Services custom tailored to your needs
Estate Liquidations and Downsizing
We can conduct a professional whole or partial home estate sale for you. Historically, estate sales were conducted after someone passed away, but more frequently clients are calling for a variety of reasons:
- Selling the family home and moving to a smaller, retirement place
- Moving to another country for their job
- Preparing to move a loved one into an assisted living arrangement
- Simplifying and downsizing for any reason
The move from a lifelong family home into a retirement community can be traumatic and overwhelming. Usually the adult children assume the role of the caregiver and when it comes time to move the elderly parent, the responsibility usually falls on the caregiver. This burden of responsibility is great, especially if the adult children live far away, have children of their own and work commitments of their own. We can conduct a partial home estate sale of the items you cannot take with you to your smaller home, retirement center or nursing home.
CAGA Certified Appraisals
Girlfriends Estate Sales offers valuation and appraisal services for estates, bankruptcy, insurance, and divorce as well as provide expert testimony in court. Becky Mehtala & Brian Mehtala are members of Certified Appraisers Guild of America.
The Certified Appraisers Guild of America confers the professional membership designation of CAGA to recognize the completion of the appraisers certification education. In addition, the members have made a commitment to the Certified Appraisers Guild’s Code of Professional Ethics and Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.
Here are a few points that our professional report will include:
- A complete and accurate description of the property
- Analysis of the factors affecting value reflecting the appraiser’s research in accordance with the standards required by government authorities
- A definition of value appropriate to the type of appraisal
- A value for the property appraised substantiated by the report analysis
- The appraiser’s qualification page
- The appraiser’s signature
- The appraiser’s statement that the appraiser does not have a financial interest in the property
- You should confirm with the appraiser that the appraiser’s report can be defended in court if needed
Never hire an appraiser that charges based on a percentage of the appraised value of your item(s) or someone who wants to buy or broker the item for you. It is not considered ethical and makes it difficult for the appraiser to be objective. Most appraisal societies forbid either of these types of charge. Many appraisers charge an hourly rate. Some charge a flat rate after they have inspected what is to be appraised. Either system is fine. Find the one that best suits you.
Ask any appraiser you’re considering if he or she is either a member of a certified or accredited organization like the Certified Appraisers Guild of America or has passed the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) test. Adherence to these performance and ethics standards, which are generally accepted for professional appraisal practice in North America, adds to the professional’s credibility.
Private Sales
Do you want to sell an individual item or a collection of items as opposed to a full house? We consider consignment sales depending on the size and demand for an item, so call us to discuss an evaluation. We may agree to advertise it for you and/or arrange to sell it for a small percentage of the selling price.
Assistance with House Sales
Many homes have been sold because of the exposure at one of our estate sales. We have a large volume of clients coming through the sale over the weekend–more than any real estate open house. We are not real estate brokers, so we recommend enlisting one prior to the sale. If you do not have a real estate broker, we have many we work with that we can recommend.
Entire Estate Purchases
On rare occasions, we may offer to buy the whole estate. This is not our first recommendation, but due to certain circumstances this may be your best option. Generally you will get more money by having an estate sale verses an entire estate purchase.
Complete House Clean-outs
After the sale, we can arrange for a complete house clean out and clean up.
We Can Get You Organized
Need help? Call us today to schedule a free consultation!
(Services available in the Seattle and Surrounding Cities)