HOW IT WORKS

  There are many reasons why a family may want to sell the contents of their home.  An Estate Sale, sometimes referred to as a Tag Sale or a Trustee Sale, is a way of liquidating the belongings of a homeowner’s estate. Due to the tremendous amount of work involved with preparing for such an event, many homeowners opt to hire a professional company to manage the sale of their personal inventory.  At the time of the sale, the public is invited into the home and given the opportunity to purchase goods that have been tagged and approved for sale by the homeowner. Modernly Vintage is insured and operates in compliance with all township and state regulations, freeing clients from any liability associated with conducting a sale. 

If you think an Estate Sale might be right for you, give us a call! Once we’ve achieved a comprehensive understanding of your needs, expectations and timeline, we'll  schedule a complimentary on-site consultation to meet with you and assess the contents of your home.   

 Our pricing model is simply percentage based. There are no up-front costs or hidden fees for the homeowner. We do not make money if you do not make money! Every home is unique. After we have projected a timeline and workload for your particular sale, we review our pricing with you. Lastly, we'll walk you through our easy-to-read, industry standard contract, to ensure that you walk away with a full understanding of the process.

Once we’ve agreed to partner, we'll work to choose a  date that is mutually agreeable for all parties involved in the transaction (existing and new homeowners, realtors, etc.). To secure your preferred sale date, it is ideal and recommended that you contact us 30-60 days in advance, allowing enough time for consultation, preparation, setup and marketing. Ample lead time also gives us the opportunity to obtain and finalize any necessary permits or paperwork and ensure our collective compliance with any applicable ordinance code(s) related to conducting the sale. And if you need help sooner, don't worry- we can handle last minute jobs too!

Once a date is secured, it’s time to get to work! Prior to setup, we ask that clients remove and pack all personal items from the premises that will not be for purchase. We happily make ourselves available during this phase to consult with homeowners, should they have any questions about what is worthy of being sold. DO NOT throw anything away! In most cases, even the smallest items should be kept for sale! One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. To the best of your ability, we ask that you ensure items are accessible and clean for our team. Once you’re comfortable, our crew will begin to organize, redistribute and stage your inventory for purchase. We supply all staging equipment and  your merchandise is photographed during this phase to be used for advertising in the days leading up to the sale. Our goal is to curate a beautiful retail-like experience within your home so that buyers are excited and encouraged to comfortably browse and shop. After items have been merchandised, we conduct a final walk-through to price and tag inventory. Using a combination of personal expertise, owner input and online research, we determine fair market value for your belongings.

Before each sale, we advertise teaser photos and inventory details on our website, social networks, and other digital sales platforms. Directional signage is locally placed, but your street address is not published until the night before the sale, for privacy reasons. Depending on the scale of the estate, we may open a  “discovery sale” prior to the grand opening for professional dealers or collectors interested in getting a first look. A cover fee may be charged for entry and all proceeds collected during the pre-sale go toward the final gross profits. Sales may last anywhere from 1-4 days. For security, sales are always staffed by (a minimum of 2) Modernly Vintage employees. We accept (and prefer) cash and check payments, but also offer digital payment options (i.e. Square). We itemize all transactions so that we can provide you with a comprehensive breakdown of sold inventory upon completion of the sale. Careful preparation and vigilance for the contents of your home will help us ensure that you receive the highest possible return on your collection of treasured (and not so treasured!) investments.

For items that do not sell, Modernly Vintage may accept certain merchandise for consignment (sold via our Etsy Shop). Other items will be gathered and organized for donation or disposal. We do not offer junk removal service at this time, but have a list of preferred vendors and charities with whom we would be happy to connect you with. Click here to research local companies in your area! We will always leave the property in clean and tidy.

Moving, for whatever reason, is no small task. Modernly Vintage is here to help guide you through the process to make it as seamless and stress-free as possible. We pride ourselves on offering the highest level of customer service and truly value your trust in our team during such a dynamic life transition. Our greatest pleasure is to help you find good homes for your life's collection of items and liquidate your estate as you move towards your next chapter.