Fine Estate Liquidation, Inc.

The $2.4 Million Stamp

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Alphonse Mucha Postcard $12,650

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$30,000.00 Freewheelin Bob Dylan Record

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The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Guide

Upcoming Estate Sale San Francisco

Fri. August 1 - Sunday Aug. 3

10:00am - 5:00pm

2354 9th Ave. San Francisco

This weekends estate sale is our best estate sale so far this year…don’t miss it!

GO Here For Full Details

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Guide

Dear Martin,

I just wanted to thank you for making a very difficult decision turn out right. As you know I had a lot of sentimental value attached to my beautiful Ted Flowers silver parade saddle. It was a decision I made of necessity, but you were very kind and patient and let me talk about it.
You have more than met my faith and trust in you.

The check you sent me has cleared the bank with no problems. My new well is going to be mostly paid thanks to the sale of the saddle and you stick to it ness.

Kindly,

Donna C.

July 22, 2008

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Guide

Emilio Mitideri

With a background in industrial pasta manufacturing, Mr. Mitidieri has become an international consultant and supplier of meat slicers, pasta machines, brick ovens, espresso machines, and sausage makers. His clients include well known restaurants on both coasts including; The French Laundry, A16, Oliveto, Incanto, Lupa, Bar Jamon, Otto, and MoMA Cafe 2

Sometimes Emilio buys them…

Other Berkels

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Kit

Moraga Estate Sale

Los Angeles Estate Liquidation Stuff…

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Guide

Wow, our last San Francisco estate sale at 377 Clipper was incredible, and for that I want to thank you my customers - you guys are spectacular…

Here is a recap:

We moved an estate from Nob Hill and folded its contents into a home on Clipper St. When I write that we moved an estate from Nob Hill to Clipper St., what I mean is that we moved almost two full 24′ trucks packed with Art, Books, Furniture, and Collectibles, and then attractively staged those contents into an already furnished home on Clipper St.

And when we were done this San Francisco estate sale looked great.

I want to thank my staff by name.

Valetta - Although a relative newcomer to the San Francisco estate sale business, she is a natural - in less than a year she has become a consummate estate sale manager. Thank You Valetta!

Ann - You know Ann, she has been with Fine Estate Liquidation for the last couple of years, and her efforts on behalf of our company are too numerous to count, lets put them somewhere at about 10,000. Thank You Ann!

Vina - Also a newcomer to the estate sale scene - and has she ever hit the floor running, she is doing great, and I am glad she is here. Thank You Vina!

Andy - Is Vina’s husband and a dynamic personality to boot. He is very personable, and if you are a shoplifter beware, cuz at our last San Francisco estate sale, he escorted two people out the door for such activity. Thank You Andy!

Katherine - You all know Katherine, of all my staff she has been with me the longest, in fact I have known her all of her life - she’s my daughter, and at 25 years old she has her head squarely on her shoulders, and she is very capable of managing an estate sale in San Francisco or any where else for that matter. Thank You Katherine!

I also want to thank:

Tom from got2move without his efforts, and the exertions of his very capable crew, we would never have stayed on schedule - If you are planning a move, and need someone who is reliable, and can get the job done, than these are your guys.

On a lighter and sweeter note, Fine Estate Liquidation and crew would like to thank the baking efforts of Gabrielle Feuersinger for bringing us some tasty pieces of delicious cake. Cake Coquette

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Kit

Estate Sale Writer Wanted:

Do you go to estate sales in the L.A. Area? Do you shop them? Are you a dealer - an insider - have some experience writing?

My name is Martin Codina and I have just started a Los Angeles Estate Liquidation blog, and I am looking for writers to add relevant estate liquidation content to the site.

This isn’t a big job - although it is an interesting one.

Here is what I am looking for.

1. Short concise articles of 3 - 7 paragraphs length.
2. Tips about the Los Angeles estate sales scene.
3. How being a collector or dealer has affected your life or the lives of others.

These short articles would become the property of Fine Estate Liquidation under a works for hire agreement.

Please send me a sample of your work and a brief description of your experience.

Upcoming San Francisco Estate Sale

Fine Estate Liquidation

San Francisco Estate Sale

377 Clipper St. at Castro

Fri. 27 Sat. 28 Sun. 29

10:00am - 5:00pm

This estate sale is packed!!! It is a combination of two San Francisco estate sales brought together for sale at 377 Clipper.

Fine Art by Elizabeth Higgins, Goodnough, LeRoy Nieman, William Bence, Donald Haug, D. Kuo, Gerald C. Mead, Lois Polansky and Others…

Sterling flatware, Crystal Chandelier, Mid-Century Style Chrome and Glass Coffee Table, Large Granite and Chrome Dining Table, Hand Knotted Rugs, Beautiful Contemporary Furniture, Overstuffed Couches and Chairs, Magnificent and Large Cormandel Screen (18′ long and 7′ tall with 8 panels) Carved on Both Sides, Large Pine Hutch, Leather Club Chairs, Some China and Crystal, Dining Room and Bedroom Furniture - Stearns and Foster King Size Bed, Large Marble Statue of Female Nude, Nic Nacks and Collectibles, Large Chinese Porcelain Fish Bowls.

Many Many Books, Including 84 of the 100 Greatest Books Written, published by the Easton Press, Complete works of Shakespeare Published by the Easton Press - other Easton Press Titles - all of these books are in the best condition and are bound in leather.

