Category Archives: Editorials
Estate Sales And Auctions – Editorial By EstateSalesNews.com
Today with the internet connecting the world there are several ways to liquidate personal contents. There are of course estate sales, online auctions, and onsite auctions to name a few.
Here at EstateSalesNews.com we discuss the liquidation process by estate sales, but recognizing that in many instances an auction (either online or onsite) may be a better choice for some estates or some particular items. Whether it is an estate sale or auction each provides a needed service for a family, person, attorney, etc.
What we do not support is the inappropriate discussion by either auctioneers or estate sale companies that argue that only their way is correct in a public forum such as this on WorthPoint. A private opinion should be kept that way.
For an article on WorthPoint, written by a licensed Virginia Auctioneer, Wayne Jordan, called a Worthologist and writer for WorthPoint and blogger for Antique Trader Magazine, he wrote an article about the need for regulations for estate sales as the industry grows and he included information from EstateSalesNews.com along with link to our website. Estate Sales News has not written anything about the need for regulations and he took copyrighted material without permission and used it out of context.
This is unacceptable and we have contacted WorthPoint and await an answer and apology in writing from them and Mr. Jordan for copyright infringement. All the information we have presented here in this article is available to the public without requiring permission.
Virginia is one of the states that does regulate auctioneers by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR).
However, there are many states that have no regulation in place for auctioneers or auctions. Click here to see a list of states and whether they do or do not regulate auctioneers.
We suggest he writes about the continuing need for auction regulations in states that don’t have any if he feels so strongly. An area he is very familiar with, instead of an area that he is unfamiliar with since we cannot find where he has ever conducted an estate sale, although Mr. Jordan’s bio on WorthPoint includes him being a Certified Personal Property Appraiser and Accredited Business Broker along with Accredited Auctioneer of Real Estate, Certified Estate Specialist, Certified Auction Specialist, Residential Real Estate and Accredited Business Broker. He obtained his auction credentials from the Mendenhall School of Auctioneering. According to his LinkedIn bio prior to receiving his auction license in 2006 he was involved in a music company, a claims service, and antiques. He has also authored several books ranging in topics from antique malls to real estate.
Mr. Jordan currently serves on the Virginia Auctioneer Board and the Cemetery Board. His auction license has reciprocity in several states including Florida, where your editor had her auctioneers license. I do not have it now.
Mr. Jordans’ article was derogatory about the estate sale industry. It was also disparaging about companies that provide education to estate liquidators because they are not accredited. Not an question for you Mr. Jordan to consider when so many auctions go unregulated without auction education in so many states.
To write a shock and awe piece about another industry is not in the best interest of any liquidation service or professional.
There are many estate sale companies that use online auctions in addition to estate sales to accomplish their goals and in September of 2014 we covered an estate sale company and an auction company working side by side to sell off the contents of an estate in Michigan.
Mr. Jordan you are not serving the auction industry well by your rhetoric about another industry. We are professionals and as such we need to respect one another and our chosen professions. We can agree to disagree, but not in the manner you chose. We also remind you about copyright laws. You may not use any part of EstateSalesNews.com in any future article.
Carol Madden, Editor, EstateSalesNews.com
Estate Sales News 2014 Year In Review – What We Have Learned & Shared
With Christmas eve less than a week away Estate Sales News wants to look back at what was under the tree this year for us and our estate sale going audience. This truly is a labor of love and we have enjoyed all the opportunities it has presented.
In February 2014 Estate Sales News flew to Memphis, TN to report on the 2014 Estate Sales Conference sponsored by EstateSales.Net and we were a guest speaker at the conference discussing the basics of the estate sale contract. Since late February we have presented many articles on this most important topic and answered numerous requests from sellers and estate liquidators for more information, keeping in mind we are not an attorney and we do not give legal advice.
We have been to California on several occasions to report on a variety of estate sales including one with the crown of a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, a massive sale of multiple collections from a National Geographic photographer and Indian Agent from the 1920’s to name a few.
We have also covered two estate sales (one including an auction) in Michigan. A fantastic collection of Mid-Century Modern furnishings, Jensen sterling, art glass, and more in Midland and another sale that included a large taxidermy auction in Portland, MI.
We had the delightful pleasure of visiting with Judy Martin, nationally known appraiser and estate liquidator at a fabulous sale in a Chicago suburb who provided great information about the estate sale industry and what’s selling as well as her sale for a famous Chicago artist.
