Estate sale vs cleanout: what to do first?

• Secure the house and call the insurance company about a vacant home.
• Set aside papers, valuables, photos and anything family members asked for.
• Check with the personal representative before anything is sold or removed.
• Have an estate sale company look at the house, if there may be things worth selling.
• Hold the sale, or accept a buyout of the contents.
• Book the cleanout for what is left.
• Finish broom clean before the closing.

Most estate sale companies take a percentage of the sale. The National Estate Sales Association says most sales are run for 30% to 50% of gross sales, often on a sliding scale, and some companies add fees for things like trash removal or cleanup after the sale. If the house holds little that would sell, the commission and the extra weeks may not pay off.

Ask an estate sale company for an honest read after a walkthrough. Some will tell you a sale isn't worth it, or offer to buy the contents outright.

It depends on the contract. Options include a buyout of what is left, donation pickup, or a cleanout crew. Ask before you sign whether cleanup is included, billed separately or not offered. Some companies do both the sale and the cleanout.

In Massachusetts, the personal representative can generally sell household contents once the Probate and Family Court appoints them, unless the will or a court order limits that. The personal representative also has to file an inventory of estate property, with the fair market value of each item, within 3 months of appointment, so photograph and list anything that might have value before it is sold or removed.