Estate Sales

[max]

I think estate sales are very sad and I feel like I am invading the privacy of the people that lived in the house. I also feel it is sad that if there is surviving family, they have no interest in their parents or family members possessions. I realize families spread across the country and may not have the room or desire for things that were so important to someone else.

I noticed an estate sale this AM while riding my bicycle and realized it was the home of a couple I knew. He was a VP of the company I worked for and he was the VP of the division I transferred to in 1986. He was a Navy vet of WWII and looked very much like a Navy officer and company executive. He always treated me well and once impressed me by congratulating me on some work that I had no idea he even knew of. She had worked also. but was a good corporate wife who loved her martinis and smokes.

In going through the garage, I noticed a handmade trouble light for a car. It was a headlight that was inserted into a toilet plunger and then a short piece of wood with a plastic bike handle was screwed into the other end. A piece of wire with a plug that you inserted into the cigarette lighter was attached. When you plugged it in, you had a handy light.

I started with the company in 77 and one of my first "other duties as assigned" was being responsible for a Junior Achievement company. We had a number of money making projects and these trouble lights were one of our successes. We advertised in the company newsletter and Norm had bought one of the lights from the kids. After 35 years, I have the light back in my hands and it still works.

We also bought a very nice writing desk for our daughter and a few other small items. I think the couple would be happy that we got a few of their things. I still think it is sad.

 

[Brian41]

I know it was sad when I had to do one for my folks. We divided up their property as we could but there was a lot left we had to get rid of. Once you see a person's stuff all laid out like that you do accept they're gone finally so some good may come of it too.
What we didn't sell went to charity so much good was done in the end.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Kinda makes one sit back and survey one's own stuff and realize just how un important it all really is in the great scheme of things.

 

[Iggy]

After having to "dispense with" two sets of grand parents and two sets of parent's accumulations, including a 2 ring dealers auction that lasted 12 hours, I came home and began paring things down.

Now every "non-essential" I buy is tempered with the thought of what is my son going to have to do to get rid of this after I'm gone.

 

[forresth]

My house is somewhat small, and my brother rents a small place a thousand miles away. My parents have a big house and my Dad has a practice and owns the building also bigger than my house.
Dad also loves Bird art It is real obvious if you go in either the house or the office too. I refuse to have any in my house.
There is going to be lots of stuff for sale some day. It would be sadder to stick all that stuff into storage IMO.

 

[Black_Sheep]

The family ran the Estate sale when my brother passed away. He didn't have a lot but it was emotionally unsettling to try to sell off his worldly posessions, especially when the vultures started circling and tried to buy stuff for pennies on the dollar. I'm not a violent man but there was a guy that I escorted off the property after he made my Mother cry, he came perilously close to being tattooed with a Louisville Slugger...

I have since begun to "simplify" my life but my kids will still have a lot to dispose of. (tools, guns, furniture, Hot Rods, etc...)

 

[carpriver]

I know the saddness of having to part with things from a faimly members. My brothers and I had to clear out our parents home after there deaths. My wife and I with the help of our oldest son had to go throught our youngest son home after his death. It was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. I have down sized my stuff and made a list of things I want certin family members to have, My oldest grand daughters like to go to the range with me and the girls have guns they like to shoot. I have made it clear they get those guns when I am done with them. The 2 youngest girls aged 12 have little intrest in shooting yet. But my son likes to shoot and knows he gets the rest of the guns and tools. Now if he would just move out of Ill-a-noises.

 

[Tom Beavert]

J.A.

I was involved in several JA projects, and that trouble light was really neat. Glad you got one back.
be well
tb

 

[rburg]

I have so much junk you wouldn't blieve it. I love "things". They make me feel good just to hold and look at some of it. We collect not just gun stuff, but also some glassware and some art. And we still attend antique shows when we hear of one. And tools! Gawd how I enjoy looking at them. I don't buy nearly as often as I used to, but sometimes I just can't resist.