Along with our travels, we have interviewed several estate sale companies across the country with unique sales, spoken to the owners of several national estate sale listing websites about the changes they are making to their websites to meet the increasing needs of a rapidly growing liquidation industry and the evolution of the estate sale business.
One of our larger projects this year was writing about How To Choose An Estate Sale Company. We covered in depth what to look for as well as providing a printable list to assist you in the process of finding and hiring an estate sale company.
Estate Sales News has featured articles on the sale of ivory, sales tax, inheritance tax, as well as featured guest articles from Julie Hall, nationally known owner, director of the American Society of Estate Liquidators (ASEL), Lofty.com (a new way of liquidating items that may not be a perfect fit in an estate sale) and of course we have produced many videos from estate sales and liquidation specialists and appraisers.
We have also been been included as a resource by EstateSales.Net for the 7,000 companies listed with them and shared our information with ASEL and other online resources.
Along with good news we have reported on some estate liquidation companies that were not typical of this great industry.
Majolica, gesso, and ormolu were some of the educational topics we wrote about.
We have featured a ThrowBack Thursday feature for most of the year.
Our thanks to EstateSale.company for sharing interesting articles from their collectors corner.
It’s been quite a year at EstateSalesNews.com and we thank everyone mentioned above along with all those who have assisted us in providing a free service to sellers looking to hire estate sale companies, buyers, and estate liquidators.
As the Editor and writer for EstateSalesNews.com it is with great pride to share this overview of some of what we have provided to our audience.
We will be taking some time now to spend with our family for this Christmas season. Please feel free to look into our nearly two years of archival information.
From our house to yours EstateSalesNews.com wishes you a Christmas of joy and happiness the blessings of family and friends.
Happy Veterans Day
To all the men and women who have or are serving Estate Sales News thanks you for your service. Providing all of us with yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
Vacation Time – What About Estate Sales
Today is Tuesday, July 1, 2014. EstateSalesNews.com will be taking some time off. We would like to discuss what happens during this time of vacation for estate sales and liquidators.
As so many head to the mountains or the sea shore estate sale companies continue to press on. With many obstacles to face including a lesser audience these entrepreneurs continue with their staff to stage, price, and conduct estate sales. They do, however, in most areas take this upcoming Independence weekend off.
That doesn’t mean that many aren’t answering your calls and questions, staging and pricing upcoming sales and getting ready for the heat of summer (particularly in un-airconditioned properties). If you have hired a liquidator to handle a sale please be sure the electric is on, fans are available if possible, and that a refrigerator is cold (for water and assorted cold drinks that the estate liquidator will provide for its’ crew).
As a seller remember that at this time of year depending on where you are located and the weather can determine how successful you are. Also the economic climate of your area will influence your financial return. We want to take this opportunity to say to those sellers or estate sale companies out there if you have questions or concerns email us at contact@estatesalesnews.com. It may take a day or two, but we will respond.
The estate liquidation isn’t easy, so patience is needed from sellers, estate sale companies, and buyers especially in the summer time.
We’ll post any need to know news as necessary.
Have a great 4th of July. Celebrate our freedom and those that have made it possible.
Celebrating July 4th On Estate Sale Monday – Freedom To Create
As we prepare to celebrate our nations’ independence let’s take a look at what has happened during the last decade.
The number of unemployed individuals increased dramatically, however, in many states this created a new and ever increasing number of entrepreneurs that are estate liquidators, online auction companies, and consignment shops to name a few.
Our ability in the United States to take a concept (especially out of necessity) and create a business is unique in all the world.
During this time period as the number of estate sale companies grew it created the need for estate sale listing sites – EstateSales.Net, EstateSale.com, EstateSales.org and Tagsellit.com to name the more well known sites to provide a national place for the 5000 plus estate sale companies that have been created. Think of the number of people who are now working for themselves and have hired staff. With this booming growth many other sideline businesses that were once few and far between or nonexistent have also blossomed including consignment shops, online auction sites, website designers, SEO companies, towns and municipalities that generate revenue from permits, sign makers, life transition specialists (CRTS being one) to an association dedicated to the education and improvement of the estate liquidation industry (American Society of Estate Liquidators), and the list continues mainly from the creation of estate sale companies.
20 plus years ago estate liquidation was done mostly by auction in many areas of the United States, however, estate sale companies now compete with the auction industry and in many instances they now complement each other.
