Many people have been in this situation before: an older relative is downsizing or passes away, and you wind up with items that look like they might potentially be valuable, or they might be worthless junk. Especially when these items hold no practical or emotional value for the new owner, it can be tempting to give them away or simply toss them out. However, it’s worth thinking twice before doing so—you may be richer than you think!
How do you know if it’s trash or treasure?
Determining whether your recent acquisitions may be valuable can be a challenge, and it’s not one you’ll want to try to handle on your own. In fact, professional appraisal services in Maryland will likely be more valuable to you and yield better results than hours and hours spent scouring the Internet.
However, if you aren’t ready to dive into the process of finding a trustworthy appraiser, there are some useful steps you can take on your own to educate yourself regarding the items you now possess. It’s important to keep in mind that, if you dig deep enough, it turns out there are markets for all kinds of things you wouldn’t expect to hold much value. Even items of relatively recent vintage can have devoted collectors. Unfortunately, at the same time, not everything old is automatically a valuable antique.
To get a better sense of what you have in your possession, do some research online or in antique price guides. You can also visit local dealers and inquire about the value of specific items, but be sure to be clear that you aren’t interested in selling—at least not yet. When you’ve decided that you want to have a clearer idea of the value of the items, that’s when you need to call an appraiser.
What does an appraiser do?
An appraiser is a certified professional who provides an educated, well-informed opinion on the value of a piece of property. The opinion is based on research, an understanding of the current market for the property and, ideally, years of experience in the field. Using the services of an appraiser can offer a realistic, and occasionally quite pleasantly surprising, estimate of the value of those old items you suspect might be valuable, but for which you have no use.
One important thing to recognize about appraisals is that they lose their value over time. In the event that you’ve held onto your items after an appraisal and considerable time has passed, the market for your items may have undergone major shifts. Having them reappraised is the safest bet in this situation.
When you’re faced with the problem of not having a use or desire for inherited antiques or collectibles, but you don’t want to be kicking yourself later for throwing them out, it’s time to seek out appraisal services in Maryland. A qualified team like Jane Campbell-Chambliss & Associates, LLC can help determine whether those items you just don’t know what to do with are worth hanging onto, selling or just getting rid of altogether.