10 Questions to Ask an Estate Sale Company Before You Hire

1. What would you recommend for these particular contents?

Start with the reason for the recommendation. Ask what makes your household suitable for an in-person sale, an online auction or another approach. A useful answer connects the contents, the property and your deadline. For example, a Virginia Beach condo with limited visitor access presents different logistics from a house with room for shoppers. The company should explain its thinking after reviewing what is available, rather than treating every estate as the same project.

2. What exactly is included in the proposed work?

Request a written description of preparation, photography, pricing or cataloging, advertising and sale management. Ask who handles transport, pickup, shipping and removal, and which tasks belong to you. An agreement to conduct a sale does not automatically mean every remaining item will leave the property. If you are also arranging a move, identify where the sale company's work ends and the mover's begins. Shared responsibilities need named owners.

3. How are charges calculated and explained?

Ask for the commission basis and any separate preparation, labor, marketing, transport, storage or cleanout charges. Request a simple example showing how charges would appear on a statement, clearly labeled as an illustration rather than a forecast. A percentage alone does not describe the whole proposal. Ask how additional work would be approved if the scope changes. You should be able to explain the arrangement in your own words before proceeding.

4. Who will be working in the home?

Find out who manages the project, who supervises sale day and whether other providers handle any part of the work. Ask about relevant experience, insurance and references for comparable projects. NASMM's consumer guidance identifies written fees, a contract, insurance and references as useful questions when hiring a move manager; they are also sensible discussion points when coordinating an estate project. Membership or a professional title does not replace understanding the actual people and services involved.

5. How will buyers learn about the sale?

Ask to see a recent listing and discuss the intended advertising plan. Look for clear photographs, useful descriptions and practical information that helps buyers participate. If nationwide marketing is proposed, ask how a buyer outside Hampton Roads can purchase and receive suitable items. Exposure and completed purchases are different things. The answer should describe the channels and timing without promising that a particular audience size will produce a particular sale result.

6. How are pricing and discounts handled?

Discuss who sets prices, how specialist items are researched and how discounts or offers are handled during the sale. If there are items you would only sell under particular terms, raise them before preparation starts. Also ask how any purchases by staff or related parties are handled and disclosed. Clear expectations prevent a relative from arriving mid-sale with a different idea about a price or an item that was supposed to be excluded.

7. What does the working calendar look like?

Put preparation, advertising, sale dates, buyer collection and final access on the same calendar. For a property in Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth or elsewhere in the region, mention stairs, parking restrictions and elevator reservations early. Ask what could change the schedule and how updates will reach you. If several family members are involved, choose one contact who can respond promptly. A clear calendar is more useful than a general assurance that everything will be quick.

8. How will the property and private areas be managed?

Walk through which rooms will be accessible, where excluded belongings will remain and how keys or access instructions will be handled. Ask who answers buyer questions about moving large objects and how a concern or damage report should be raised. Decide whether family members will be present and how that fits the company's process. These details help the household, the workers and visitors understand the same boundaries before the doors open.

9. What happens to unsold belongings?

Request a specific next step rather than assuming that an estate sale guarantees an empty home. Discuss which items may remain, who approves donation or removal and how related charges are handled. Define the expected finish: contents removed, floors swept, or another agreed condition. These are different outcomes. If a property deadline matters, confirm who checks completion and what the backup plan is when a donation or pickup cannot go ahead.

10. What will I receive when the work is finished?

Ask when you can expect a statement and payment under the agreement, what the statement shows and whom to contact with questions. If item-level reporting matters, clarify that before hiring. Compare companies using the same questions, keep copies of proposals and follow up on unclear answers. The goal is a team whose process you understand and a written scope that matches your priorities—not simply the most reassuring conversation.