And it was about 5 or 6 years ago my oldest son and his family were camping (at an urban park campground). My brother and his wife came into town to see my mother, and they were going to the campground. Instant family get together. So around the campfire my son expressed his greatest fear. When I croak, which I most assuredly will, he's going to need to sort through all the stuff I've accumulated in my lifetime. To which is father-in-law started laughing at him. He said it'll be good practice, because he'll have to sort all his tools, too. My son is doomed!

I knew a guy, maybe 25 or so years ago that had the same problem. He solved it by opening a tool rental! When life gives you grapes, make wine!

 

[feralmerril]

I went through it with my dad in 2003. Mom had died 10 years earlier. Neither of my parents ever threw anything away. They lived in wisconsin and I in california. What do you do? Dad had come down with alzheimers and I had just retired. Dad was stubborn, had no drivers license, lived 8 miles from the nearest store. I went home and lived with him 6 miserable months trying to talk him in going to assisted liveing. I wanted him to live with me in california and he wouldnt do that either. Another close family member wanted me to go to court and have him declaired incompentant but no way could I do that.
Finaly just before I was to have a nervous breakdown he relented. We had a big auction. It was heart breaking. I belive had I had all his "stuff" in california it would have went for a lot more money. As it was I think we cleared around $4,000 dollars not counting the old small house and car. I bet I could have got more than ten times that elsewhere.
Statistics tell us that over 50% of marrages end in divorice. That means well over half of the estates are blended famlys. I am in one now.
No matter what you do or plan there is going to be PO`ed heirs!
The most posted topics here are about accumilateing nice guns. The truth is a very small percentage of them are going to find appricitive homes to people that really want and know what they are worth and will take care of them like yourself.
The older you get the faster the rules change! At some point every one of us will view your collection far different than you did while amassing it! In my case my wife is 17 years younger than me. As we married after I retired, my type retirement stops at my death. She could live over 40 years after I am called home if we go by statistics!
Lets say you have a $50,000 collection. Do you really think a un gun savy widow is going to get near half the value? Are your kids interested in the guns and even moreso, has the exact taste in guns that you do?
I think in Job in the bible says there is a time to buy and a time to sell.

 

[GKC]

My mother died three years ago this past August (my dad is still living, but they divorced when I was a child, and he lives in a different city.) Her house was crammed full of stuff...including many years worth of magazines and newspapers, but also the usual (dishes, furniture, collectibles, etc.) My wife loves to put on a garage sale, or she did before she was disabled...and she really wanted to have one at my mother's house. My mother lived about 6 hours away from us, so it wasn't exactly convenient...but, we'd go down there on occasion and go through things little by little.

Finally after a couple of years of messing around with it, we decided that it would be better for us to just let an estate sale firm handle it, and then we could finally get the house sold (I am an only child, so there weren't any estate impediments or issues to work through.) We contacted a local firm, and the owner came out and went through the process with us. They came in, went through everything, priced it all, and set up the sale. They advertised it, contacted local collectors who would be interested in certain things, and then held the sale for three days. We didn't have to be present.

We of course got to keep whatever we wanted, in advance of the sale. They also asked if we wanted to set minimums on any certain items. There was a whole lot of stuff that I was planning on just throwing out, but they said not to...it might bring a few dollars, and if it didn't, they could either donate it or throw it out later.

After the sale, they donated all the unsold items to Goodwill, or threw out those items that were unusable. They cleaned the house, and got it realtor ready. The commission they charged was 40%, but we ended up netting more than my wife had estimated we would get if we had held a sale ourselves. So, all in all, it worked out well for us.

As others have commented, we came back and looked at our own stuff. We have an enormous amount of stuff. There were things in my mother's house that I considered keepsakes...photos, certain things from my childhood, certain treasures that she had valued (which may or may not have had monetary value) but by and large, it wasn't stuff that we kept. We have a LOT more stuff than my mother did, and we shudder to think about what our kids would have to deal with. So, we are going to start getting rid of stuff now, before we go, instead of leaving a chore for our kids to handle. Frankly, we are thinking about selling almost everything, putting a few things in storage, and touring the USA in our RV for a while.

