Following my mother-in-law’s death and my father-in-law’s move to assisted living, we were left to deal with a house packed with decades worth of STUFF — mostly small, inexpensive items– bought, collected and saved over the years. The house had been a growing nightmare as my MIL shopped yard sales and thrift stores for shoes, clothing, costume jewelry, purses, dishes, glassware, knickknacks, pictures, games, books, everything — which she packed and stored to the point where only a few rooms in the 3-story home were habitable. Clearing out the home was an overwhelming job we could do ourselves.
Fortunately, my father-in-law was willing to let go and suggested we find a liquidator. Daniel Sanders at Four Sales took a look around, was willing to tackle the job, provided an estimate and terms of the sale and we set a sale date for 2 months away. We had already identified the furniture and other items we wanted to keep and which we agreed to remove prior to the sale. Daniel was very upfront about the need to clear out things that wouldn’t sell — what couldn’t be donated would have to be thrown away. He also assured us that his crew would set aside any items that looked like family momentos or that might contain personal/confidential information.
About a week before the sale, the Four Sales crew arrived and it quickly became clear that the job was bigger than anticipated. We were notified that they would need to hire more people and get more trash trucks. My husband and I stopped in on the 2nd or 3rd day of the sorting/set-up. The trash pile, though huge, was neatly bagged and stacked. All of the crew were friendly, respectful and professional. As promised, personal items (and mail) were set aside for our review. We discovered the car we were selling had an engine problem and Daniel referred us to a mechanic who was able to fix the problem quickly and for a reasonable price.
The sale was held on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The results were astounding. People were lined up to get into the house. By the end, the house was left cleared out — broom clean — kitchen and bathroom cabinets emptied, trash hauled, porch and shed emptied.
Daniel originally estimated that the sale would gross $10,000-$12,000, including the car. With his 30% commission (15% for the car), trash and charity truck fees, and labor he estimated my FIL would clear about $2,000. We were just hoping it wouldn’t cost us anything!
The first day of the sale grossed $11,000. The second day $5,000 plus the car. The third day grossed $4,000. Clearly, Four Sales’ advertising (on their website and Facebook) and reputation attracted dealers and people who were intent on buying. The sale ultimately grossed about $23,000 and netted my father-in-law more than $10,000, even with the additional costs.
Daniel obviously works to maintain a network of useful contacts. He referred us to a realtor who is helping with the sale of the house, the auto mechanic, and a plumber when the home’s Orangeburg sewer pipe literally crapped out during the sale.
Daniel’s team was very respectful towards our family’s possessions at all times. At the end of the sale a woman claiming to be a neighbor approached the crew, stating she had our family’s permission to go through the leftover items and take them to her church as a donation. The staff asked for her ID and contact information and said they needed written assurance that we would receive a tax receipt for the goods. Not surprisingly, the woman backed off. I appreciate the staff’s quick thinking in fending off such predatory behavior.
Four Sales, Ltd. not only delivered on the items set forth in our contract, efficiently and professionally, they exceeded our expectations in every way. I highly recommend Four Sales, Ltd.
Dana M. ~
Springfield, VA (January 2014)