Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Estate Sale?
Estate Sales is an on-premises sale of the contents of an estate. It is not an auction or a garage sale.
What should you expect from an estate sale provider?
- All Minnesota Estate Sale Liquidators must be Bonded
- A provider who will sign a contract, contracts are not just for the estate liquidator but also for you. They protect you by communicated price and work to be completed
- A provider who will clearly convey all of the aspects of their business
- Interview 2 or 3 providers before making a decision
- Check for workers comp and liability insurance.
- Check for business legitimacy on sites, such as: BBB and Secretary of State of MN/Business- https://mblsportal.sos.state.mn.us/Business/Search
- Most Estate Sales will not charge you upfront. The cost of the sale will be taken from the proceeds of the sale. If you are being charged up-front for fees, be clear what the fee is for so you understand why you are writing a check
- https://www.estatesales.net/help/choosing-a-company
Why do I need an estate sale company?
Yes, people can do their own estate sale. However, a legitimate company will drive business to the estate sale thus increasing your ability to sell more.
What kind of price can I expect?
That will depend upon many factors, such as:
- The contents of the sale
- The type of sale - is it an estate, online auction or both
- The difficultly of the setup
- The difficulty of working with the owners
- Clean out or not
Taxes - do I need to pay taxes on the estate sale?
That will depend upon the type of sale and where the sale will be held, check with the State Department of Revenue.