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 Millennials recently on which they would prefer to use to set up a new apartment, results were mixed and interesting. Although they might baulk at the idea of having to use their parent’s hand-me-down furnishings, they were quite amenable to going on Facebook Marketplace, Online Garage Sales, and Kijiji to look for key pieces such as couches, shelving, tables and chairs, coffee tables, and household decor. Online Auctions were also a source 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 had an appeal of ‘cheap and simple’ and shopping for items at decent prices online, 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 decent new home. Money-conscious individuals take the extra time to look for items online for a mere fraction of what they would pay retail. Imagine, you oversized dining table and buffet– previously enjoyed by your family for 40 years, 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 easily when advertised to a wider audience by our team online.
What sells in the secondary household item market with our expert online auction services?
Items of good quality and condition will sell. 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 yet 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 older oil landscape paintings might just not be the first thing to sell in your sale.
Cleaning out an Estate sale 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.
Established location 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 Move Coordinators, as it would have been a Godsend. ‘
Colleen S.’
Our Downsizing Services at Move Coordinators 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 Online Auction Services include organizing items of value for Appraisal and sorting everything for sale on Newlymine.com. 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. We arrange payments and dealing with pickup of items by the buyer.
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 its 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 excellent prices
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.
