Many life transitions can trigger the need to divest yourself of extra stuff. Not just those old toys and worn-out lamps, sometimes our belongings are more valuable than what would go quickly in a Garage Sale.
When we surveyed Milennials recently on which they would prefer to use to set up a new apartment, results were mixed and ineresting. Although they might balk at the idea of having to use their parent’s hand-me-down furnishings, they were quite amenable to going on Facebook Marketplace, Varage Sale, and Kijiji to look for key pieces such as couches, shelving, tables and chairs, coffee tables, and household decor. Online Auctions such as Maxsold were also a place they agreed that deals were to be found for items in good condition at exceptional prices.
Of course, if money were no object, these young adults would have preferred to ring up the credit card at Ikea and shop for everything new. But, rolling up their sleeves and refinishing a bedroom dresser found curbside had an appeal of ‘cheap and simple’ and shopping for items at Goodwill was a fun activity they were not opposed to.
The secondary items market has become the place to shop, as people become more environmentally conscious and prefer to save an item from landfill and give it a good home with their special care and remodeling. Money-conscious individuals take the extra time to look for items online for a mere fraction of what they would pay retail. Imagine, a full walnut dining table and buffet selling for $20 – previously enjoyed by a family for 40 years, it will find a new home and provide a place for a new family to gather for many years to come. Bed frames, dressers, side tables, lamps, and even bedding can sell as an auction lot for under $100 and furnish an entire bedroom, whereas buying new, even at the least expensive retailer could leave you with a $1500 bill to pay.
What sells in the secondary household item market? ANYTHING GOES. Artwork, jewellery, and collectibles may not fetch what you might expect: today’s homeowners are more inclined to decorate with a sparse intention to design and prefer not to spend time dusting the ‘smalls’ of past generations. Those Royal Doulton figurines may have cost hundreds 20 years ago, but aren’t appealing to this generation of secondary market buyers. Jewellery of fine quality can always be redesigned, and can be found for far less than new retail. Artwork changes with the times, so our old oil landscape paintings might just not be the first thing to sell in your sale.
Cleaning out an Estate after the passing of a loved one is an emotional, and definitely time-consuming task. One of our associates shared their experience after their father passed away in 1996, when Estate Liquidation Managers did not actually exist:
‘Father passed away suddenly, leaving Mother with 45 years of memories to deal with before having to sell the family home. It took us months to sort through it all to give away, donate, dispose of, or sell. It mostly ended up in a storage unit for years as no one in the family had space to accommodate any of it.
Of course all the offers of ‘help’ from friends and family quickly dissolved as the true scope of work became apparent. Father’s complete single car garage/workshop contained what must have been $10,000 worth of tools and equipment, but we had no time to deal with selling any of it, boxing it up and sending it to storage instead.
Auction representatives came to the property and offered us cents on the dollar to take it all away, which was an emotional blow to Mother who staunchly refused to part with her belongings and was insulted by the low offers she received. At the end of the day, it took several years to disperse their Estate, and items were still in boxes after her passing 13 years later, when we finally did end up paying a company to haul it all away, or selling what we could in a Garage Sale. I wish I had known of someone like Strategic Property Solutions, as Delores would have been a Godsend. ‘
Colleen S. Clarington, ON
Our Estate Auction team at Strategic Property Solutions will provide an accurate assessment of a home needing to be liquidated, due to downsizing, or death of a homeowner. We provide a quote, and create a plan and timeline that works for our clients. We sort, pack, and disperse items for donation, and giving away to family, remove items of no value, and organize what remains to be sent to a new residence, or to be sold on Auction.
Our services include working with Estate Trustees, Lawyers, Family Members, Beneficiaries and Real Estate Agents to fully prepare, empty, stage, and clean a property for a successful sale.
Our Liquidation services include organizing items of value for Appraisal and sorting everything for sale on our Online Auction with Maxsold. Items are photographed, cataloged, and a full description of auction lots are arranged and dates for bidding and pickup are posted far and wide on Social Media, Google, and Maxsold. We invest our time to advertise the auction for the best sales results.
The success of a sale is never a guarantee, however we do guarantee the quality of our work and our compassion for those left behind to deal with the transition ahead. Our team is qualified, certified and insured. We take the time to be there for our clients and support them not only physically with our efforts, but with respect and understanding of the difficulty of having to part with items no longer needed.
So, when you think it’s time to make a change, or, know of someone who needs assistance to do so, give us a call. If you’re a young adult looking for just the perfect retro piece to add to your space, follow us on Social Media to see what’s coming up for sale that you can ‘rehome’ and ‘reuse’, at prices you can actually afford. If you’re an estate lawyer, retirement residence coordinator, realtor, or an estate trustee, keep us in your contact list in case someone you know might need us in the future.
Someone out there might just love to have those things you’ve cared for, and give them new life.
Call Delores at 905 449 4097, or email at delores@spsolutionscare.com to discuss how we can be of assistance.
