.
5. Place valuables and items of interest in plain site so that they can be seen by the estate liquidation company’s representative.
6. Try not to worry if the house is not in perfect order (estate liquidators have seen it all, and the best of them will understand).
7. Write down all of your estate liquidation questions to ask during the interview.

Tips: It is very helpful to have a separate folder for each estate liquidation company containing the following:

• Name and contact information of the estate liquidation company.
• Your estate liquidation questions to ask.
• Pictures of additional items not presently in the house.

Tips: When the time comes, and the estate liquidator arrives, notice the following:

• Are they well groomed, professional, and courteous?
• Did they arrive on time?
• If they were running late, did they call to inform you?

Estate Liquidations Questions to ask after first taking a tour of the house with an estate liquidator.

1. Do we have enough to do an estate sale?
2. Does your company have room on its calendar?
3. How long will the entire process take?
4. Please explain your estate liquidation company’s entire set-up and sales process? How is the house left? What happens with the remainders?
5. How many people do you let into the house at one time? Is your company insured?
6. How does your company determine values?
7. Does your company negotiate discounts with estate sales customers? How does that work?
8. Where does your company advertise its sales?
9. What if I change my mind and want to retain a few items after we have signed a contract? Can we place a reserve on certain items?
10. Please explain your fee structure? Do you provide a post sale inventory of all items sold? How long does it take for your company to settle its accounts, and send a check to the estate?
11. Can we see a sample contract? What makes your company different?
12. We have certain high value items in the house, how will you sell these items?

Tips: Here are some things to notice about the answers to the above Estate Liquidation Questions to Ask section:

• Were the answers helpful, and informative?
• Did the representative seem insightful and knowledgeable?
• Did they seem to address and care about you goals?
• Did they leave a brochure or information folder?
• Ask yourself, “How did these answers to my questions compare to the answers I received from other estate liquidations companies?

Before phoning an estate liquidation company and asking them your estate liquidation questions, take a little time and prepare. Here is a simple pre-phone interview checklist.

1. Check with your Friends, Attorney, Realtor, or Others, for their preferred estate liquidation company referrals.
2. Find at least three different estate liquidation companies in your area.
3. Get a notebook and prepare yourself to take lot’s of notes.

Call an estate liquidation company, and before asking them your estate liquidation questions, give them a little information about your situation.

• Give them your name and let them know the purpose of your call.
• Give them some specifics about what is in the house, noting some of the higher value items that may be found there.
• Let them know what is important to you, and what your timeliness are.

Estate liquidation questions to ask during a phone interview:

1. Does your company work in the __________area?
2. How long has your estate liquidation company been in business?
3. What is your companies turn around time to complete the estate sales process?
4. Can you fit my project’s schedule into your companies calendar?
5. What are your fees? Is there a debris removal fee?
6. Does your company charge any upfront or hidden fees? Is their an initial consultation fee?
7. What sort of security measures does your estate liquidation company use to prevent theft during an estate sale? How many people do you use to staff an estate sale?
8. What is personally important to you about your estate sale service?
9. What is one of your companies biggest successes?
10. Is your company insured, by whom, and what does your insurance cover?

Additional Thoughts and Outcomes:

1. It is best to find an estate liquidation company that you like, and one that you can trust. Ask yourself - Has this person listened and responded with respect and courtesy?
2. It is best to find an estate liquidation company that has a history of providing their clients with excellent estate liquidation services. Ask for and check their references. Ask if they have an estate sale coming up in your area that you may visit.
3. It is best to find an estate liquidation company that understands your particular problems, concerns and goals. This is important. The company you choose will be overseeing the sale of your loved ones personal property.

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You have reached the Fine Estate Liquidation, Inc. up-coming estate sales page. Check back here on Wednesdays or Thursdays for information about our up-coming estate sales.

Moraga Estate Sale

769 Augusta Dr. Moraga, Ca. 94556

Fri. July 11, Sat. July 12, Sunday July 13

10:00am - 5:00pm

Native American Jewelry, Other Jewelry!