The United States allows those living here to create, generate and pursue careers and professions, following a dream.
As we approach our Independence day let us take a moment to appreciate our founders and the great opportunities that have been provided in the last 238 years since our Declaration was written and read.
Celebrating Mom By Estate Sales News – A Mother’s Day Tribute
This Sunday is Mother’s day. Many will gather with Moms, Grandmas, Aunts and other women in their life to celebrate a day that was first observed in 1908 by a woman named Anna Jarvis who held a memorial for her mother in Grafton, West Virginia. Her mother cared for wounded soldiers on both sides during the Civil War and created Mother’s Day Work Clubs to address public health issues (Wikipedia).
One Mom’s story is about a woman born in 1918 in Massachusetts. Her parents had immigrated to this country from England and Scotland. Her father was a minister and traveled for his ministry from New England to the mid-west and back when she was a child. She had an older brother and they grew up in poverty.
She graduated from high school at the age of 16 and her father dropped her off on 9th Street in Greenwich Village, NYC in 1935 to start her education at NYU with a total of $1.00 in her pocket. It would take her 5 years to obtain her Bachelors degree in music because of the need to work to support herself and pay for her education.
Upon graduation she taught music and played professionally with a group called the Gloria Trumpeters. She played for the lighting of the “first” Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, New Year’s eve in Times Square and in chamber at Carnegie Hall.
In 1943 she joined the U.S. Navy as a Wave and served as a Yoeman 3rd class in Corpus Christi, TX. When she returned home in 1945 she went to work as a bank teller in NYC. Eventually she and her parents moved to upstate NY. Her only sibling, her brother with whom she was extremely close was killed in a plane crash in Liberia, Africa. Her loss more painful than words could express. She married and in the early 1950’s had her only child.
Due to circumstances she became a single mother. Her dream had always been to teach school so with assistance from her parents to care for her child she went back to college to obtain her Masters. She started teaching second grade in 1956. In 1958 the family moved to eastern Long Island and to supplement her meager salary of $3500/year she taught the children of migrant farm workers. After two summers of that she started waiting on table for the summer at a local seasonal seafood restaurant. She saved enough to buy a fixer upper home, but had to rent it out for two years so that she and her child could afford to move in. Over the next 17 years she continued teaching enabling children to read, write, do arithmetic and in some cases dealing with speech impediments and behavioral issues. During her child’s teen years she took her on camping road trips including all the way across the country, just the two of them and a dog.
She was active in her church, Eastern Star and was constantly volunteering her time and efforts to help others. Her only grandchild a granddaughter arrived in 1972 and by 1978 she decided to retire to spend more time with her family, friends, and interests.
She traveled across Europe and the middle east in her first ten years of retirement and continued her volunteer work at home. She moved to Florida in 1990 and continued helping others there including the purchase of such things as a mattress for someone that couldn’t afford one. Ever thoughtful and caring.
She had struggled from poverty to a life not rich in money, but rich in love from and for her family and friends. She was strong, opinionated, independent and nurturing. This extraordinary woman passed from this world in November 2003.
She was my Mom, Daisy Evelyn Alcock Myers. She rests in Arlington National Cemetery – a fitting place for the hero of my life and that of her family, the loving and caring mother and grandmother who defied the odds. Her love was unconditional. Sunday Mom I celebrate you.
Happy Mother’s Day
Carol Madden
Editor
Estate Sales News – Information, News, Blog, & Tips
It’s Dec. 24th and Estate Sales News would like to take this opportunity to say how much we appreciate you, our audience. Since we launched this website March 6th, 2013 you have supported us. Referring us to family and friends and telling your fellow estate salers you have given us the opportunity to provide you with estate sale information, news and estate liquidation tips.
This site was developed for you, the perspective seller, buyer, and estate sale company to help you all succeed with knowledge, confidence, resources, and we hope a few words of wisdom from our 25 plus years in the business.
2014 is going to bring new and “exciting” additions to Estate Sales News and we hope you will be viewing the site on January 2nd, 2014 when we return.
We are going to take the next week plus to enjoy our family and friends and recharge to bring you the best source of estate sale information on the Internet.
We thank you all for your encouragement and as always everything we have written since March 6th is available right here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Although we won’t be publishing we’ll still be checking email so if you have a question please email carol@estatesalesnews.com
We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Successful 2014.
