How to Have a Successful Estate Sale

We’ve pulled together a list of commonly sold items followed by some things you definitely should not give to other people second-hand.

What to Sell

Like a garage sale, you can sell most things at an estate sale. Here are some common items to sell:

• Jewelry
• Artwork
• Clothing
• Antiques
• Furniture
• Appliances
• Silver and china
• Household items

Just because something is outdated or not traditionally seen at a sale doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find a buyer. Here’s a list of items you might not have thought to sell:

• Cars, trucks and campers: You can sell any vehicle if its title is clean. Check with your local authorities to see which documents you’ll need to sell it. If a vehicle is sold on behalf of a deceased person, special rules and forms may apply.
• Computers: Believe it or not, even if it’s a dinosaur, you might be able to find someone who wants your old desktop or other electronics. Just make sure the hard drive is wiped clean.
• Firearms and weapons: Depending on the piece and state laws, you may be able to sell weapons. Make sure to do some research before adding them to the sale. Sellers should go through a Federal Firearm Licensee (FFL) when selling a firearm to ensure a safe sale.
• License plates: Old license plates are great collectors’ items that can be worth a pretty penny. The older the plate, the more you can charge. Some go for as much as $500.

What Not to Sell

• Liquor: You need a liquor license to sell any form of consumable alcohol and could be fined if you do make a sale.
• Cribs and Car Seats: While buying used baby clothes is a great way for families to save money, used baby gear may compromise the child’s safety. Infant care requirements for things like cribs and car seats change frequently and you don’t want to be liable if something breaks.
• Used Helmets: For the same reasons as cribs and car seats, used helmets that have been through a crash or are outdated may not be safe. They should not be sold at estate sales.

However, most items probably aren’t worth as much as you’d think. When it comes to putting a price tag on everyday items, make sure to mark them lower than the current retail value. Keep in mind: people attend estate sales to find a bargain. Even if you think you’ve marked a fair price, be ready to haggle. Regular estate sale-goers aren’t afraid to negotiate, but it’s up to you whether or not you want to accept the offer. You can always make a verbal agreement with a customer to sell the item at the agreed upon price if no one buys it at the original cost.

Remember the point of an estate sale is to sell everything. This means you’re putting a price tag on every last item in the home. Save yourself some time by bulk pricing. Instead of labeling every book, display them in a bookshelf and hang a sign that says, “All Books $2.” It’s also a good idea to keep some stickers or tags handy to mark large items as sold if they’re too big for people to carry around with them as they look.

A good way to make sure things sell is to reduce their price as the days of the sale go on. Try this pricing scale:

• Day 1: Full price
• Day 2: 25% off
• Day 3: 50% off

This is not an easy task, but try to put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. What would you pay for this second-hand item? When all else fails, consider hiring a professional.

Use this estate sale pricing guide to get the most out of your sale:

Check the Item’s Condition

You probably would expect a discount if a tea set was missing a saucer or if a table had a few noticeable scratches, so assume a customer would, too. Consider not selling something if it’s broken, if there are several missing pieces or if it’s not functioning properly.

Know What’s Desirable

The more in-demand something is, the higher you can price it. Is it a popular brand, signed by a well-known artist, a collectible or highly unique? Keep these questions in mind when deciding how much it’s worth.

Consider the Time of Year

If you’re trying to sell camping gear in the winter, you probably won’t be able to sell it for as much as you would in the summer when it’s in demand.

Do Some Research

If you’re not sure what something is worth, the best way to figure it out is to see what other people are selling it for. Even appraisers and estate liquidators do similar research. Try these tools to figure out appropriate pricing:

• Visit other estate sales if you have time.
• Explore EstateSales.org and EstateSales.net.
• Search Google by description to find similar items.
• Check online sites like Craigslist, eBay and Facebook Marketplace.
• See if vintage items are listed on Replacements.com or Antiques Roadshow's appraisal archive.

Now that you’re prepared for your sale, think about the rules you want to enforce. Perhaps the most important rules are how many people will be allowed inside at once and how will you decide the order of people who enter. The general rule of thumb is to use a first come, first served policy. An alternative is using a number system, similar to the DMV.

How the Number System Works

• Give out numbers a few hours ahead of the sale so people don’t have to wait in a long line when you open.
• Start calling numbers when the sale officially begins.
• Customers must be somewhere in line (not necessarily in order) when their number is called, otherwise, they’ll have to wait at the end of the line.

Weekends and mornings are usually the most popular times for estate sale shoppers, so try and aim for Saturday or Sunday mornings if possible.

As for the best season for estate sales, this can be irrelevant for most sellers; after all, if you're moving or closing out a loved one's home, getting rid of their things can be a time sensitive process.

There's no real answer to this question, but if you have the luxury of choosing when to hold the sale, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• If you’re going to utilize outdoor space, make sure to plan around weather conditions.
• Weekends and mornings are usually the most popular times for estate sale shoppers.
• There is more competition with other estate and garage sales in the spring and summer seasons.
• If the items lend to the character of the house, it may be beneficial to hold the estate sale while you’re trying to sell the home.
• Have the estate sale before listing the house if you’d rather have an empty home to sell.