Wedgewood China, Limoge China, Good Glass, Crystal chandelier

Some Sterling…

McGuire furniture, Living Room and Bedroom Furniture

Stunning and Rare Asian Style Atmos Clock

Fine Old Paintings by - N. Hagerup, and Other Paintings, Two Luigi Kasimir Prints

Heavy and Original Mexico City Park Bench

Many Collectibles, Many Books, LP’s, Gas Fired Weber Grill, Tons of Great Tools

Mineral Specimens, Lapidary equipment including 2 Faceting Machines, Some Cut and Cabbed Stones including Turquoise, Lapis, and Others…

The World Can Be Found At An Estate Sale

Previous Estate Sales

San Francisco Estate Sale

377 Clipper St. at Castro

Fri. 27 Sat. 28 Sun. 29

10:00am - 5:00pm

This house is packed!!! It is a combination sale with one estate consigned from the top of Nob Hill, with the contents of this fine Clipper St. home.

Fine Art by Elizabeth Higgins, Goodnough, LeRoy Nieman, William Bence, Donald Haug, D. Kuo, Gerald C. Mead, Lois Polansky and Others…

Sterling flatware, Crystal Chandelier, Mid-Century Style Chrome and Glass Coffee Table, Large Granite and Chrome Dining Table, Hand Knotted Rugs, Beautiful Contemporary Furniture, Overstuffed Couches and Chairs, Magnificent and Large Cormandel Screen (18′ long and 7′ tall with 8 panels) Carved on Both Sides, Large Pine Hutch, Leather Club Chairs, Some China and Crystal, Dining Room and Bedroom Furniture - Stearns and Foster King Size Bed, Large Marble Statue of Female Nude, Nic Nacks and Collectibles, Large Chinese Porcelain Fish Bowls.

Many Many Books, Including 84 of the 100 Greatest Books Written, published by the Easton Press, Complete works of Shakespeare Published by the Easton Press - other Easton Press Titles - all of these books are in the best condition and are bound in leather.

100’s of Rock of the 80’s LP’s, and CD’s Star Trek Stuff, Full Kitchen, Full Garage With Many Hand and Power Tools,

San Francisco Estate Sale

36 Miley St

Saturday May 24 and Sunday May 25

10:00am - 5:00pm

Two Bedroom condo that’s packed with stuff for your shopping pleasure. Shreve and Co. Sterling Silver Flatware “Buckingham”, China, Other Sterling, Costume Jewelry, Asian Style Furniture, Wood Screen with brass plaques, Art, Pearls, Victorian Clock,1000 fairly new books, TV, Japanese Woodblock Print, Pottery, Collectibles, Bric a Brac, ETC

New Blog Posting: MY FIRST ESTATE SALE

San Francisco Estate Sale

182 Forest View Drive at the corner of Eucalyptus.

Saturday May 17 and Sunday May 18

10:00am - 5:00pm

Nice Little Estate Sale With: “Francis I” Sterling Flatware, “Chantilly” Sterling Flatware, Much Vintage Rhinestone Costume Jewelry, Furniture, Two Antique Grisaille Paintings, Collectibles, Much Old Linen, Some Vintage Clothing, Set of Spode China, Victorian Naughty Bits, Very Large and Spectacular Shabby Chic Glass Door Bookshelf/Cabinet, 2 Leather Couches (one of them is new), Many Books, Kitchen Items, Garage Items, ETC……

New Blog Post: Estate Sale or Auction?

Our next estate sale will be May 23-25 - In San Francisco - Check back for details on this estate sale

182 Forest View Pictures

Thanks for making our last sale so successful!!!

Our next sale will be the weekend of May 16-18-2008 Stop back for more info.

We should be posting it by Wednesday May 14th.

For more estate liquidation information, follow these links to:

Fine Estate Liquidation Blog

Estate Liquidation Information.com

Below is the beginning of a past sales archive…

San Francisco Estate Sale

594 Lisbon at France

Fri-Sun 10:00am-5:00pm

Large 3 story Excelsior home full of quality Items…! Jewelry, Some costume jewelry, Sterling flatware (service for eight)Romance by the Sea by Wallace Silver Co., Other silver pieces, Limoges China - other china, Fostoria Swirl glass dinner ware, California Pottery, Painted Pottery, Antique, Navajo Rug, Drexl dining room set - House full of furniture, Many collectibles, Jim Beam bottles - Other bottles, 60’s style party “upright piano,” which you just got to see, Books, Auction catalogs, Old LP’s, Linens, Full kitchen, Antique deli style meat slicer, Ephemera, Garage packed with tools - including Rockwell drill press - 2 antique hand cranked drill presses - many hand tools - old wood block planes, Paragon 3 tier w/removable collar kiln, Smaller Paragon kiln, Old games, Sewing machine, TV, Stereo, and more…

For more estate liquidation information follow these links to:

Fine Estate Liquidation Blog

Estate Liquidation Information.com

Fine Estate Liquidation Inc. is the only multi-service estate liquidation company in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are thoroughly and professionally prepared to focus our attention on serving the estate sales needs of our clients.