See you January 2, 2014 right here on EstateSalesNews.com
Carol Madden
Editor, Estate Sales News
It’s Friday That Means Estate Sales – 2 Weekends Left For 2013
What a thought. Only two weekends left for 2013 estate sales. Many estate sale companies have taken the next two weekends off to spend time with families and friends. However, some have not and are servicing clients. Estate Sales News applauds you all.
This has been a long year. A lot of news covered coast to coast, some good, some not, but here at Estate Sales News we hope we have provided you coverage, information, help, and a place you can use as an unbiased resource.
In 2014 we will be traveling again across the United States, reporting on what’s happening at estate sales and to the estate liquidation business. There are more social media websites springing up such as Reddit and more sites that want you to list your estate sale on.
We would like to take this our last Friday to publish in 2013 to thank our advertisers who make this free resource for you available. We will publish Dec. 23rd and 24th before we take our family time returning with new articles and news Jan. 2, 2014.
ASELonline.com (The American Society of Estate Liquidators)
A special thank you to my wonderful website tech J. Webster who keeps this website up and running smoothly.
Have a great weekend shopping at estate sales where you get more for your dollar, you keep us green, and you support local business right here in the United States.
Carol Madden
Editor, Estate Sales News
Why Choose Estate Sales News For Your Estate Sale Information?
Estate Sales have become prolific across the United States. Just look at the number of estate sale listing sites. Over 5,000 estate sale companies are now listed with over 6 websites for estate sale companies to list on.
Estate Sales News is the online estate sale news magazine covering the estate liquidation business, providing estate liquidation information and reporting on newsworthy estate sales. . We are not affiliated with an estate sale company. We aren’t looking to list your estate sale. We provide free, unbiased information to help you become an informed consumer either as a seller or buyer. Knowledge is empowerment and helps you make successful decisions.
Our articles are also geared at assisting estate sale companies as well. With such growth in what was once a very small industry estate sale companies need help to be the number one choice in their area.
Estate Sales News goal is to help an industry that has little to no regulation. A business where some may take advantage of those who are not knowledgeable and new upcoming estate sale companies and even those who have experience may not utilize all the current marketing tools available. We want to help you be a successful company and provide successful results for your client and achieve good reviews from sellers and buyers for you.
We do not conduct estate sales so our agenda is about helping you. With 25 plus years experience as an estate liquidator we are here to assist with advice in picking an estate sale company, buying at an estate sale with knowledge and etiquette and providing useful information to estate sale companies about how to get their sales the most public attention possible through various marketing methods.
Here on Estate Sales News you’ll learn about the ethics an estate sale company should have, how the process works, interviewing and choosing an estate sale company, what should be in an estate sale contract, staging a liquidation sale, how the sale can be advertised, handling crowds before and during the estate sale and the list goes on.
Please email your questions or comments to carol@estatesalesnews.com.
Carol Madden,
Editor
Estate Sales News -The Source For Estate Sale Information, News And National Blog
Estate Sales News has had a very busy November. Two trips to California in 12 days, Florida, Maryland along with a telephone interview for an upcoming estate sale in Tehachapi CA starting Dec. 6th.
We have many topics to cover in the upcoming weeks, but today we want to address next week, Thanksgiving. If you are on or follow social media you’ll no doubt have seen many posts and comments about stores open and having workers working on Thanksgiving pros and mostly cons. Having been an estate sale liquidator for 25 plus years your editor never worked the Thanksgiving holiday. It was important time for my staff and I to spend with our families and recharge our batteries so to speak. This was a personal decision. Each estate sale company decides their own policy. Sellers, however, should have input about whether they want a sale conducted during this time period.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our audience who follows us, comments to us, and inspires us to continue to provide the most up to date estate liquidation information possible on estate sales, business and estate sale trends. “You are why this website exists”.
This year I will again join my family to celebrate Thanksgiving so no article next Thursday, November 28th. I give thanks this year to you, the EstateSalesNews.com audience. You have made this journey since March 6th, 2013, our launch date the best possible experience and we will continue. This truly is a labor of love for the profession.
It’s been a fascinating week in Los Angeles. Meeting Eric from TMZ was a wonderful experience and as always we keep learning too.
Have an idea or question for us email me at carol@estatesalesnews.com.
TODAY IS ESTATE SALE FRIDAY – Where are you going?
TGIF Everyone.
