Estate sales usually accompany a major life change—a death in the family, divorce or a cross-country move, for example. Because estate auctions are most likely to happen during periods of emotional unrest, it’s often challenging to think about hiring an estate sale company with a clear head. Exercising extreme caution while choosing the estate company that you’d like to work with, however, can help you ensure that you’re making the right decision and working with an estate company that has your best interests at heart.
Often, if you’re having an estate sale, you have a limited amount of time that you can spend before you need your items gone. That’s why it’s advisable to conduct your research in advance, and have an estate auction company in mind before you find yourself truly needing one.
Choosing the right company offering auction services in Maryland can be challenging, but here are a few simple tips you can follow to help you make the right selection:
- Conduct research: The first thing that you should do is conduct a thorough amount of research regarding all of the estate sale companies operating in your area. You should carefully analyze their policies and their reputations, and be sure to identify a company that seems capable of meeting all of your needs.
- Check references: You should check the references and reviews of the company that you think you’re going to hire for your estate auction. The reputation of an auction company determines its ability to draw in a crowd, so you should check reviews from both sellers and buyers alike.
- Ask for accreditation: The estate sale company that you’re working with should carry all of the necessary state and local licenses, as well as industry association memberships.
- Check the marketing strategy: You should have a thorough understanding of the marketing strategy used by the company providing your auction services in Maryland. You should be able to count on them to provide you with a quality marketing strategy designed to bring out a strong showing.
- Interview the appraiser: Ask lots of questions of the appraiser and the auction company staff. You should feel totally confident with your decision to hire this company to perform your estate auction. If you’re second guessing your decision after interviewing the staff members, you should probably move on with your search.
- Ask for a contract: The estate sale contract clearly outlines the charges levied by the company performing the auction, and outlines a range of potential outcomes. You should always ask to review the contract prior to agreeing to work with an estate sale company.
Since 2008, Jane Campbell-Chambliss & Associates, LLC has been a premier provider of auction services in Maryland. You can count on us to provide you with quality estate sale services designed to liquidate your unwanted assets and provide you with the best possible return on your investment. To learn more about our appraisal strategy, or our sales marketing strategy, reach out to one of our friendly representatives today.