We offer estate liquidation services to Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Sonoma and Alameda County residents and advise individuals and professionals in different parts of the country on the best ways to maximize the value of inherited personal property.

Estate Liquidation Services:

1. Estate Sales: We prepare, staff, and conduct on site estate sales.
2. Auction Placement: We research high value items, special collections and then place them in appropriate auction houses.
3. Internet Auctions: We use the internet to directly market certain categories of collectibles.
4. Estate Buy-Outs: We provide our clients with a comprehensive estate liquidation buy-out service.

Fine Estate Liquidation Inc. combines these estate liquidation approaches to effectively map out successful strategies which will place your valuables in estate sale markets where they will:

1. Reach the right buyers.
2. Sell in the right time frames.
3. Generate the highest income.

Our Commitments:

1. To obtain the maximum dollar value each item in your estate deserves.
2. To discover any hidden value in items thought to have little or no value.
3. To provide clients with professional estate liquidation services.
4. To follow through on our pledge to act ethically and protect our client’s interests.
5. To provide a smooth house clearing transition and solve the problems of how to organize, market and sell personal property.

IF YOU GAVE OR THREW AWAY 100 ITEMS LIKE THESE, YOU COULD BE THROWING AWAY $8,000 TO $10,000.

Let us do the research to get you the best price.

Give us a call, and Fine Estate Liquidation will give you the same high level estate sale service enjoyed by each of our past clients. Here is what just a few of them had to say about the estate sales we conducted for them…

Thanks you so much for your wonderful service. I was so stressed with getting my grandmother’s house taken care of. Your service was wonderful, not only was I extremely happy not having to dispose of her belongings, but I did not have to experience the emotions of saying good bye once more.

Thanks,

Joanne Jensen Client

“Thanks for the wonderful job you performed in selling the many years of possessions for our family. I interviewed others but you showed your knowledge right off the bat when you recognized certain pieces from across the room. Everything you said would be done was and we received our money and the breakdown sheet in a very timely manner. As far as the clean up went I was very impressed and glad to see the remainder go to a worthwhile charity. I would highly recommend you to anyone in need of your service.”

–Marsha Curd, Client

“My experience with Fine Estate Liquidation was professional, supportive, caring and honest.”

–Tanya J. Hunter, Client

At the completion of the sale, we received a full accounting of total sales revenue during the sale. We were very pleased with the professional manner with which Mr. Codina handled this estate sale.”

–George S. Dolim,
Chairman of the Board, RCH Inc.

“You and your crew took a difficult situation, emptying a house of 55 years of accumulation, and made it look incredibly easy.”

–Michael Carlson and Joan Sullivan,

Prudential Realty “Both the real estate broker and I were pleased with the extensive work you did on completion of the job in leaving the premises so clean.”

–John J. Alkazin, Attorney

Fine Estate Liquidation developed these fees and commissions as ranges rather than fixed values because each estate sale has its own unique circumstances. In general, the higher the income value of an estate, the more likely that the fee for that estate is adjustable.

Standard Estate Sale

27% - 37%

Advertising and Media:

Complimentary

Auction Placement Service:

Fee Determined By Project Valuation

Debris Removal:

By Estimate

Internet:

30-40%

Moving Service:

By Estimate

Commissions and fees subject to change by mutual agreement depending on the circumstances of each project.

Our Internet Auction Placement Service uses eBay and the internet to directly market certain categories of collectibles. These include signed costume jewelry, figurines, old paper, signatures, memorabilia, pottery, art, glass and literally dozens of other categories.

Our internet auction team has had such incredible success with its internet auctions that it has received over 2,500 positive feedback responses. This means that 99.9% of the buyers were completely satisfied! Our clients have benefited as well. We have had great success in getting maximum dollars for items that might seem ordinary to some, but are highly sought after treasures by avid collectors

Here are some examples:

Through on-line marketing, we now achieve access to collectors that were at one time isolated. The internet is an excellent way of contacting various associations and private collectors to make them aware of available merchandise that is unique to their special interest. For example, we were able to sell a HO gauge model train system for $8,000 by contacting various HO Collectors Associations.

An Estate Buyout occurs when an estate liquidation company purchases the personal property portion of an estate for one fixed price.

