My father just died...and he has lots of stuff...please help

[saintpaulgolf]

My father just passed away and he has lots of toys, collectibles, etc. and my family and I were wondering if there are people who will take all your items, and picture them, list them, box them and ship them, for a percentage/fee. 

I am in St. Paul, MN. 55106. 

Does anyone know of anyone locally who does this sort of thing?? 

[discountme]

I know here in Vegas we have Estate Companies who will buy everything or consign it for you as well.

[castlemagicmemories]

OP, my heart goes out to you on the loss of your Father.  I am so very sorry and I pray that God will comfort you and yours as you go through this.  

Just a thought, though, be sure to consider that you may want to see that relatives and dear friends choose or are given something to remember your Father by.  You might want to consider siblings, children, grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews, best friends.  

[thallidguy]

I agree with using a reputable estate seller or auction house instead of an eBay consignment shop.

I used to work for an consignment shop (they were a chain, but I don't think they exist anymore) called iSoldIt. The problem is that they're generalists, not speciaists, so they might not know how to list the items to best advantage, or even to pack them properly. And they'll take a huge cut of the sale anyway.

To sell toys and collectibles effectively on eBay, you should have a specialist's knowledge, you need to know the market. I don't think you'll find that at a consignment shop, so you might as well go wtih an auctioneer or estate seller, who will probably give you more hand-holding.

[iart]

I'm sorry for your loss. It's important to keep your own strength up during these times. Please eat right and drink lots of water.

You're being smart by looking for a third party for this. They will remove emotional attachment from the prices asked.

A warning. Be careful about falling into the storage unit trap. They seem kind of cheap on a monthly basis but multiply that by 12 and people pay a ridiculous amount every year.

[stuff-from-jewel-and-the-gang]

my condolences on the loss of your father .....


if there is an estate attorney involved .. they may have a local list of reputable / trustworthy local sellers .... I know my attorney's office has a list

[castlemagicmemories]

OP, would just like to add, take a deep breath and take good care of you and yours. 

There will be things that have to be done right away, but there will be others that can wait.  Please try to not let all this overwhelm you; you have a lot on your plate just dealing with the loss of your Dad and taking care of all that that ensues.

Hang in there; God bless you.

[bubbleman2010]

Sorry for you loss I'm 300 miles south of you and deal with auction houses in your area. How old was your father? Age has a direct relationship with what items they may have collected over their lifetime and what level of service you can expect from auction houses in your area....

[penguins_dont_fly]

@saintpaulgolf

Here's a good article by your Minnesota State AG regarding Estate Companies.

https://www.ag.state.mn.us/consumer/Publications/AvoidEstateSaleScams.asp

[saintpaulgolf]

He had just turned 70. He was my best friend and I have been living with him the last several years and i know him better than anyone. 

My siblings have decided to open a "joint" eBay account (Is that even possible?) that we will pool all items we list into, and then I guess an escrow account or something to that effect. 

I'm not entirely sure about that just yet but they are kind of leaning that way?....

[castlemagicmemories]

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@saintpaulgolf wrote:

He had just turned 70. He was my best friend and I have been living with him the last several years and i know him better than anyone. 

My siblings have decided to open a "joint" eBay account (Is that even possible?) that we will pool all items we list into, and then I guess an escrow account or something to that effect. 

I'm not entirely sure about that just yet but they are kind of leaning that way?....

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Somehow, no offense, but I find that alarming.  Who is going to do all the work?

Listing, packing, etc?  Multiple people listing, with no experience?  What about returns?  Refunds?  Do they know policy?  And if he has a lot of stuff, you are looking a possibly years of listing.  

[thallidguy]

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@castlemagicmemories wrote:

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Somehow, no offense, but I find that alarming.  Who is going to do all the work?

Listing, packing, etc?  Multiple people listing, with no experience?  What about returns?  Refunds?  Do they know policy?  And if he has a lot of stuff, you are looking a possibly years of listing.  

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That's my first thought as well. If they think they can do the work themselves, well... they're biting off an awful lot for themselves. Also, I would be concerned about the siblings setting themselves up for a falling out later on if they try to do everything themselves.

