Fine Estate Liquidation, Inc.

Loss and making decisions about your estate is never easy.

At our last estate sale, someone asked “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for a new post on Valetta’s corner.” I remarked that I had just been too busy, which was the truth, but not the whole truth. The truth is, I kind of dropped off the face of the earth, at least it felt like that. You see, last December I lost my best friend of thirty years. It was sudden, and I was completely and utterly devastated.

Caring for my friend became my one, and only priority. I literally stopped doing anything else.

Steven asked me to take on the responsibility for seeing to his wishes, and for making sure that his health care decisions were followed. He did this by executing an Advance Health Care Directive. I was honored, and I respectfully accepted. This document is extremely important. One, that each and everyone of us should have… like yesterday.

This document allows you to name a family member or trusted person to make health care decisions for you; should you be unable to make them for yourself. In other words, you are legally enabling this person to be your advocate.

My suggestion is that you specify your wishes as clearly as you can in this document.

Your number one goal is to ensure that your wishes are legally made known to various institutions by this person - which gives your wishes the greatest chance to be honored. The Advance Health Care Directive form is easy to understand, simple to fill out, and puts your future health in the hands of a person you trust. The consequences of not having a document such as this, are too numerous to mention.

Without it, your advocate will have no authority. Take this action as soon as it is possible on behalf of those you love, and this includes yourself. Why Leave it in the hands of the courts? For more information visit Nolo Press.

Here is a great site to help you develop a Critical Action Plan.

At the time that Steven first got sick he did not have a living trust, or will. He and I had spoken for many years about the importance of him having a living trust, but like a lot of people, he said, “Who wants to plan for dying, when we’re so busy just living.” However, he also knew that his health was deteriorating, so the  importance of forming and finalizing his plans became evident.

It became extremely important for Steven to have his affairs in order.

Steven quickly chose a trust attorney, and within days he had his living trust and will prepared. Steven was one of the lucky ones, he had enough time to complete his living trust - not everyone does. The consequences of dying without a Living Trust, Will or an Advance Health Care Directive are dramatic, stressful and complicated.

Steven felt comforted by the knowledge that someone he trusted would be there to carry out his final wishes.

These documents are about:

1. Your Authority To Direct Your Affairs.
2. Making Your Wishes Legally Known.
3. Having Your Voice Carry On After You Have Departed Or Become Incapacitated.

The most important question to ask yourself, the one that will put you well on your way is - Who do you want and trust to be your advocate - to make these important life, and after life decisions for you?

Steven had a wonderful sense of humor. One day he said to me “It’s a good thing you’re an estate liquidator, because I’m going to need one.” We laughed, and joked some more about the incredibly diverse world of estate liquidation.

Although I had worked with executors in liquidating many estates, I had never realized just how important and rare the conversation I was having with Steven was. Here I was on the other side of the fence, looking at the whole process through a different set of eyes. It gave me a new found respect, and a deeper understanding and appreciation for what an executor goes through, especially if it’s the estate of a loved one. It is an extremely emotional roller coaster ride - a ride you don’t want to take alone.

I wrote this story about my friend Steven with the hope that more of you will realize the importance of having your affairs in order. It not only honors you and your wishes, it also empowers your loved ones with all the necessary documents and tools to carry out your final wishes.

I dedicate this post to my best friend, Steven Richard Beck, who was born in Brooklyn, New York on September 15, 1939, and died in San Francisco, with me by his side, on December 20, 2007

My name is Valetta Ciarla and I am an estate liquidator who will always love her job.

I leave you with this Sarah McLaughlin song “In The Arms Of An Angel”

Our most recent estate sale was in the Richmond district of San Francisco. And I have to say it was a very exciting and an exceptionally diverse sale. Because we consign items from other estates, this two story house was packed with an array of eclectic treasures; Russian Icons, Taxco silver, Outsider Art, marble mantel clocks, antique Samovars, fine art, sterling silver, books, china, and much much more. This sale had what all estate sale customers want - something of interest for everyone.

Here are some of my personal favorites:

A box of ephemera dating back to the 1930’s and 40’s: vintage gas station maps; old AAA trip tiks, vintage Russian sheet music, postcards, old photos, letters. To make things easier for our staff and for the buying public we priced each of these items separately. When a local paper dealer spotted the ephemera he was in heaven and wanted to buy the entire box. I should also mention that our client saw no value in these “old papers and photos” and had placed them in a part of his basement that was his “to be thrown away corner.” So a word of caution to anybody who is cleaning out a loved ones estate - what you consider trash quite likely has value to someone. The above paper pile sold for in excess of $500.00.

A collection of vintage California license plates dating from 1928-1939 were really cool and in excellent condition, and it made an enthusiastic dealer really happy to find them.He also fell in love with a unique Russian sterling silver cigarette case which had a repousse dragon lid, and had a cabochon cut amethyst clasp. He didn’t really deal in silver, he just really liked this piece and decided to buy it for himself. He could have used his resale number, but as a testimate to his integrity he chose not to. He was more than willing to pay the tax. Touché for him.

