Fine Estate Liquidation, Inc.

When I first started in the estate sales business almost 13 years ago - hey, what did I know - not much…

My first estate sale was in Point Reyes Station, Ca. When I went to look at the estate, it literally was under tarps in the front and back yard of a small white clap board house close to the center of town. The heir had removed everything from her mother’s house to make it easier to paint the interior. I remember lifting an edge of the blue tarp and looking under it and seeing all manner of household items and collectibles…

So my partner and I moved everything back into the house, priced as much of it as we could, and then we made the premises ready for an estate sale.

I priced everything according to my limited knowledge of collectibles and antiques and my own raw instinct. The estate sale took place over a holiday weekend which I later learned is not always the best time to stage a sale - but like I said, what did I know?

I advertised the sale in two local newspapers and put up estate sale signs on utility poles around the neighborhood, and lo and behold they came. It seems that lots of people were looking for the perfect excuse to leave San Francisco, take a ride in the country and add to the trip the bonus of shopping at an estate sale in the country.

On the morning of the sale my partner and I made our final preparations to the staging of the house; having no idea what was in store for us. It was just the two of us, we never thought we would need extra help.

The house was set back from the street surrounded by a tall hedge in front of which was a white picket fence. You could not see the street from the house, it was private and cozy back there. I left my partner in the house and I walked towards the gate to let the people in - I was kind of excited. As I got closer to the gate I could hear the sound of many people talking, and when I arrived at the gate I saw that there was quite a crowd of estate sale shoppers there.

But like I said, what did I know? I let them all in at the same time…it was like a stampede - 50 or 60 people intent on finding bargains descended upon and entered the house.

I followed them all in, and standing at the front door, I can still remember looking across the front room, over the tops of their heads, to my partner, both of us with puzzled faces and shrugging shoulders as if to say, who knew?

People loved this estate sale, they snapped up arm loads of dishes, linens, collectibles of every shape and size, and then proceeded to my hastily arranged cashier’s station in the front yard. It was incredible. There was a line at times as long as twenty or thirty people, and the holiday shoppers just kept on coming all day.

I learned a lot about the estate sales business during this sale, and the first thing I learned was that people will buy the most surprising things. And the second thing I learned was that I had to do much better homework, and learn how to properly price things.

One of my fondest memories of this sale was when the owner of the largest estate sales company in San Francisco arrived. She and her family had a second home in the Point Reyes Station area. I had shopped her sales many times in the city, so I knew her fairly well. She asked me if I had any costume jewelry for sale, and I said that I did, but that I had not put it out because I did not know how to price it. She asked if she could see it and I set her up in the bathroom, away from the clamoring masses to look at it. Every once in a while I would check on her, and there she was, the undisputed queen of the San Francisco estate sales business sitting on the edge of the tub, in the bathroom of my first estate sale, going through a mound of costume jewelry…which she of course she bought for a song…but like I said, what did I know?

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

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Guide

The following suggestions for resolving estate liquidation conflicts is in no way an attempt to replace sound legal advice, but is offered as an additional estate liquidation resource.

Everything, all decisions about the estate - from what to do with the house, financial instruments, and personal property is about the answers to the following questions. What did the the decedent want and in the case of someone who has past away without a will, what would the decedent have wanted?

As an executor you are in a rare position, a position of trust, a position of acting on the will and authority of another person.

This post is meant to give some guidelines for how to resolve some of the conflicts that may arise between you as the executor and other heirs in relation to the decedents personal property.

A simple executor guide to resolve estate liquidation conflicts should they occur.

1. Read the will and make notes.
2. Meet with your attorney, and let them know that you are going to have a family meeting.
3. Before the family meeting, compose a letter for each of the heirs asking them to write down 4 principals that they remember as being important to the decedent.
4. Ask them to bring their list with them to the family meeting.
5. After everyone has read their list, establish and remark about any common ground.
6. It is likely that there will be some commonality and agreement on what were the principals of the decedent.
7. As the discussion unfolds about what to do with the personal affects of the estate, refer as much as possible to the agreed upon principals of the decedent.
8. One way to prevent a free for all atmosphere is to ask each heir to use the following question as a guide for choosing items from the estate: What’s important to keep and what’s OK to let go of?
9. Decide if the decedents principals can be aligned with what ever liquidations options are available to the family.
10. Your choices for what to do with the remaining personal property are fairly clear, and are narrowed by the geographical area where the estate resides and the temperament of the family - guided by the decedents principals, and are as follows: Estate Sale, Auction, Charity.

For a list of questions to ask an estate liquidator go here

My name is Martin Codina and I am an estate liquidator who cares…

Back to Fine Estate Liquidation, Inc.

For More Estate Liquidation Information go to:

Estate-Liquidation-Information.com

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Kit

I get a lot of emails and phone calls from people who want me to refer a local estate liquidation company to them. So I created a list of estate liquidation companies located in the top 15 urban population centers of America.

I will be updating to this list from time to time, so I suggest you bookmark the page for future reference.

I have not checked with all of them. I have not sorted through their references - I leave that to you. Here is a list of estate liquidations questions you might want to ask them.

Originally I created this list as a resource for people who were looking for local estate liquidators, but it also occurs to me that people traveling across the country may want to go to local estate sales in different states.

I hope you find this list helpful. If you know of a good local estate liquidation company that you would like to suggest for this list, please do so by sending me their info, via a comment to this post.

There is no cost. It is complimentary.

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Guide

This Sale is taking Place This Weekend!!!!

Estate Sale

1626 Diamond St. SF, Ca.

Fri. Jan 18 – Sun. Jan. 20

10 am – 5 pm (note new opening time)

Some China, Antique Carved Bookcase w/ glass doors, George Jensen Sterling Flatware (Block or Arcadia Pattern) 3×5 Silk Prayer Rug, Other Knotted Rugs, Cobalt Glass, Furniture –Some Antique, Old Andirons – One Pair Of Which Is In The Shape Of A Ships Anchor, Collectibles, 2 Ten Speed Bikes – Free Spirit FS19 and Motobecane Mirage Made In France, Ben Hogan Gulf Clubs, Christmas Stuff, Train Set, Horn, Stereo and 2 TV’s, Murano, Shabby Chic, Records, Books, Tools, Kitchen and much more…small house that is packed…

Website: www.finesf.com

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Guide

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1Cl8BlvF0Q&rel=1]

Well some are…but not many.

Antique roadshow spoof…with a few gems…

Martin Codina

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Guide