Friday and Saturday, April 3rd & 4th
9:30 to 4:00
Numbers out at 5 the day before.
I hope to see you there!
Here are some items for sale:
Monday, March 30, 2009
SALE THIS WEEKEND! April 3rd & 4th
345 Walton Road in Maplewood
Friday and Saturday, April 3rd & 4th
9:30 to 4:00
Numbers out at 5 the day before.
I hope to see you there!
Here are some items for sale:
Friday and Saturday, April 3rd & 4th
9:30 to 4:00
Numbers out at 5 the day before.
I hope to see you there!
Here are some items for sale:
Saturday, February 28, 2009
What is an Estate Sale?
Wikipedia has a nice defination and explanation of what we do at an estate sale:
An estate sale or estate liquidation is a type of garage sale, yard sale or auction to dispose of a substantial portion of the materials owned by a person who is recently deceased, or who must dispose of their personal property to facilitate a move.
Reasons for an estate sale
The most common reason for an estate sale is the death of the property owner, and the consequent need to quickly liquidate that persons belongings. The survivors may have no interest in the bulk of the personal belongings left by the deceased, or may simply lack a place to keep those belongings. Where the survivors of the deceased cannot agree to the disposition of tangible property, a court may order those goods to be sold in an estate sale with the proceeds to be divided between the survivors. Such a sale and division may also be mandated in the will of the deceased.
An estate sale may also occur because the property owner will be moving into a situation where they will be unable to keep their property - for example, a move to an assisted living facility, a retirement community, a rest home or other living quarters.
Conduct
Estate sales are usually conducted by a professional, for a percentage of the revenues. The liquidator may also charge the estate back the costs to give said sale, including but not limited to advertising, marketing, research, labor, security, refreshments and other fees incurred in giving a successful sale. The presence of a professional liquidator may be necessary because the scope of the process is likely to be overwhelming to the survivors. Furthermore, the liquidator often has a tremendous loyal following of dealers, collectors and public. They may be familiar to buyers who have been coming to their sales for decades, and trust that they will price wisely and fairly and steer them toward finding their niches within each collectors realm, and for the specialist's knowledge and experience with pricing antique items, and general value knowledge of all types of household goods and personal property value, his or her following of customers, and the specialist's experience in disposing of unsold goods in an unsentimental manner after the run of the sale. These professionals often times take a percentage of the net proceeds anywhere from 20-50 percent due to their ability to double or even quadruple the gross sales outcome by their organizational presence.
Estate liquidators, when professional, honest, hard working and diligent can not only make the families or executors and heirs plenty of extra monies in giving a successful sale, at the same time a seasoned professional can often manage to keep all items out of too full landfills and dumps while managing to recycle and bring unwanted fairly worthless items into the hands of a second part of our poor community who wants and needs the dregs of most estates and can re home them rather than waste or bury them under dirt. Antique and collectible dealers use estate sales as one of their more important wholesale sources. Estate sales are typically 1 to 3 days long, often with a price reduction toward the end. It is becoming more and more of a trend on the west coast that on the last final day of the given estate sale, with the family's or executor's permission, all leftover items are advertised and given away for free to limit the amount of waste in any given purging situation. Sometimes this can result in an empty house and less burdened landfill. Moreover, estate sales are being used to redistribute households where families have lost their ability to pay mortgages and are losing their homes to foreclosures.
An estate sale or estate liquidation is a type of garage sale, yard sale or auction to dispose of a substantial portion of the materials owned by a person who is recently deceased, or who must dispose of their personal property to facilitate a move.
Reasons for an estate sale
The most common reason for an estate sale is the death of the property owner, and the consequent need to quickly liquidate that persons belongings. The survivors may have no interest in the bulk of the personal belongings left by the deceased, or may simply lack a place to keep those belongings. Where the survivors of the deceased cannot agree to the disposition of tangible property, a court may order those goods to be sold in an estate sale with the proceeds to be divided between the survivors. Such a sale and division may also be mandated in the will of the deceased.
An estate sale may also occur because the property owner will be moving into a situation where they will be unable to keep their property - for example, a move to an assisted living facility, a retirement community, a rest home or other living quarters.
Conduct
Estate sales are usually conducted by a professional, for a percentage of the revenues. The liquidator may also charge the estate back the costs to give said sale, including but not limited to advertising, marketing, research, labor, security, refreshments and other fees incurred in giving a successful sale. The presence of a professional liquidator may be necessary because the scope of the process is likely to be overwhelming to the survivors. Furthermore, the liquidator often has a tremendous loyal following of dealers, collectors and public. They may be familiar to buyers who have been coming to their sales for decades, and trust that they will price wisely and fairly and steer them toward finding their niches within each collectors realm, and for the specialist's knowledge and experience with pricing antique items, and general value knowledge of all types of household goods and personal property value, his or her following of customers, and the specialist's experience in disposing of unsold goods in an unsentimental manner after the run of the sale. These professionals often times take a percentage of the net proceeds anywhere from 20-50 percent due to their ability to double or even quadruple the gross sales outcome by their organizational presence.
