My father died. I have to liquidate his house.

[no_hypocrisy]

59 years of stuff that shouldn't be arbitrarily put into a dumpster but I don't need.

What do I do as far as knowing what I can sell and what I can donate?

I *could* donate everything but what if there's something that's valuable? And who do I contact to sell something like a Persian rug?

I can't do a yard/garage sale because I'm alone and can't find anyone available for this event to help me.

Any and all advice would be welcome.

Thanks!

[flamin lib]

1. Contact a professional estate sale service. They know how to price, promote and display

estates. Every thing from fine antiques and collectibles to the brooms and mops. They will charge a hefty % but it's worth every penny to not deal with the emotion, work and dealing with the public while you're in grief.

Been there and done that.

[NYC_SKP]

2. Caveat emptor, they are not all legit. I was screwed by a "reputable" service.

Well known established business.

They sold items they were told not to, they removed items before the sale, switched out other items.

They preyed on our grieving family.

Service is provided, but if I had to do it over again I'd look for references before deciding.

[brer cat]

3. +1

Absolutely get references. A good estate liquidator is worth the cost. They will know what is valuable and how to price and advertise to get you the most for your treasures. It can also help to remove you from the process, which can be quite emotional.

Good luck, and I am very sorry for your loss.

[safeinOhio]

4. I'd contact a person that conducts estate sales and

then watch them like a hawk. Remove coins and jewelry as well as firearms first. Have a family member present for the day or two before the sale to watch and ask question.

Most estates I look at don't have that much of high value. There is a lot of value in the combined estate and it takes a person that deals in that answer your question as to the best road to take. If you'd like to get a hold of me to send photos of anything, feel free to pm me.

[TeamPooka]

5. Condolences on the death of your father. nt

[Vinca]

6. I'm sorry for your loss.

If you suspect there are such things as Persian rugs or good artwork or other things of significant value, find a personal property appraiser and have them do a quick peek at the contents. (A reputable appraiser WILL NOT offer to buy anything at the time of the appraisal.) If it turns out there are valuables, you might contact an auction house to sell the contents of the estate. "Estate" sales usually bring out the buyers and it would be a way to dispose of things quickly without you doing all the work.

[REP]

7. I'm sorry for your loss and I have more bad news

My mother died unexpectedly a few months ago, and I'm still dealing with her estate.

There is NO market for antiques, not even very good ones. I now have a real, made-by-Duncan-Phyfe Duncan Phyfe* sofa in my bedroom because I just couldn't sell it for the paltry sums that were being offered - but no one is buying antiques anymore.

What will sell is precious metals, some records (LPs), exercise equipment, some coins.

What won't sell: books, furniture (antique and modern), most everything else

You can hire an estate saler, who'll take 25-30% of the profits. If you don't know what's valuable, hire an independent appraiser, otherwise the estater will cherry-pick the value for him/herself.

*three appraisers confirmed that yup, it's real

[grasswire]

8. I think there are regional variations to the market for furniture.

Here on the west coast, mid-century modern items especially furniture are hotter than hot.

[safeinOhio]

9. Same here along with

primitives. Dad's mens item sale very good. I sell a lot of them. Military, outdoor sports stuff for hunting and fishing, tools, auto and cycle related things, pro and college sports items and advertising is very hot.

[REP]

10. Unfortunately, I was dealing with much older, much better stuff

I do have one "primitive" - a 160 or so year old 7' walnut pie safe with its original, undamaged tin. Got offered $2,000.00. It's in my living room. The swan-handled rocking chair that came off the boat with my ancestors from Wales 300 years ago? No one even knew how to value it. And I got offered some laughable sum for my writing-topped spool cabinet.

The only mid-century I have is two hand-made mahogany tables and I'd love to get rid of those!

[grasswire]

11. just wondering why you would get rid of old family rocker?

I would hold something like that very close.

I am not sure we are speaking the same language re: mid-century, unless those mahogany tables are a very modern design. The woods that define mid-century are teak and limed oak and so on.

Older isn't necessarily "better" if there no market for it. Sorta like very fine china sets now.
Very little market for those, either.

[REP]

12. Super 50s design on the mahogany tables

And there's only so much furniture I can get in my house! I took the rocker; my brother is stuck with the French Victorian set. Thanks be she wasn't into dishes - though I do have her mother's huge set of Fireking dishes.

There's another post that mentioned primitives and such. I kept my great-great-grandfather's, grandfather's and uncle's Civil War, WWI and WWII medals and such, even though there's buyers for those.

[TeamPooka]

13. So true. nt