100’s of Rock of the 80’s LP’s, and CD’s Star Trek Stuff, Full Kitchen, Full Garage With Many Hand and Power Tools,

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Guide

When I first started in the estate sales business almost 13 years ago - hey, what did I know - not much…

My first estate sale was in Point Reyes Station, Ca. When I went to look at the estate, it literally was under tarps in the front and back yard of a small white clap board house close to the center of town. The heir had removed everything from her mother’s house to make it easier to paint the interior. I remember lifting an edge of the blue tarp and looking under it and seeing all manner of household items and collectibles…

So my partner and I moved everything back into the house, priced as much of it as we could, and then we made the premises ready for an estate sale.

I priced everything according to my limited knowledge of collectibles and antiques and my own raw instinct. The estate sale took place over a holiday weekend which I later learned is not always the best time to stage a sale - but like I said, what did I know?

I advertised the sale in two local newspapers and put up estate sale signs on utility poles around the neighborhood, and lo and behold they came. It seems that lots of people were looking for the perfect excuse to leave San Francisco, take a ride in the country and add to the trip the bonus of shopping at an estate sale in the country.

On the morning of the sale my partner and I made our final preparations to the staging of the house; having no idea what was in store for us. It was just the two of us, we never thought we would need extra help.

The house was set back from the street surrounded by a tall hedge in front of which was a white picket fence. You could not see the street from the house, it was private and cozy back there. I left my partner in the house and I walked towards the gate to let the people in - I was kind of excited. As I got closer to the gate I could hear the sound of many people talking, and when I arrived at the gate I saw that there was quite a crowd of estate sale shoppers there.

But like I said, what did I know? I let them all in at the same time…it was like a stampede - 50 or 60 people intent on finding bargains descended upon and entered the house.

I followed them all in, and standing at the front door, I can still remember looking across the front room, over the tops of their heads, to my partner, both of us with puzzled faces and shrugging shoulders as if to say, who knew?

People loved this estate sale, they snapped up arm loads of dishes, linens, collectibles of every shape and size, and then proceeded to my hastily arranged cashier’s station in the front yard. It was incredible. There was a line at times as long as twenty or thirty people, and the holiday shoppers just kept on coming all day.

I learned a lot about the estate sales business during this sale, and the first thing I learned was that people will buy the most surprising things. And the second thing I learned was that I had to do much better homework, and learn how to properly price things.

One of my fondest memories of this sale was when the owner of the largest estate sales company in San Francisco arrived. She and her family had a second home in the Point Reyes Station area. I had shopped her sales many times in the city, so I knew her fairly well. She asked me if I had any costume jewelry for sale, and I said that I did, but that I had not put it out because I did not know how to price it. She asked if she could see it and I set her up in the bathroom, away from the clamoring masses to look at it. Every once in a while I would check on her, and there she was, the undisputed queen of the San Francisco estate sales business sitting on the edge of the tub, in the bathroom of my first estate sale, going through a mound of costume jewelry…which she of course she bought for a song…but like I said, what did I know?

My name is Martin Codina and I am an estate liquidator who loves his job…

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Guide

Do we have an estate sale or auction? This is the question many people have to answer when dealing with the personal property of a decedent.

Let’s take a look at these two options:

Estate Sale

Estate sales are a fairly new phenomenon. Sure in certain areas they have been going on for years, but overall in most places in this country, estate sales are a relatively new option for selling a households contents.

Here is some good news!

Estate liquidation as an industry is becoming professionalized, and more and more estate sale signs can be seen on street corners or hanging from lamp posts. All across the country younger, fresher, and educationally more savvy people are starting estate liquidation companies and conducting estate sales.

Look in your local phone book under Estate Liquidation to find them. Or go on line and key word estate sales, or estate liquidation. Also make sure to include the name of your area in your keyword search e.g. Estate Sales San Francisco, Estate Liquidation Los Angeles.

Estate Sale Pro’s and Con’s:

Pros

1. Everything can take place in one central location.
2. There are no moving charges.
3. Everything can be sold individually, which creates larger incomes.
4. There are professionals to do this for you.
5. Commissions and other fees are usually lower.
6. Because they take place over a 2 or 3 day period more buyers can attend.
7. Prices are set, all items are marked.
8. Estate liquidation companies use better and more highly effective advertising strategies that let a greater number people know about estate sales in their areas.

Cons

1. There will be strangers in the decedent’s house.
2. Potential liabilities. Ask your estate sales company for a copy of their insurance policy.

Auction

Auctions have been taking place for centuries. All over this country you can find auctions being conducted; from out of the way farm auctions, to high end big city antique auctions. In many parts of the country there are simply no other ways to liquidate personal property than an auction.

Auction Pro’s and Con’s:

Pros

1. High value items will realize higher prices.
2. Household contents are immediately removed from the house, so that the house can be listed for sale.
3. If there are any surprise items in the house, the right auction house can market those items, and derive a higher price through competitive bidding.
4. Many auction houses put their entire auction catalogs on eBay. This can have a high income impact; especially for collectibles.
5. Competitive bidding acts as an imperative.
6. Mid to high level auction houses have in house research staffs that have ready access to important “price realized” data bases.
7. Property can be consigned with a sale price reserve.
8. Auction house are all over the country, even in rural areas.

Cons

1. Because auctions have to sell all items found in a home during a one day sale they use “box lots” in order to move large volumes. This tends to dilute the price your items sell for.
2. The auction process can drag on for many months.

My analysis of the estate sales or auction question is that both have positive strengths. To successfully liquidate an estates personal property, my recommendation is to adopt a two tier approach.

1. Consign your highest value items to the largest auction house in your area,
2. Engage the services of a local estate liquidation company to stage an estate sale.

Note: Many estate liquidation companies are starting to adopt this two tier approach, call one in your area and ask them if they do. If you are able to find one that does it will generally be to your advantage to engage the services of one estate liquidation company to handle all your estate sale and auction needs.

My name is Martin Codina and I am an estate liquidator who loves his job.

The Do it Yourself Estate Sales Guide