Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few questions that our clients ask:

How do you prepare for my sale?
How do you know how to price my items?
How do you advertise my sale?
How is the sale conducted?
What about Security?
What happens to the items left over from my sale?
When will I receive my proceeds from my sale?
Do you ever find items best sold in some other manner?
How much do you charge for your services?
Do you work outside of Dallas?

How do you prepare for my sale? 

Typically, we have at least six team members involved in various aspects of preparing for your sale. Our first effort is going room to room, removing unsaleable items and arranging furniture so that it can be shown to best advantage. All "small" items are removed from cabinets, closets and drawers, and carefully arranged on tables we provide or in available display areas of the house. During this time, we will also clean, polish or repair items in order to enhance their saleability. As we go through the arrangement process, any overlooked personal papers or other personal items that we think may be of particular sentimental or other value are set aside and returned to you. Once everything has been properly prepared for sale, each item is individually priced - thus the name used in some parts of the courntry, "tag sale."

How do you know how to price my items?

Our associates have many years' experience pricing for estate sales, with a very good knowledge of what price will make the items attractive to the typical estate sale customer. Since we work on a commission basis, responsible for all expenses, we have every incentive to maximize the amount we realize out of sale of your personal property, while also recognizing that we must be sensitive to the marketplace in order to accomplish the desired objective of liquidating virtually all of the items offered for sale. When we encounter items of an unusual nature, we conduct necessary research to determine an appropriate asking price, and we also have a group of specialist appraisers we regularly work with to assist us in pricing of unusual or exceptionally fine items. We also welcome our clients' input regarding the value of specific items, but must reserve the right to make the final decision on pricing.  

How do you advertise my sale?

Our primary advertising is our own website, JeffHamlinEstatesales.com and the email we send to about 3,000 customers, a few days prior to each sale. These customers have gone to our website and signed up to receive these emails. We also advertise on 24-7Estatesales.com, a Metroplex area website which advertises for most of the businesses regularly involved in doing estate sales in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, as well as on EstateSales.net. We also advertise in the classified section of The Dallas Morning News, and if permitted by local ordinance, distribute several street signs in the immediate vicinity of the sale, in order to attract "drive-by" clientele. Additionally, if the sale is scheduled sufficiently far in advance we can often begin to promote your sale at various preceding sales.

How is the sale conducted?

Jeff Hamlin Estate Sales takes pride in the quality of service we offer our customers at each of our sales and believes that we have an exceptionally knowledgeable and helpful staff of people, who have worked with us over a long period of time.

The number of people working each sale is determined by the size of the house and size of the sale, but our goal is to have a more than sufficient number of people distributed throughout the house to assist customers. These people are avialable to answer any questions and to write sales tickets for the customer, which are then presented to our two cashiers. By having an adequate number of sales associates scattered through the house writing tickets, along with using two cashiers, we are able to minimize checkout time and, at the same time, enhance security and create a record of items being sold for accounting and administrative purposes.

In conducting a sale, our objective is both to sell every item offered for sale and to maximize the proceeds from the sale. To accomplish this, we have a stated reduction schedule applicable on the second day of the sale. We may also negotiate prices with customers, as we consider appropriate, in order to achieve the above objectives. We are, however, agreeable to establishing minimum prices on a few more important items in the sale, if desired, but know from our experience that a sale is harmed if there are many items with a minimum price greater than one-half the marked price.

What about Security?

Security is one of our primary considerations when conducting a sale, and we take every reasonable step to guard against theft of or damage to the sale items. We are particularly sensitive to protection of valuable small items, often using a locked display case with a sales person assigned to that case. We also make certain that we have an adequate number of people working each sale to carefully monitor all areas of your home during the sale, and one person is assigned to monitor the exit to make certain that items being removed have been paid for.  

What happens to the items left over from my sale?

In most instances, our mutual goal is to sell all items being offered at the sale so that your home will be left empty and clean at the end of the sale. Our experience is that normally only items of lesser value are remaining at the end of the sale, and most often we prepare these items for donation to a charity of your choice, or to a specific charity we are currently working with, which removes unsold items at the end of the sale. If there are any items left of greater value, we work with you to find an appropriate way to sell those items subsequent to the sale, on an advantageous basis to you. We are also happy, if you prefer, to leave remaining items after the sale for you to determine which ones you may prefer to retain, in which case you are responsible for handling disposition of any sale leftovers.  

When will I receive my proceeds from my sale?

You will receive a check from us within one week after the sale is complete, along with a settlement statement indicating the total amount of the sale, less the agreed-on commission, and with a check to you for the net proceeds of the sale.

Do you ever find items best sold in some other manner?

On occasion, we identify items to be sold which can best be handled through a private sale to a collector or dealer interested in those specific items. We also find items which we feel can best be sold by being offered on eBay, a service we can provide to you after we review our specific suggestions with you. On other occasions, we identify items that are best offered at auction, and we have established contacts with major auction houses, including Sotheby's and Christie's, to help you realize maximum value for items being offered for sale.  

How much do you charge for your services?

We work on a commission basis, taking a mutually agreed upon percentage of the gross sales amount. We are responsible for all normal expenses in conducting the sale, including advertising, supplies and approprate pay for our various associates. We are also responsible for any checks which we take during the sale. The commission amount is based on the anticipated revenue of the sale, taking into consideration your indication of items to be available for sale at the time we reach our agreement. Circumstances which can cause us to charge a larger than normal commission include exceptional amounts of cleanout of basically unsaleable items from garages, attics or storage buildings, or unusual cleaning and repair needed because of long-term neglect. These circumstances will be discussed with you in full at the time we are reaching an agreement and understanding with you concerning your sale.  

Do you work outside of Dallas?

Yes, we have enjoyed working in various other cities and towns in Texas, as far away as Amarillo and often in the metroplex area or in Fort Worth. While we are not restricted geographically, because of the additional expense involved in doing a sale away from Dallas, other than the immediate area, economically the sale would need to be relatively large for it to be feasible for both of us.