Many times we’re brought in to handle an estate sale — sometimes through an Estate Tag Sale, sometimes through Auction. The principles are the same: the more work that’s done upfront, the fewer costs you’ll face, especially if you choose the tag‑sale option. A little preparation can dramatically reduce expenses and increase your final margins.

Hiring a professional estate sale company can save you a tremendous amount of time and effort. But that convenience does come with a cost. You’ll pay a portion of the proceeds as a commission sometimws 40% to 60%, and depending on the items, 100%. For many families — especially when the items aren’t theirs or they’re dealing with the loss of a loved one — that fee is worth it. It allows them to focus on the emotional and logistical challenges of selling a home, relocating, or settling an estate while the professionals handle the heavy lifting.

THE MAGIC LIST

More often than not, a traditional real estate broker is focused on one thing: selling the house. And to do that quickly, many will recommend clearing everything out — even if that means tossing valuable personal property.

1. Do NOT go to a real estate broker first.

That is a disservice to you, and it undermines their fiduciary duty.

Why?

You’re trusting your broker to maximize the value of the real estate. Many brokers overlook the value of personal property entirely. Thousands of dollars in items can be thrown away simply to speed up the listing. We have seen anywhere from $4,000 to $60,000 of valued goods in a house simply take a ride to the landfill.

That money could help settle probate expenses, cover closing costs, or increase the estate’s final distribution.

2. Do NOT go to an estate tag sale company first either.

Before you hire anyone, you need to understand exactly what they do.

Some companies only sell the good items and leave the junk behind. Some remove trash but don’t handle donations. Some sell everything but leave the house in disarray.

You want a company that can:

• Remove trash
• Sell quality items
• Coordinate donations for leftovers
• Leave the home clean, vacuumed, and ready for the real estate broker

Why?

You’re trusting your personal property to a company that should maximize your return. The real estate often brings in more money than the personal property — but the personal property can support the estate by covering closing costs, probate fees, and other expenses that appear late in the process.

3. Prepare early — especially when a loved one is terminal.

Families often hope for recovery, and sometimes that hope delays necessary preparation. But once doctors say a condition is terminal, it’s time to begin gathering what you know you’ll need.

Find these documents immediately:

• Wills
• Insurance policies
• IRA and retirement documents
• Deeds
• Titles
• Banking information
• Safe deposit box keys or access codes

Go through every box. Important documents often end up at the bottom, and families accidentally throw them out without realizing it.

4. Do NOT wait months to enter the property.

As soon as possible, remove:

• Food
• Trash
• Medications
• Guns
• Controlled substances
• Anything that can rot, mold, or attract pests

Why this matters

When families wait months, several problems occur:

• Trash begins to rot
• Doors get forced open
• Squatters live in the home
• Houses get ransacked
• Weapons disappear
• Criminals target the home

Criminals read obituaries. They know how to find vacant homes. Released felons are given a tablet or a Chromebook and a cell phone, and can get emailed alerts like everyone else. A monitored, visited property is far less likely to be targeted.

Selling quickly prevents:

• Criminal activity
• Overgrowth and property deterioration
• Accumulated carrying costs (taxes, HOA, utilities)
• Indoor maintenance issues (paint, pests, moisture)
• Required repairs under traditional real estate contracts

Selling at auction avoids many repair requirements entirely, whereas the Traditional Realtor will want to re-do kitchens, bathrooms, and other high dollar renovations that commonly do not get a return on the renovation cost. Don’t fall for the “If you spend $6,000 you will get $8,000 in returns,” the NAR, Zillow, and Redfin data does not show that you ever get that back, if at all.

5. Use the Three‑Pile System

You don’t need to physically move items — just label them.

• Blue Tape — Family
• Green Tape — Sell
• Red Tape — Trash

• If a family member wants it → Blue
• If no one wants it → Green
• If it’s broken, unsafe, or on the “not accepted” list → Red

All mattresses not sealed in intact plastic get red tape immediately.

Once blue‑tape items are removed and red‑tape items are trashed, you’re ready for professionals.

6. Call a company that handles BOTH the estate sale and the real estate.

When you hire a team that can do both, you gain:

• One point of contact
• A streamlined process
• Better coordination between personal property and real estate
• Often, a commission break.

This is the most efficient, least stressful way to manage an estate.

Final Thought

When you look for a solution, remember this:

Everything But the House should be Everything Including the House.

A single coordinated team protects your time, your money, and your sanity — and ensures the estate is handled with dignity from start to finish.