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”

Model KN590

5′ 8″

Serial # YG0130435

Matching Bench

Circa 2000

This is an extraordinary and incredible piano that is in pristine condition. Its black lacquer surface is shiny, and it has no sun fading.

If you have been waiting to find the perfect piano, this is the one!

It has a beautiful warm tone that will likely remind many of a Steinway. With the Piano Disc System you will also be able to sit back and listen as the piano literally plays itself.

Its Piano Disc System will allow the piano to play itself either with a floppy disc or a CD!

This Piano to be sold this weekend, at an estate sale located at 1900 18th Ave, San Francisco, Ca.

Asking Price: $10,500.00

Martin Codina
Fine Estate Liquidation
415-235-7238

This post is about two aspects of the estate sales process.

1. Finding an estate liquidator.
2. Conducting your own estate sale.

Finding an estate liquidator:

There are a number of successful ways to find an estate liquidator.

1. Estate Sales.Net This is the number one way to find an estate liquidator in your area.
2. Craigslist Do a keyword search for estate sales in your specific area.
3. Yellow Pages.Com Enter your city and use estate liquidation as your category.
4. Google Enter your city name and the keywords estate sales or estate liquidation.

Always ask your attorney, Realtor, or friends for their recommendations.

Questions to ask an estate liquidator:

Fine Antique Jewelry (Click)

Here is a link to my main website Fine Estate Liquidation, look to the right side bar, and you will see a set of links to a list of questions to ask an estate liquidator. I deliberately refrain from giving the answers to these question out of respect to my readers.

The best way to use these questions is to ask them of at least 3 different estate liquidators - about how they approach the estate sales process.

My feeling is that after you listen to the way each of these estate liquidation professionals answer these questions, you will know which estate liquidator is right for you.

Conducting Your Own Estate Sale:

The Do It Yourself Estate Sales Guide (59.95)

3 Reasons To Conduct Your Own Estate Sale:

1. The financial value of your estate is not high enough to interest a professional.
2. You have researched the subject Here, Here, Here, and Here.
3. You have help from friends and relatives; under no circumstance should you endeavor to conduct your own estate sale alone.

I wrote a handy, and informative estate sales kit which will help you understand all the task you will need to undertake, and how to accomplish them.

From how and where to research antiques and collectibles values, to how to set up the the house, and control the flow of people who will come to your sale.

The Do It Yourself Estate Sales Guide

Chippendale Chair Sells For $51,750.00

As Hard As It May Be To Read - Many Intelligent People Throw Valuable Household Items Away Instead Of Selling Them At An Estate Sale!

Think about it. The average estate sale that Fine Estate Liquidation conducts in the San Francisco Bay Area contains as many as 750 to 1200 saleable items. If each of these items were worth only an average of $10.00 each, than selling these items at an estate sale would generate a minimum income of between $7,500.00 and $12,000.00.

In today’s economic climate you might want to ask yourself “Can I afford to throw money away?”

Click on image to be taken to TigerDude.com

So There You Are, In Your House, Or The Home Of A Loved One, And You Are Faced With Having To Do Something With A Household Full Of Personal Property.

At least once a week I receive a phone call from someone who informs me that they have thrown away as trash many of the items in their house or the home of a decedent. They do this for many reasons.

Folks, I know that you are trying to get through difficult times, that going through someone elses house is tough, that you think because you wouldn’t buy the things you are throwing away, you believe that no one else will either.

But a thorough cross check of hundreds of estate liquidation web sites across the country will ask you to do otherwise.

Don’t throw anything away!

Whether You Are Planning On Conducting Your Own Estate Sale, Or Hiring A Professional Estate Liquidator Remember Our Logical Order Of Estate Liquidation.

Fine Estate Liquidations logical order of estate liquidation:

First: Try to sell your item.

Second: If your item cannot be sold - donate or give it away.

Third: If your item cannot be sold or given away then it’s OK to define it as debris.

Click on image to be taken to Classic Refuse Trucks

Here Are 4 Items I Hope You Never Throw Away!

1935 EARLY ZIPPO LIGHTER PAT PEND ORIGINAL NEAR MINT (Sold on February 16, 2008 for $2,025.00)

Wellington OH Ohio Big 4 Railroad Patriotic Studio Postcard RPPC $500

19c French Oil Lamp $650.00

UNION CASE with Daguerreotype $650.00

For more information about the estate sales and estate liquidation process contact Martin Codina here: Fine Estate liquidation, Inc.

If you want to learn how to conduct your own estate sale visit The Do It Yourself Estate Sales Guide website.

My name is Martin Codina and I an estate liquidator who loves his job.

I just finished reading Jon Sutter’s post titled, “Contemporary Craft: Non-Functional or Dysfunctional?”, and I was immediately set to pondering. In his brief essay, he discusses the all but dead state of craft in our society. He notes, “The California Academy of Craft” dropping the “Craft” from their title, and the “American Craft Museum’s” complete name change to “Museum of Art and Design,” as examples of craft’s death. What happened? How did craft get a bad rap? When did the term “Fine craftsmanship” get replaced by “superior design?”

Sutter argues that “…Aesthetic choices in art are wholly suffused with the economic circumstances of life.” This truth is easy to explain. “Craft” defined as objects made by hand, blood and sweat, cannot easily compete with those that are mass produced and cost effective. An exquisite dress hand sewn with love cannot compete with a major clothier producing similar items. A gorgeous hand detailed picture book is unlikely to be sold at Taschen’s prices. Production is what makes or breaks the crafter. What we desire most of all, the elegantly hand touched details, are what we can not afford.

What I make is rarely for sale. Craft for me is a creative way to spice up my house, wardrobe, bookshelves, and day to day life. So for me this discussion has been (gratefully) an engagement in intellect and emotion rather than pocketbook. Thank You

Hello my name is Katherine Codina and one of my deepest passions is the art of craft.

Crafting as I see it incorporates a myriad of artists, from the scrapbooker, outsider artist, candle maker, knitter, designer, and cook.

There is no high brow nor low brow, just earnest creation.

A Crafter is an alchemist who transforms their nostalgia, passion and intellect into form.

My post on this blog will be a testament to the many artforms of crafting that fill me with glee.

Friday September 26, Saturday September 27, Sunday September 28

10:00 until 5:00pm

90 Vasco Ct. (at the corner of Vasco Dr.)
Mill Valley, California

For Details Click Here

These Two Awesome Mercedes Benz Will Be Available at This Estate sale

2009 Mercedes Benz SL63 AMG With 325 Miles

$155,000.00

415-235-7238

2008 Mercedes Benz S550 With 1,337 Miles

$93,500.00

Our San Francisco estate sale at 2370 North Point, was a smashing success, and we thank you our loyal shoppers for making this happen.

As an estate liquidator I am curious about the following:

1. How is the economy affecting your purchasing decisions?

2. What is it that I, or my fellow estate liquidators just don’t get?

3. Whether you are an antique dealer or a regular shopper - let us know what’s great about estate sales, or what’s not so great?

Three Web Sites I like:

Paris Hotel Boutique

History Detectives

Modern Mechanix

Serious Inquiries Only Please!

martin@finesf.com

Serious Inquiries Only Please!

martin@finesf.com