When homeowners begin interviewing estate sale companies, one of the first questions they often ask is: “What percentage do you charge?” That is an understandable question, but it may not tell the whole story. Estate sale agreements can be structured in different ways. A straightforward household, a large collector estate, or a property requiring extensive research, staging, staffing, or cleanup may involve very different amounts of work and financial risk. For that reason, t

One of the hardest questions surrounding an estate sale is also one of the most understandable: What happens if the sale does not bring in as much money as the family expected? There is no reliable formula that can predict exactly what an estate sale will produce. A home may contain attractive furnishings, collectibles, jewelry, household goods, artwork, tools, or other property, but the final result depends on what buyers are actually willing to pay. Understanding that befor

Homeowners interviewing an estate sale company often focus on one question: What percentage do you charge? That is an important question. But there is another question that may be just as important: After the sale is over, exactly how and when will I receive my money? A Houston-area news investigation provides a troubling example of why homeowners should understand that process before an estate sale begins. KPRC 2 reported on several families who said they entrusted an estate