Here are some answers to our most frequently asked questions. If you can't find the answer to your questions, don't hesitate to contact us directly, we would be delighted to assist you!
What is an Estate Sale? |
An estate sale is simply any sale that one has when they are selling a significant portion of their 'estate'. It is NOT a garage or yard sale, as these are not cast-offs, and the sheer size alone is far larger than any garage sale. Estate sales occur due to death, downsizing, moving, combining of households, or other major life changes, and are an excellent way for you the shopper to acquire GREAT items at a fraction of their retail cost! |
How do Estate Sales work? |
The way estate sales operate is very simple. Clients hire us to sell their personal belongings and automobiles for them. We are paid a percentage of what we sell, and we work as the middle-man to get the client the most amount of money we can, while at the same time offering it at a reasonable price so our customers will buy and take it home. We have to please both client and customer and to accomplish this we have to be fair to both parties. |
Do you have a sign-up sheet? |
A sign-up sheet will be available at the entrance to the estate ONE HOUR PRIOR to the doors opening on the first day of the sale. This list serves to hold your place in line - it is YOUR responsibility to keep track of your place in line! If you are not present when your name is called for entrance, we will move on to the next name on the list. |
Will you call my phone when it's my turn to enter the sale? |
NO. You are no longer required to leave your phone number for Covid-19 Contact-tracing regulations - we will not ask for your phone number and we will NOT call your phone when it is your turn to enter the estate. It is YOUR responsibility to keep track of your place in line! If you are not present when your name is called for entrance, we will move on to the next name on the list. |
I live really far away - can I call you in the morning to put my name on the list? |
NO. We are unable to add anyone's name to the sign-up sheet, no exceptions. This is the fairest way that we can ensure that we truly operate first-come-first-served. Your name must be added in-person, but if you are unable to do so yourself, you may ask a friend to add it for you. Just remember, even if the sale is far away from you this time, it might just be in your backyard the next time, giving you the local advantage! |
Are prices negotiable? |
Prices are FAIR and FIRM - we will not change them, so please don't ask! |
Is this an auction? |
NO. Every single item in the estate is priced, tagged, and ready to sell cash-and-carry style. If you come across an item that does not have a price tag on it, it means that the item has already been purchased by someone, and is awaiting pickup. |
What is the best time to attend the sale? |
Although some people show up hours early to get the first places in line, even being 30 minutes early will get you a position close to the front of the line. Being first in line will give you the best chance of getting that extra-special something you really want. Alternatively, we have lots of experienced shoppers who wait until we have been open for about an hour so the initial rush will be over and they can shop without it being as crowded. They take a chance that an item may be sold, but they also get closer parking and fewer crowds. I would say pick which way appeals to you and make it an enjoyable experience. We guarantee that no matter what day or time you come, there will always be treasure to be found! |
Is there a time limit for how long you're allowed to spend in the sale once you're inside? |
NO. A time limit seems like a great idea to those who are in line waiting to get in, but once inside, we don't believe that you or any of our other customers would appreciate being rushed through. Some shoppers are in and out in a matter of minutes, while other shoppers enjoy taking their time. Every estate sale is different, and while we can't guarantee how long your wait will be to get in, we CAN guarantee that the wait will ALWAYS be worth it! |
Can I do research on the items or take pictures of items while I'm at the sale? |
Of course you can! We encourage you to look up items to see how good of deal you are getting and you may send pictures to all your friends and family for approval. Our goal is to sell it all, so we will always price our items to sell quickly! |
Can I bring my own bags? |
YES! Bring lots of bags, boxes, and packing materials if you plan on buying fragile items. We will do our best to help you pack up your purchases, but it is ultimately your responsibility to make sure you can get them home safe and sound! |
Will you deliver large pieces of furniture? |
We don't provide delivery, but can certainly help to make arrangements with a mover that we trust! |
Do you offer Pre-Sales? |
NO. We do not offer pre-sales of any kind! Absolutely everything that you see advertised in the photos will be available for purchase on the day of the sale, first-come-first served. On the VERY rare occasion that the owner of the estate decides to remove an item before the sale begins, we will remove its photo from our online catalogue. |
Can I buy online? |
NO. We operate the good old fashioned way, first-come-first-served, cash-and-carry style. It's all part of the fun! If you wish to leave an offer on an item via phone you are welcome to do so, although we will not consider any offers until after the estate sale has wrapped up. If you are unable to make it to the sale, you can always send someone in on your behalf! |
Do you only accept cash? |
Cash is King! But we also are set up to accept Debit, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. |
Do you charge tax? |
YES. We are legally required to collect HST on every purchase at our sales. We do NOT, however, charge a buyer's premium! |
Do you accept returns? |
NO. All items are sold as-is, and it is your responsibility to look over the items you are purchasing to make sure that it is in good condition. We do our very best to describe items as best we can, and take numerous photos to ensure you get the very best representation of every item on offer, but once it's yours, it's yours to do with as you please! |
Can I score a bulk buying bargain after |
Every sale is different, but generally, no. We do our very best to price items competitively so that there is very little leftover at the end, but generally speaking the remaining goods of most sales we do will be donated to a local charity. This donation has cash value for our clients - any discount more than 65% off is usually worth more as a donation than as a sale. Every sale is handled differently, but this is our general rule of thumb. |
Do re-sellers always get the best deals? |
Not really. We never offer pre-sales, so you can be sure that our sales are never cherry-picked in advance by dealers or re-sellers. Dealers need to make money on their purchases so they have a limit on how much they can spend on an item before it's no longer profitable. This gives the retail shopper an edge, as you can still get a GREAT deal on an item for well under retail, but slightly more than wholesale. Most dealers shop with us on the first day to see if there are any “sleeper” bargains, to leave offers on items they want, and to see what would be worth waiting in line for the second day. They usually do their bulk buying on the second day, so non-dealers have a great opportunity to get fantastic deals on the first day of the sale! |
