Attending Estate Sales - What to Expect
How our estate sales are conducted
For safety and security reasons, a limited number of people are allowed in the home at one time. This number varies with the size and layout of the home, but as a rule it is generally about 5 people per room. If you arrive early or if there are a large number of attendees at the sale, you will need to wait in line to get in.
After entering, you will find a variety of items available for purchase. If you see an item you want, pick it up and keep it with you if it is small enough to carry. We do not allow cloth bags, backpacks or purses to hold items in that we cannot see through. We will have "hold boxes" near the checkout for your items so that we can keep an eye on them. If it is not possible to carry the item around, call one of the workers and tell them you want the item. They will mark it "SOLD" and write your name on the item for you. Please inspect and test all items for sale. Everything is sold as-is. We offer no guarantees. No refunds or exchanges once the item has been purchased. We do not have time to check every item for working condition when we are setting up a sale. We take the homeowners word on condition of items if they have told us.
All furniture purchased is U-Haul. We do not have extra help to assist with loading.
The Bid System
Most sales are two days sales. The second day prices are reduced. Prices are not negotiable on the first day. If you are interested in purchasing an item and do not want to pay the full price, you can bid on the item. Successful bidders will be notified the evening before the last day of the sale. The new owner must make arrangements to pay for and pick up the item by the next morning, or the item will be offered to a back up bidder, or placed back in the sale and offered again to the public. All bids must be at least 50% of the price marked. So, for a $300 item the minimum bid is $150.
Please do not bid on an item unless you intend to honor your bid.
More about the Entrance
Alice's Estate Services allows those who wait in line to come in first at posted start time of the sale. This means that the first people to arrive at the sale will be the first in the home when it opens. A limited number of people will be allowed into the home at intervals. This is to ensure that your shopping can be as uninterrupted as possible. The larger the home, the more individuals allowed in at one time. When the crowds subside shopping is at will.
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