Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is an estate sale?

A. Unlike a garage or yard sale, estate sales are held inside a home, although lawns and garages are usually used during the sale. After preparation by our staff, research and extensive marketing, your home is open to the public for typically three days, generally beginning on a Friday.

Q. How does the estate sale process work?

A. After a brief, initial conversation, we meet for a free, no obligation consultation at the home being downsized. This allows us to understand the volume and value of items to be sold and scope of work required to prepare the home for an estate sale. If we determine an estate sale is appropriate, we then discuss the timing associated with vacating the home, schedule a date and go over a contract. Typically sales require two or more weeks of setting up, in extreme cases, more time may be necessary to remove rubbish and debris. However the more time we have to research and market your sale and items, the more money we may be able to obtain.

Q. How fast can you pull together an estate sale for us?

A. It depends on your location, how much “inventory” you have and most importantly, if we have time available. More often than not, we receive inquiries from people needing to vacate their property in a matter of weeks, particularly in the months between Memorial Day and Labor Day and our schedule begins to fill up beginning in March. It is essential that clients provide us unencumbered access to the home during set-up and sale. Also, the more time we have to evaluate and stage items and advertise the sale, more buyers will attend and valuables will be priced right.

Q. My home is under contract (or just sold) and I have a month (or less) to vacate the property, can you help?

A. The short answer is hopefully, yes! Call us as soon as possible to discuss your timing. Hopefully we are not booked. If we are, we are happy to recommend another company with a good reputation that may have availability. Or we can offer alternative suggestions to help you liquidate your items within your time frame. In any case, just call us at 231.944.0789 for a quick chat.

Q. Can I speak to any past clients?

A. Absolutely! See our customer testimonial page to start.

Q. What are the fees associated with hiring Moxie Estate Sales?

A. In most cases, clients pay nothing for our services until the sale is complete. A typical estate sale is organized on a commission basis. Any fees (and these are clearly spelled out in our customized contract) are deducted from the proceeds of the sale. The percentage is based on the amount and value of items to be sold and the amount of work required to set-up. We will be able to provide a percentage range applicable to your situation during a brief consultation.

Q. What happens to items not sold during the sale?

A. Our main goal is to get clients the most amount of money for their items, but there will inevitably be items left over after a sale. A client may specify a charitable organization which may accept remaining items for donation. Thrift stores are becoming increasingly selective about items they will accept for donation. Unfortunately large, older TVs, printers and furniture that has..seen better days... may be turned away when trying to donate. Therefore, each client will have items needing to be disposed of. We work with a local hauling company (that has the best rate in town) to remove these items along with trash and debris. Clients will be responsible for removal fees.

Q. When will I get paid from the proceeds of the sale?

A. Clients receive a check for the proceeds within 14 days after the sale along with a detailed list of sold items.

Q. Do you conduct estate sales outside of northwest Michigan?

A. It depends. We would like to speak with you about your location and estate sale needs. We network with estate sale companies across Michigan and the United States, sharing best practices and referring clients. Trusting you are hiring the right company can be difficult from an initial web search. We can help you narrow your list of prospective companies we know and trust will do a great job, wherever you need!