One of the most common sources of tension between homeowners and estate sale companies can begin with something that seems simple: A family decides to remove additional items after the company has already evaluated the estate or entered into an agreement. From the homeowner’s perspective, the reasoning may be understandable. A relative changes their mind. Someone decides they want a piece of jewelry, a painting, a tool collection, or a piece of furniture. The family may think

One of the first questions homeowners ask an estate-sale company is: “What percentage do you charge?” It is an understandable question. Families want to know what the service will cost and how much of the sale proceeds they will receive. The problem is that a percentage by itself does not tell the whole story. Estate-sale companies do not all provide the same level of service, and no two estates require exactly the same amount of labor, research, staffing, advertising, securi