Estate Buy-Outs are a great option when:

1. The estate needs to generate an immediate income.
2. Heirs and other family members decide not to have a public estate sale.
3. There is not enough time to properly stage an estate sale.
4. Estate items are located in a storage facility.
5. The decedent’s residence is a condominium, apartment or anywhere where estate sales are not permitted.
6. The total value of the estates personal property is not high enough to consign to auction, or engage the services of an estate sales company.

Fine Estate Liquidation offers our clients a complete and comprehensive Estate Buyout Service.

1. We purchase entire estates, special collections, and single high value items.
2. Our specialties include art, sterling silver, old books, fine jewelry, and antique furniture.
3. We will leave the home and the premises broom clean.

We will act responsibly:

We will explain all of your options. If it is economically more advantageous to do an estate sale or if your items will generate higher incomes by engaging our auction placement service, we will let you know that.

Our Buyout Service is a quick and sure way to empty a house - so that you can do all the things you need to put the house on the market, settle other financial matters, and act responsibly on behalf of the estate.

Fine Estate Liquidation’s auction placement service is a powerful estate sales tool unique in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a well organized income producing adjunct to our estate sales process.


Finding high value items in an estate is not that uncommon. When we do, we never attempt to sell those items in an estate sale, instead we selectively place them in an appropriate auction matched to the specialty of the item to be auctioned.

Auction Placement is your best option when:

1. You have interesting items that would benefit from competitive bidding.
2. You have single high value items or special collections.
3. You have rare items too valuable to sell via estate sales.
4. You have items needing national attention and exposure.

Commonly asked questions about our Auction Placement Service.

1. How do you choose the right auction house?
2. Will your company consign all of my property to only one auction house?
3. Do all auction houses produce the same results?

Choosing the right auction house for auction placement is an art. Some auction houses produce better results for certain categories of antiques, while other auctions generate higher incomes from the sale of collectibles or special collections.

We understand how auction houses are specializing, and use that knowledge in deciding which auction best matches the needs of our clients.

Why use Fine Estate Liquidation’s Auction Placement Service?

For the last 12 years Fine Estate Liquidation has provided the answers to the questions above, and has a sterling track record for successfully matching unique property to the right auction house.

We are our client’s best advocate, and have the expertise to navigate through an auction house’s jargon, policies and fees.

Our Auction Placement Service is well coordinated:

1. We will get you the highest monetary value by matching your property to the appropriate auction house.
2. We will be happy to explain the strengths and features of each auction house.
3. We will write up a pre-auction inventory.
4. We will arrange for the packing and safe transport of your property to the proper auction house.

Our Auction Placement Service generates more estate income:

1. By correctly identifying high value items our staff finds in a home.
2. By placing those items in the correct auction house.
3. By negotiating lower fees with auction houses.

A few successes generated by our Auction Placement Service:

1. Landolphi Violin
   $50,000
2. Michael Price Sterling Silver Dress Dagger
   $93,000
3. Percy Gray Painting
   $27,000
4. Gaertner Painting
   $240,000
5. 39 Colt Commemorative Pistols
   $42,147

An estate sale is an in house sales process that liquidates personal property during a three day in-home sales event.

Why choose an Estate Sale?

1. Estate Sales are the best way to maximize the sales price for most personal property found in a home.
2. Estate Sales are the most direct and profitable way to sell personal property to the general public.
3. Estate Sales are an incredibly efficient way to clear a house of possessions and make it ready for sale.

Our initial consultation is free, highly informative and educational.

Our Estate Sale Service is comprehensive:

1. We do everything needed to research antiques and collectibles.
2. We subscribe to all the same “price realized” data bases that auction houses do.
3. We set-up, research and professionally staff Bay Area estate sales.

Fine Estate Liquidation’s positive actions on your behalf allows you the freedom to attend to other, more pressing executor and estate duties.

Here’s how our Estate Sales process works:

1. Our sales are heavily promoted through our website, e-mail list, web blog, and area specific classified newspaper advertising.
2. Our experience, research, and organization setting up and running estate sales, ensures a smooth house clearing transition.
3. Our estate sales are conducted with respect and confidentiality.
4. Our sales are secured and managed by our responsible staff.
5. Our network of loyal buyers reliably attend our estate sales.
6. Our service is professional and dependable.
7. Our policy is to include a sales log with your final statement so you know exactly which items sold, and for how much.

Our service removes everything from the home after the estate sale and leaves the home broom clean.
Give us a call at 415-235-7238, we will be happy to take time answering your every estate liquidation question.
We serve the entire Bay Area including: Marin County, San Francisco, Alameda County, and Sonoma County.