How estate sale companies work
A company comes to the house, prices the contents, stages the rooms, advertises, runs the sale over one to three days, and pays you what is left after its commission. Most do not charge up front. HomeLight says most sales last one to three days, with the final day discounted to clear inventory (HomeLight).
A sale does not empty the house. Expect leftovers, and plan for them. See whole house cleanout. If you want to run the sale yourself, see how to run an estate sale.
Sort out who has the authority first. In a probate estate, the personal representative signs the contract and the estate gets the money. Do not sell contents before the personal representative is appointed or before the heirs have agreed who gets what. See what to do after a parent dies.
What they charge
| Source | Commission | Other points |
|---|---|---|
| Consumers’ Checkbook (June 2026) | "30 to 50 percent is typical"; for example 40% on a smaller estate ($3,000 to $5,000) and 30% on a large one | Most companies pay within 2 to 3 weeks after the sale |
| HomeLight (Feb. 2025, industry source) | 30% to 50% | Higher-value estates get lower rates; most want a minimum of $5,000 to $10,000; extra fees possible for appraisals, cleanouts or donation and disposal |
| Brown Button (industry site) | 35% to 60% | Heavier organizing and low-value goods push the rate toward 50% or more; confirm trash removal, advertising, cleaning and card fees |
These are national figures from consumer and industry sources, not local price lists. Rates vary by company and estate. We did not find an official Massachusetts source for what estate sale companies charge. Ask each company for its rate in writing.
Compare the net, not the headline rate. A 35% rate with trash removal, advertising and card fees extra can cost more than a 45% rate that includes them. Ask for the all-in number on the same basis from each company.
How to find estate sale companies near you
- EstateSales.NET. It is a large listing site for estate sales and says it has served over 9,000 companies since 2002 (EstateSales.NET). Search by state and town. Look at which companies run sales near you, how they photograph and describe the sales, and how often.
- Attend a local sale. Go to one or two. Look at how the house is staged, how the checkout works, whether the crowd is orderly, and how the staff talk to shoppers.
- Ask people who deal with estates. Estate attorneys, real estate agents, senior living staff and your town’s council on aging see which companies handle a house well.
- Trade groups. The American Society of Estate Liquidators (ASEL) has a code of ethics and a "Find a Liquidator" service (ASEL). Consumers’ Checkbook says no certification exists for estate liquidators and names a second group, the National Association of Estate Liquidators. Membership is not a guarantee, and many good companies do not join. We could not verify other Massachusetts-specific trade bodies.
Searching by town works better if you also cover the towns around it, because companies work across a radius:
| Your house is in | Search for | Also include |
|---|---|---|
| Melrose | estate sales Melrose MA | Malden, Medford, Stoneham, Wakefield, Saugus |
| Malden | estate sales Malden MA | Melrose, Medford, Everett, Revere, Saugus |
| Medford | estate sales Medford MA | Malden, Melrose, Winchester, Arlington, Everett |
| Stoneham | estate sales Stoneham MA | Melrose, Wakefield, Reading, Woburn, Winchester |
| Wakefield | estate sales Wakefield MA | Reading, Stoneham, Melrose, Saugus, Lynnfield, North Reading |
| Saugus | estate sales Saugus MA | Lynn, Revere, Malden, Melrose, Wakefield, Lynnfield |
| Lynn | estate sales Lynn MA | Saugus, Lynnfield, Peabody, Swampscott, Nahant |
| Peabody | estate sales Peabody MA | Lynn, Lynnfield, Danvers, Salem, Middleton |
See also our town pages, for example Melrose, Malden, Medford, Stoneham, Wakefield, Saugus, Lynn and Peabody.
What to ask before you sign
- What is your commission, and is it flat or on a sliding scale? What happens to the rate if sales come in below your estimate?
- What fees are on top: advertising, staff, card processing, trash, cleaning, disposal, appraisals?
- Do you have a minimum estate value or a minimum fee?
- Are you insured and bonded? Ask for the certificate. HomeLight lists insurance and bonding documentation among questions to ask.
- Can I see the names and phone numbers of the last three families you worked with? Checkbook recommends asking.
- Who prices the items? Do you bring in outside experts for jewelry, art, coins and firearms?
- How do you handle security, unsold items, and what is left at the end?
- When and how do I get paid, and do I get an itemized sales report?
Contract terms to look for. The Checkbook guide says to get a written contract with all the details, including payment deadlines. Look for: the commission and fees, the dates, who removes unsold goods, what items are excluded, what happens if there is damage or theft, and what the company does with items you want to keep. Have your estate attorney read it if the sale is large.
What sells, what usually does not, and the buyout option
In general experience (not a sourced statistic), furniture, tools, jewelry, art, glassware, collectibles and tidy household goods tend to do best. Worn upholstered furniture, bedding, clothing, medications, open food, and heavy broken items are the usual leftovers. Mattresses and textiles are banned from the trash in Massachusetts since November 1, 2022 (MassDEP), so leftovers can cost money to handle. Firearms have their own rules; see valuing household contents.
Buyouts. Some companies, dealers and auction houses will offer one price for the whole contents. It is fast and certain, but often less than a sale can bring because the buyer takes the risk. Ask for it in writing, compare it with the commission net, and see whether it includes the removal of everything.
For other routes, see estate sale vs auction vs consignment vs donation. If you are also deciding how to sell the house, see inherited or probate house.