 

[Faulkner]

I've facilitated a couple of estate sales, one for my grandparents and one for my wife's parents. Doesn't bother me, it's just stuff.

 

[sceva]

The closest I heve been to this situation is when I needed to place my Step-Mother into a nursing home (Alzheimers) There were a precious few "treasures" that had been in my family for generations and the rest was just Stuff. She had a nice two room suite in the home and we were able to have her own bedroom suite and what little furnature would fit and we made sure the special items were there so she was in semi-familiar surroundings.

The rest: There was a sale to help pay for her care. It was only stuff. She was able to stay in a nice facility with her own rooms until her death then the special; family items went home with me or my sister. The rest; who cared - she was taken care of.

 

[wheelgun28]

My parents died twelve years ago, I still have boxes of "stuff" in the garage and attic. To good to throw out, not really salable.

My moms silver plated serving platters and parts that go with. No scrap value, not a big used item seller. Yet what to do with it put it in the trash, its not so easy. Other things antique kitchen decanters, flour, sugar things, it goes on.

I am thinking of sorting it out and donating it to Goodwill. The only problem is they are picky as to what they take.

 

[ladder13]

I used to buy every S&W, that I could get my hands on. Lately I've been selling a few, and being much more selective on the ones I buy. What am I going to do with all this "stuff"? I've been blessed financially, and don't need guns for any perceived or real future value.
Every once in awhile I reflect back on what the Good Book says about idols in my life. YMMV

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

[Bekeart]

Very TIMELY for me

This thread was very TIMELY for me.

Last month I started updating my estate plan.

MOST of this stuff is going to go, before I go ... I would qualify as a hoarder.
Starting with DUMPSTER, Donations, and Gifts to friends. Sales later.

Bekeart

 

[Penmon]

I had one of those lights, had it for years.If memory serves me I purchased it when I was High School from of all places a Pep Boys. I marveled at it's simple construction, Headlamp, Toilet Plunger, Dowl, Motorcycle Handgrip, A cigarette plug and some wire.I wonder if JA sold them to Pep Boys.

Between my wife and I with all the stuff we have or will have between 3 homes I feel sorry for my kids but a little payback is not the worse thing.It's just stuff,One mans junk is another's treasure.
Now my guns are a different story but I have a strong feeling they will stay with the little darlings, if they don't get em by the time I pass.

Penmon

 

[jspick]

I did two estates at the same time. What a nightmare. My FIL was 1100 miles away and my great aunt 700 miles. I was gone more than home for two years running. I spent several years afterward selling my FIL stuff on ebay. Back when it was user friendly.

My great aunt wasn't too bad but my FIL had a steam locomotive and a 10 car train!!! Plus a house and garage packed with 47 years of stuff! Lots of steam stuff. Over 40 locomotive whistles and a couple of bells. The bells are HEAVY!

Although I wanted to keep the train it just wasn't in the cards. Too many bills and no place to keep it. Try figureing out how to sell a steam loco and train isn't exactly easy. All the cost were BIG.

My next wifes father is going to be a STAMP COLLECTOR!

John

 

[GKC]

My parents died twelve years ago, I still have boxes of "stuff" in the garage and attic. To good to throw out, not really salable.

My moms silver plated serving platters and parts that go with. No scrap value, not a big used item seller. Yet what to do with it put it in the trash, its not so easy. Other things antique kitchen decanters, flour, sugar things, it goes on.

I am thinking of sorting it out and donating it to Goodwill. The only problem is they are picky as to what they take.

Another option is to donate the stuff to a church or school rummage sale. A lot of times they will come get it, and the money can be put to good use. The way taxes are now, it's not worth the trouble to declare donations to Goodwill. We still do it, but we don't try to declare it on our taxes. The only thing we declare are cash contributions to church and charity.

 

[bushmaster1313]

I have thought that the NRA could offer an excellent service to both living people and estates.

They arrange to have an FFL come to the home, take the guns, sell the guns on Gunbroker or some other auction site for a reasonable minimum bid.

Then they take 10% of the total.