On the last day, a woman arrived at our estate sale. I immediately saw a magical and delighted sparkle in her eyes as she looked at seventeen original hand-colored aquatint engravings by Samuel Howitt (1756-1822). These graced the walls leading up the staircase to the second level of the house. They were exotic drawings dramatically depicting a variety of African hunting scenes. She asked if this was our entire set, or had we sold a few. I explained that this was indeed our entire set, and although people had expressed an interest in buying just one or two, we chose not to break the set up. She told me that it was her birthday, and she had found the perfect gift for herself; a series of engravings by an artist she admired.

I just love seeing the excitement in dealers’ and collectors’ eyes when they find their much sought after treasures…. It’s magical.

My name is Valetta Ciarla. I work for Fine Estate Liquidation and I love the magic of my job.

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Guide

The lady in the Mink

It was the first morning of an estate sale. As with most first mornings, it was hectic. It had taken us four days to prepare this sale, and we had completed pricing over a thousand items, but there were still a few special pieces left to be priced.

Our estate sale was opening in ten minutes. It was crunch time. I hurried to the back room to price a full length mink coat, a short leather jacket with fur trim, and several mink shawls and stoles.

I then finished pricing some exquisitely designed Lalique vases and bowls. My personal favorite was one which was decorated with an array of finches. They appeared to be flying in formation around the bowl. It was truly an outstanding piece of Lalique. I heard the front door open and the first fifteen shoppers were let in and the sale began.

The sale was bustling along and a few hours later I relieved a fellow staffer who was working at our check out table. There were people in line with their baskets filled with treasures. My attention was focused on logging these sales into our computer. I looked up and saw a tall, sophisticated older woman, wearing the full length mink coat and holding the Lalique finch bowl that I had priced earlier. “Good Morning” I said ‘You’ve picked out some beautiful pieces.” She smiled and handed me the Lalique bowl. I turned it over to verify the price. There was a price sticker on it for $40. So I asked myself, “Did we just have a 90% off sale that I wasn’t aware of?” I didn’t think so.

I nicely explained that there must be a mistake and that I had personally priced that bowl at $575. “Well”, she said, the price on it now says $40. I informed her that while the both of us might not have any idea how the wrong price got affixed to this bowl, it in fact, had the wrong price. I showed her where I had earlier marked the price at $575 with an indelible marker. She shook her head with mocked surprise and somewhat indignantly said, “That’s too much.” She then took off the mink coat, and handed it to me. And then I noticed for the first time, that the price for the mink coat had also been changed. It now read $25. Wow, only $25 for a full length designer mink coat! There must have been another 90% off sale that somehow I missed.

I looked out the window, watching this tall sophisticated lady get into her brand new Mercedes and drive off down the road. I wondered to myself “Is she off to another estate sale?”

My name is Valetta Ciarla. I work for Fine Estate Liquidation, Inc. and there’s never a dull moment in my job, that’s why I love what I do, and tomorrow there will be more tales to tell.

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Guide

At a recent Estate Sale I worked in Corte Madera California; was the lifetime accumulation of plants of an elderly woman. She loved plants and her home was filled inside and outside with her carefully tended collection of cactus, succulents, perennials, annuals and orchids.

Being a lover of orchids, I was in awe, when I saw one of the largest potted cymbidium orchids I had ever seen. This large Cymbidium had been planted in a wooden barrel and had over a hundred magnificent brown and golden flowers shimmering magnificently in the bright sun of the day.

I thought - “That if at the end of our sale this glorious orchid plant was still available for sale, I would buy it.”

But, on the morning of the first day of this sale, two gentlemen came in and said they wanted to buy the orchid plant. Bummer I thought. They then proceeded to tell me an endearing story about the friendship their Mother had had with her neighbor next door. They had been friends for fifty years and although his Mother no longer lived next door, she still thought from time to time (somewhat enviously) about the cymbidiums still growing in her old friend’s backyard. Her son said, “This cymbidium has huge sentimental value to my Mom”. She had stated to her son; “that of all the stuff in her old friend’s house, the one thing she wanted, and the only thing she wanted was the cymbidium.

This story brought tears to my eyes and I was thrilled that this cymbidium was going to a friend of the estate, who had a very special attachment to it. I must admit I was also relieved that I didn’t have to figure a way to get this extremely heavy potted cymbidium home.

This woman’s son and his friend labored for over two hours transporting this huge orchid from the backyard, down a narrow path, and into the back of their truck; the planter fell apart; there was dirt everywhere, but they managed this task with good cheer and accomplishment. It was a true labor of love. They then came back and kindly swept up all the dirt and with brilliant smiles on their faces, they said

“Thank you, so very much”

This is one of the many highlights of my job; when people are so kind and so honoring of a loved one. Bye glorious orchid, I know you’ll enjoy your new home.

My name is Valetta Ciarla. I work for Fine Estate Liquidation, Inc. and I love my job

415-235-7238

http://www.finesf.com/

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Guide