Could the popularity of Estate Sales be on the rise as a result of today's economy? From the plummeting stock market and eroding value of the dollar to the soaring gas prices, consumers continue to spend but it's their buying habits that appear to be changing. Estate Sale shoppers today come from every walk of life - college students, newlywed couples, married couples and even the affluent comparing goods side by side in search of that perfect addition to satisfy their need.
Estate Sales as well are changing to keep up with the supply and demand of the consumer. "Better staging and presentation make a big difference in the success of an Estate Sale, not to mention the advertising and preparation that take place before the consumer even reaches the door," says Caring Transitions St. Louis Project Manager, Richard Kloeckener. A transformation takes place whereas the seller's home becomes an Antique Shop or Boutique for a day. Everything is well organized, cleaned and masterfully displayed with sparkle under the perfect lighting to capture the eye-appeal in the exhibition of every item from silver to crystal to artwork and collectibles.
"As Estate Sale professionals, our clients are two-fold when conducting an Estate Sale. The homeowners and families (sellers), for whom we are conducting the sale expect the highest standard of knowledge and return for the conversion of their possessions into cash. Having Certified Personal Property Appraisers (members of the Certified Appraisers Guild of America, CAGA) within Caring Transitions St. Louis, provides the business intelligence to accurately price those valuable items. This intelligence is passed on to our highly trained and experienced staff to assist our buyers, for whom we are equally obligated to in providing a pleasant and enjoyable shopping atmosphere that will keep them coming back and buying from us again and again. It's those followers who become very important to the success of our Estate Sales," Kloeckener says.
The frenzy begins early when buyers begin lining up to be the first in the door. Kloeckener states, "It's very exciting and reminds me of the days gone by when I used to go down to the local music store to buy tickets for a rock-concert. The music store would pass out line passes days before the tickets would become available to avoid a mob atmosphere on ticket sale days. I've done just that at our Estate Sales. Once advertised, I have followers showing up the day before or very early on the day of the sale and I find myself giving them line pass numbers to assure their spot to be first in the door!"
With all the economic doom and gloom that consumers are experiencing, changing one's shopping habit is not all negative. You don't have to go far to satisfy your purchasing needs. You can say that Estates Sales are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get!