My own experience when my mother died: After my brother and I set aside what we wanted to keep, he trusted me to sell what I felt I could sell on eBay, and we donated the rest. It worked out okay, but my brother has always acknowledged me as the eBay guy in the family, plus he wasn't really concerned with how much we made from that stuff. The big item was the house, and his wife, who was a real estate agent at the time, sold it for us. And frankly, as I look back on it, I wonder if we might have done better by hiring an estate seller to take care of everything. Certainly, it would have been less bother.

[muttlymob]

So sorry for your loss.

"My siblings have decided to open a "joint" eBay account (Is that even possible?) that we will pool all items we list into, and then I guess an escrow account or something to that effect."

While others can use an account with the account owner's permission, the person whose name is on the account is ultimately responsible for all activity.

The concerns raised by the previous poster are critical.  Does anyone involved understand how eBay works?  Is everyone involved willing to do the work? 

Does everyone involved trust each other?  Really, really trust? 

It also depends on how much stuff is involved and the actual value of said stuff.  Does everyone involved have a realistic view or the ability to research the actual value of the stuff? 

Sentimental or wishful thinking values can easily result in disappointment or potential conflict.

If there isn't much stuff to sell then the eBay account might work as long as everyone involved agrees and is realistic about the work and potential results involved.

If there is a large amount of stuff is involved it is by far easier to have a reputable estate seller or auctioneer to handle it.  Considering the fees and risks involved with eBay, the costs of a local professional may not be so bad.

[lex-talon]

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@divwido wrote:

Wouldn't a garage or Estate Sale Be faster and easier?

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That would be a good idea. I would prefer an Estate sale over a garage sale. My neighbor who lived two

house down from mine passed away a month ago. Most of the items were sold during the weekend.

[theposhmermaids]

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@saintpaulgolf wrote:

He had just turned 70. He was my best friend and I have been living with him the last several years and i know him better than anyone. 

My siblings have decided to open a "joint" eBay account (Is that even possible?) that we will pool all items we list into, and then I guess an escrow account or something to that effect. 

I'm not entirely sure about that just yet but they are kind of leaning that way?....

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I am so sorry for your loss.  My dad passed away 30 years ago, and I still miss him everyday.

I hope you can convince your siblings that ebay is not the way to go.  I have been selling here for a number of years and have also worked for estate sales companies.  It's difficult enough to sell things on ebay yourself, but when you get other family members involved in the process, it can cause rifts that can last for years.  Plus, it would probably take years to sell everything on ebay, not even considering the returns and scammers.

I recently watched a YouTube video made by a successful ebay seller who sometimes does consignment work.  She and the person she was helping mutually ended their contract because of the amount of time and resources it took for her to research, list, sell, and package the items.  Even working for a cut of the sales, she was making less than minimum wage when she added all the hours up.  And the owner of the property was making very little, too, after the sales.

As others have suggested, I would consult either an experienced and honest estate sales company, or a local auction house.  Due to my experience in working estate sales, I would suggest you look for an auction house.  You would be surprised at how much doesn't get sold at an estate sale.  And after the sale, the rest is usually sold (by contract with the estate saler) to a 'junk' guy who gets everything for almost nothing and resells them him/her self.

There are many good local auction houses available---I don't know your area, but all big cities have them.  They will be honest with you about what will sell and what really isn't worth much.  That can be important because we often think our 'treasures' are worth much more than they actually are.  It is helpful to have someone not emotionally involved give you current real-life estimates to it's value.

Sorry about the lengthy answer, but since there are other family members involved, I feel that the most important thing is to preserve the family relationships.  That is more important than anything.  My dad and his brother were extremely close, yet when my grandmother died, splitting the very small estate caused hard feelings that lasted for the rest of their lives.  Good luck to you and your loved ones.

[reclamationlg]

So very sorry for your loss - I'm sure it's an overwhelming time for you and your family.

I wish we could help, but unfortunately we are Chicago-based.  We work with families to triage items and make keep/sell/donate decisions, and then we consign the collectibles for them on eBay. 

Just  to echo what others have said, take your time to really research the company you select.  There are some wonderful people out there who are sensitive and respectful and have a passion for vintage and collectibles, and it sounds like that's who you're seeking.  

One word of advice, be certain that you retain the right to have unsold items returned to you  -- we are hearing of this happening more and more with some companies, and frankly, it's troubling.  Find someone who will take the time to explain their process.

Wishing you the best of luck during this difficult time.  Enjoy your many happy memories.

RLG