Estate Sales – Fast, Efficient, and Beneficial

At the end of April, I sat down with Susan Roddy, owner of Caring Transitions of Appleton, to talk about Estate Sales. Susan’s company helps seniors in the Fox Valley prepare for a move by providing personal assistance with downsizing, moving, new home set-ups and estate sales.

In talking with my clients and friends who have considered moving themselves or a loved one to Senior Living or a smaller home, there is a hesitance to make a change or downsize due to the quantities of valuable “stuff” they have collected and stored in their homes over the years. Knowing that a move will necessitate dealing with the items, it’s simply avoided. Most people believe they must tackle the downsize on their own; giving away items, selling, donating, and disposing. At the end of the day, the task becomes too overwhelming to deal with.

That is where a professional estate sale coordinator comes into play. The estate sale company will provide the soup-to-nuts clear-out of the home while respecting the owner’s emotions and values.

Rather than needing to spend countless months digging through boxes full of “memories” and making difficult decisions, the homeowner can hand-select their most treasured valuables and essential items, move to their new home, and let the estate planner quickly and efficiently tackle the clean-out. The folks at Caring Transitions keep an eye out for family photos, heirlooms, and cash, setting them aside for the family to make decisions about how to handle those sensitive items.

The best estate sale organizations should be insured, bonded, and do background checks on every employee. They should have access to a large database of potential clients known to have an interest in specialized items. The estate sales that generate the most cash are online sales, where the success of the sale is not dependent on who actually attends on the day of the event, the weather, the season, or even geographic location.

Estate sale professionals like Caring Transitions are experts in knowing which items in the home will sell at auction (furniture, firearms, cars), which are best donated (clothes and books), and what items are left for disposal.

Getting one’s home emptied out and ready for sale quickly can save thousands of dollars in utilities, taxes and other maintenance. While an estate sale will typically be completed in 3 weeks, families on average will spend 9 months emptying a home on their own, incurring untold expenses over that time.

Consider the services of a quality estate sale professional to quickly empty a home that needs to be sold, and reduce the stress on the senior and their family.  I know I’ll be talking with my clients about this amazing option.

By Michelle Graf, Owner CarePatrol Fox Cities with Susan Roddy, Owner of Caring Transitions of Appleton