Antiques Business Advice

26 Aug

Posted by Anna Category: Uncategorized

antiques business advice
Can antiques dealer give me advice on estates buyers?

I’m starting to work on selling items in my parents’ estate. I contacted an estates dealer/auctioneer I found in yellow pages (they weren’t registered with the Better Business Bureau). The dealer said they auction some things and have a consignment store for others. I met with this guy at my sisters’ house where the items are located. He went around looking at things that were visible. We sat down afterwards and agreed to work in stages as far as picking up things. He said he’d come and start picking up things in a truck next week. He didn’t pull out any papers, as far as an agreement as to what I would get and what they would get. I called him the next day on his cell phone and his office the next day. He still hasn’t returned my call. The guy in the office explained everything, but I expected the auctioneer I initially met with to return my call. I’m starting not to trust him. I know there are some sleazy companies out there. Any advice?

Yes. Becareful of estate buyers many try to trick you into selling out for pennies on the dollar and use your grief to hoodwink you. If they are legitimate they should give you a written offer or consignment agreement and be up-front and open about everything they plan to do (i.e. will they haul off everything or just take the furniture and leave you with alot of little things to clean-up, etc….). Auctioneers are licencensed in some states so you may want to find out if theyare in your state and ensure you are dealing with someone who is licenced but even that just means they follow the letter of the law, lots of room for bad stuff that is still legal. There is never an excuse for being unresponsive, you may want to look elsewhere. Get referrals if you can from people who have worked with a liquidation company. Or, consider liquidating yourself with www.craiglist.org. Have your own estate sale, just put it in the newspaper. If there are antiques, etc. have an appraiser come out and tell you what things are worth – ask for an hourly rate. For a quick sale, just price everything 50% below what its worth.