Estate liquidators, when professional, honest, hard working and diligent can not only make the families or executors and heirs plenty of extra monies in giving a successful sale, at the same time a seasoned professional can often manage to keep all items out of too full landfills and dumps while managing to recycle and bring unwanted fairly worthless items into the hands of a second part of our poor community who wants and needs the dregs of most estates and can re home them rather than waste or bury them under dirt. Antique and collectible dealers use estate sales as one of their more important wholesale sources. Estate sales are typically 1 to 3 days long, often with a price reduction toward the end. It is becoming more and more of a trend on the west coast that on the last final day of the given estate sale, with the family's or executor's permission, all leftover items are advertised and given away for free to limit the amount of waste in any given purging situation. Sometimes this can result in an empty house and less burdened landfill. Moreover, estate sales are being used to redistribute households where families have lost their ability to pay mortgages and are losing their homes to foreclosures.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Tips on Attending an Estate Sale
Maybe you are an old pro at attending estate sales, but if you haven't been to one, you may be intimidated. What would you like to know? Ask us some questions!
At the very beginning of the first day (and sometimes the second day) of the sale, you may see a long line of people.
Some of these people are dealers and very serious about getting a first crack at looking at the offerings in this new sale.
It's okay for you to be there, too! Most dealers may be going quickly from sale to sale and this is "work" for them, but most are courteous and friendly people as well.
Look around or ask if there are numbers or a sign in sheet. We like to put out numbers. Then, at precisely the time mentioned in the ad, someone will come to the door and say, "Numbers 1 through 10" or "1 thru 25" etc. The reason for this is that sometimes the entrance or the house is small. We need to control the amount of people crowding into a small area so no one gets hurt and so we can see what is going on.
We put small valuable items in cases and we may have a person just to stand by those items.
Some estate sales put the numbers out the night before and some at a specified hour in the morning. This way people can come and get a number and then sit in the car, or go get coffee.
If you don't care about rushing in during this first moment, then wait 20 or 30 minutes and you can probably stroll right in. Sometime around 11 a.m. or noon things usually get very quiet if you want to really have time and room to look around. I am always surprised at what great treasures are found even at the very last minute of the sale. Some people think things will be all picked over by the second day, but I have a theory that, especially in some sales, the first layer of things may be gone, but they just reveal more treasures underneath in the next layer! Also, there just may not be anyone looking for what you are looking for and then you are in luck. When I am shopping, I like the end of the day because, if I find something, it is often a very good price as the sellers start to realize that it may be left over.
If you don't see an email list out by the door, ask if they estate sale sends out email notices. Sometimes we have special previews or special sales we don't even advertise! If you would like to be on our email list, contact us over on the right and ask to be added.
At the very beginning of the first day (and sometimes the second day) of the sale, you may see a long line of people.
Some of these people are dealers and very serious about getting a first crack at looking at the offerings in this new sale.
It's okay for you to be there, too! Most dealers may be going quickly from sale to sale and this is "work" for them, but most are courteous and friendly people as well.
Look around or ask if there are numbers or a sign in sheet. We like to put out numbers. Then, at precisely the time mentioned in the ad, someone will come to the door and say, "Numbers 1 through 10" or "1 thru 25" etc. The reason for this is that sometimes the entrance or the house is small. We need to control the amount of people crowding into a small area so no one gets hurt and so we can see what is going on.
We put small valuable items in cases and we may have a person just to stand by those items.
Some estate sales put the numbers out the night before and some at a specified hour in the morning. This way people can come and get a number and then sit in the car, or go get coffee.
If you don't care about rushing in during this first moment, then wait 20 or 30 minutes and you can probably stroll right in. Sometime around 11 a.m. or noon things usually get very quiet if you want to really have time and room to look around. I am always surprised at what great treasures are found even at the very last minute of the sale. Some people think things will be all picked over by the second day, but I have a theory that, especially in some sales, the first layer of things may be gone, but they just reveal more treasures underneath in the next layer! Also, there just may not be anyone looking for what you are looking for and then you are in luck. When I am shopping, I like the end of the day because, if I find something, it is often a very good price as the sellers start to realize that it may be left over.
If you don't see an email list out by the door, ask if they estate sale sends out email notices. Sometimes we have special previews or special sales we don't even advertise! If you would like to be on our email list, contact us over on the right and ask to be added.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Thoughts on Moving
Yesterday Kim Martins and I helped a friend with selling some things she wanted to sell before moving. It was a warmish day, but rainy and damp. Since she is on a busy street there was drive by traffic and people stopping in throughout the day. Since she asked for help just a few days ago, we didn't advertise in the paper.
When we were low on customers we helped pack some since the movers are coming on Tuesday.
At the end of the day we boxed up what items looked like someone could use for the Vietnam Vets to pick up on Monday, and we threw some items away. My friend came in a few times and asked for a specific item or two back. We retrieved a couple of items, but mainly we tried to shoo her back out of the room so she couldn't see what we were throwing away. My friend admitted that it is very hard for her to throw anything away because she feels it is wasteful. I understand this feeling. It is much easier for me to see what someone else needs to throw away then what I need to throw away! You can rest assured that if I am throwing something away, it really needs to be thrown away. It's chipped, it's taped, it's outdated (think cassette tapes), it's spoiled, it's really junk!
