Where Do Sellers Find Inventory

[estella5624]

As an eBay seller and caretaker I found this article heartbreaking

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/09/how-the-elderly-lose-their-rights/amp

Seriously? Companies that provide care to seniors own estate sale companies and are fighting in court for guardianship? This unconscionable.

The culprit in this story Caring Traditions. They operates throught the United States.

[tunicaslot]

They are in our area - do estate sales and have an online auction site. I couldn't even read the whole article - it made me sick. Those poor people and those poor families.

As far as inventory - store sales, garage sales, rummage sales and thrifts - or something a friend is just giving away.

[retrose1]

When I had my vintage clothing store, I saw it all the time and it has been going on n one form or another for years.  When the oldsters move into assisted care, the facility will have them sign over ALL their assets in order for the place to be able to care for them.  From the moment they sign that contract, they have no way to go anywhere or money to spend so they are pretty much prisoners.

I used to get family members bringing in the clothes to generate some extra cash for the oldsters since they will have none after they go into the facility.  No one wanted the old clothes so there was a little something for them that the facility couldn't get their hands on.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

I am furious. I could not even read the entire article. I will keep the rest of my thoughts to myself to keep in "community guidelines". 

[18704d]

"When the oldsters move into assisted care, the facility will have them sign over ALL their assets in order for the place to be able to care for them. "

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Every elderly person I know of,

has long ago given one of their children both medical and financial powers of attorney.

Lynn

[odditiesandantiquities1]

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@estella5624 wrote:

As an eBay seller and caretaker I found this article heartbreaking

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/09/how-the-elderly-lose-their-rights/amp

Seriously? Companies that provide care to seniors own estate sale companies and are fighting in court for guardianship? This unconscionable.

The culprit in this story Caring Traditions. They operates throught the United States.

---

That was one of the most painful "reads" I have ever experiences. My God. How on earth did all these people collude to make this happen. I'd like to think that people are generally good and honest but that story has made me wonder about half of them.

It shows how easily the elderly can be manipulated if they have no family, or even if they do, it all can be taken away from them by serial narcissists. My heart breaks for each and every victim.  Every single guardian involved should be jailed for a very, very long time.  To steal a persons life is criminal. 

[lookng2015]

I read it all and I'm completely disgusted.

[hawgryders]

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@estella5624 wrote:

As an eBay seller and caretaker I found this article heartbreaking

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/09/how-the-elderly-lose-their-rights/amp

Seriously? Companies that provide care to seniors own estate sale companies and are fighting in court for guardianship? This unconscionable.

The culprit in this story Caring Traditions. They operates throught the United States.

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Actually, the CULPRIT in this story are the families who abandon their elders --- they refuse to modify their lifestyles to accommodate the needs of aging Family members

Thank God there are companies willing to take on the responsibility to care for others --- and if in return they make a few dollars selling items then good for them --- it provides more assets to be used to help those whose Family has abandoned them

As a caretaker you are one of the "good guys/girls" --- and I am sure there is no one knocking on your door asking for guardianship ...

[thecollegefund]

Thank you so much for sharing this article! EVERYONE should read it. I am definitely going to share it with my young adult children.

I will NEVER attend an estate sale put on by "Caring" Transitions. Everyone should boycott their sales!

Once in awhile I come across an estate sale company that seems to be operating with questionable "business" practices, so I cross their sales off of my list of sales to attend.

What advice can others give when looking for a reputable estate sale company to help liquidate a loved one's estate?

[lookng2015]

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@lookng2015 wrote:
I read it all and I'm completely disgusted.

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eta: I honestly don't know what disgusts me more. These vultures who prey on the elderly or a legal system which not only allows them to do this but actually facilitates it.

[thecollegefund]

Another question---if you had to name an independent executor for an estate (a non family member) what qualities and qulifications would you look for?

[bashamauctions]

They are well known in my area of the country as well.  Like you I will NEVER attend one of their sales again. I bought a pair of lovely marble soap dishes at one of their sales a few years back and now it makes me sick to think it was potentially stolen away from the senior and/or their family. 

While I'm certainly not glad my parents are gone I sure am grateful they never run into the likes of these vultures.

-C

[estella5624]

When I am asked this question I tell people that the first question they should ask an estate sale company representative is "Do you own a resale, vintage, or antique shop?" If they answer yes there is a conflict of interest.

My strong advice is to pay the $50 fee and run the sale yourself. If this is not possible, hire an auction house.

National Auctioneers Association

I have never been to an auction and been told "the family decided to keep it". Nor have I been pushed, shoved, had merchandise ripped from my hands, or been condescended to by the sales staff.

I recommend staying with estate sales listed as "Private", church rummage sales, live and online auctions, and garage sales.

Remember, by and large there is no regulation of estate sales companies. Literally, all one needs to do is go to the county, pay the fee for a license, and wah-la they are now an estae sale company!

[tunicaslot]

The culprit is not always the families - my father's aunt lived an hour away - we routingly went to visit my aunt. Didn't stop some dispicable person to clean out her apt after she went into the hospital due to a fall - unbeknownst to us - a few days after we visited her.

The same thing happened to my husband's aunt who we were close to - someone convinced her we were after her money and had her designate them her proxy - wherein they totally cleaned her out. 

Older people are susceptible to these types of things - especially if the family lives out of town. My parents in their 80's - have a will with a close friend as the executor - not their children - which is a good thing as my brother and his wife would swoop in at the first sign of trouble. They have no  proxy as they don't want to think about it.

[odditiesandantiquities1]

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@tunicaslot wrote:

The culprit is not always the families - my father's aunt lived an hour away - we routingly went to visit my aunt. Didn't stop some dispicable person to clean out her apt after she went into the hospital due to a fall - unbeknownst to us - a few days after we visited her.

The same thing happened to my husband's aunt who we were close to - someone convinced her we were after her money and had her designate them her proxy - wherein they totally cleaned her out. 

Older people are susceptible to these types of things - especially if the family lives out of town. My parents in their 80's - have a will with a close friend as the executor - not their children - which is a good thing as my brother and his wife would swoop in at the first sign of trouble. They have no  proxy as they don't want to think about it.

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I agree. We're talking about savvy manipulators here. You can tell in the story that their daughter was absolutely blindsided as likely many other's are. She wasn't an absent daughter.