Estate-sale articles often tell shoppers what to look for. Sometimes they tell buyers what to avoid. A recent Southern Living article, “6 Estate Sale Items That Aren’t Always the Bargain They Seem,” warns shoppers to be cautious with several categories, including upholstered furniture, baby items, electronics, incomplete games and puzzles, expensive items whose value claims are difficult to verify, and purchases made simply because something appears to be a bargain. The artic

A recent estate-sale listing described a “picker sale” where much of the property had not been fully priced or thoroughly sorted in advance, allowing buyers to search through the home and make discoveries as they shopped. Picker sales are not new, and they are not automatically a problem. In some situations, they can be a practical choice. A family may need to clear a property quickly. A house closing may be approaching. There may not be enough time for a traditional multi-da

Can a Homeowner Control the Price of Items at an Estate Sale? A homeowner may own every item in an estate sale, but ownership does not necessarily mean the homeowner can determine what buyers will ultimately pay. That distinction can become one of the most difficult parts of an estate sale. A family may have strong feelings about a particular dining set, painting, wedding dress, handmade piece of furniture, collection, or other possession. They may remember what it originally