I felt tired but energized at the end of the day. For one thing, I like meeting people. Like the two guys who drove up from Jersey City to South Orange looking for Sonny's Bagels on South Orange Ave.
I also came home with the idea of pretending that I am moving and looking at my own things through this lens, "Would I want to pay someone to move this? or should i let it go?" I really, really want to simplify my own life with less stuff around. Of course, with a 4 year old and an 11 year old there is still a lot of interest in little tiny plastic things around here, but I still could sneak somethings out past them if I use resolve.
I also need to throw a few things up on eBay. To keep your eBay Trading Assistant title, you have to sell 5 things a month and I have fallen out of the habit.
I've handed out almost 250 business cards in the past couple of weeks. I'm looking forward for the little seeds I've been sowing to start sprouting up and bearing fruit. I've been getting positive feedback to the name MT House.
Okay, I'm going to go get a big industrial trash bag and throw some things away around my house now!
When we were low on customers we helped pack some since the movers are coming on Tuesday.
At the end of the day we boxed up what items looked like someone could use for the Vietnam Vets to pick up on Monday, and we threw some items away. My friend came in a few times and asked for a specific item or two back. We retrieved a couple of items, but mainly we tried to shoo her back out of the room so she couldn't see what we were throwing away. My friend admitted that it is very hard for her to throw anything away because she feels it is wasteful. I understand this feeling. It is much easier for me to see what someone else needs to throw away then what I need to throw away! You can rest assured that if I am throwing something away, it really needs to be thrown away. It's chipped, it's taped, it's outdated (think cassette tapes), it's spoiled, it's really junk!
I felt tired but energized at the end of the day. For one thing, I like meeting people. Like the two guys who drove up from Jersey City to South Orange looking for Sonny's Bagels on South Orange Ave.
I also came home with the idea of pretending that I am moving and looking at my own things through this lens, "Would I want to pay someone to move this? or should i let it go?" I really, really want to simplify my own life with less stuff around. Of course, with a 4 year old and an 11 year old there is still a lot of interest in little tiny plastic things around here, but I still could sneak somethings out past them if I use resolve.
I also need to throw a few things up on eBay. To keep your eBay Trading Assistant title, you have to sell 5 things a month and I have fallen out of the habit.
I've handed out almost 250 business cards in the past couple of weeks. I'm looking forward for the little seeds I've been sowing to start sprouting up and bearing fruit. I've been getting positive feedback to the name MT House.
Okay, I'm going to go get a big industrial trash bag and throw some things away around my house now!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Who is MT House?
MT House is 2 friends who have been doing Estate Sales, Yard Sales, Staging, and Clean Outs for about four years.
I (Kristen) am an artist and art therapist. I have been making embroidery and quilt designs for apparel textiles and licensing. I enjoy working on house sales because it is social rather than my solitary art making. I work with my friends, meet and get to know a new family, and wheel & deal with the folks who come to the sales.
My parents dragged me to thrift stores and flea markets all through my childhood. I have fond memories of dressing up in evening gowns my mom bought at a thrift store. She also bought rhinestone jewelry there for .25 cents each (she says, you should have seen the pieces that were .50 cents)! She still has the jewelry and it has appreciated in value as many pieces are signed and quite valuable.
Since I read non-stop, i soon started buying comic books and books, then in my tweens and teens i discovered vintage clothing and jewelry (hey! it was the 70's)! In my twenties I collected quilts, ceramics, and odd things that captured my fancy.
I am so happy for eBay and other ways to sell things so I can collect more things!
We are working on getting some sales going soon, so I hope to be posting photographs of treasures we have available any day now!
If you are a family looking for help downsizing, or selling your parent's home, we would love to meet you!
Kristen
I (Kristen) am an artist and art therapist. I have been making embroidery and quilt designs for apparel textiles and licensing. I enjoy working on house sales because it is social rather than my solitary art making. I work with my friends, meet and get to know a new family, and wheel & deal with the folks who come to the sales.
My parents dragged me to thrift stores and flea markets all through my childhood. I have fond memories of dressing up in evening gowns my mom bought at a thrift store. She also bought rhinestone jewelry there for .25 cents each (she says, you should have seen the pieces that were .50 cents)! She still has the jewelry and it has appreciated in value as many pieces are signed and quite valuable.
Since I read non-stop, i soon started buying comic books and books, then in my tweens and teens i discovered vintage clothing and jewelry (hey! it was the 70's)! In my twenties I collected quilts, ceramics, and odd things that captured my fancy.
I am so happy for eBay and other ways to sell things so I can collect more things!
We are working on getting some sales going soon, so I hope to be posting photographs of treasures we have available any day now!
If you are a family looking for help downsizing, or selling your parent's home, we would love to meet you!
Kristen
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