Should you do it yourself?
A company is worth its commission when the house is full, the contents have real value, or the family is out of town. A DIY sale makes sense when the contents are modest, you live nearby, and you have a few helpers for the sale days. HomeLight says many companies will not take an estate unless it is likely to sell for $5,000 to $10,000 or more (HomeLight), so smaller estates often end up DIY. For the company route, see how to choose an estate sale company.
Before you sell a single item, make sure someone has the authority. In a probate estate, the personal representative is the one who sells, and heirs need to agree on what they are keeping. See what to do with a house after a parent dies.
A DIY estate sale timeline
| When | Do this |
|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 2 | Heirs walk through and claim items. Set aside papers, photos, medications, firearms, valuables. Get permits and insurance in order. |
| Weeks 2 to 3 | Sort into keep, sell, donate and trash. Group small items on tables by type. Get higher-value pieces looked at by an appraiser or dealer. See valuing household contents. |
| Weeks 3 to 4 | Price items. Take clear photos of the best pieces. Clean. Remove personal papers. |
| 1 week before | Advertise online with photos (many people use EstateSales.NET and local community sites). Post signs only where your town allows. |
| Sale days | Two or three helpers minimum. Count cash in and out. Open at a set time. Mark down on the last day. |
| Right after | Pick up donations, haul leftovers, clean, and get the house ready for a listing or a cash offer. |
Pricing rules of thumb
These are common rules of thumb from people who run sales. They are not from an official source, and your local market will differ.
- Price to sell, not to match what the item cost. Used household goods are usually worth far less than new. The IRS says the fair market value of used furniture, appliances and linens is usually much lower than the price paid when new, and that such items may have little or no market value (IRS Pub. 526).
- Look up the item by brand and model on sold listings (completed sales), not asking prices.
- Put prices on everything. Shoppers skip unmarked items.
- Group small items (kitchen tools, books, linens) into tables with one price.
- Plan a markdown on the last day, for example half off, so that more leaves the house.
- For anything that could be worth over a few hundred dollars (jewelry, art, coins, antiques, instruments), get it checked first rather than pricing by guess.
What sells and what to keep out of the sale
| Usually sells | Often does not sell | Keep out of the sale |
|---|---|---|
| Solid wood furniture, tools, glassware, small appliances in working order, jewelry, art, vintage items, holiday decor | Worn upholstered furniture, bedding, used mattresses, clothing in poor condition, open toiletries, broken items | Firearms, ammunition, medications, cash, papers (bank, tax, medical, ID), sentimental items not yet claimed, anything the estate attorney has not cleared |
Mattresses and textiles can no longer go in the trash in Massachusetts. MassDEP added them to the waste disposal ban on November 1, 2022 (MassDEP), so leftover beds and fabric need a recycling route. For firearms, an heir may possess an inherited firearm without a license for up to 60 days and may transfer it to a licensed person in that time (M.G.L. c. 140 s. 129C). Do not put guns in a yard-style sale.
Permits and town rules, town by town
Rules vary by city. This is what we found on official city sources on October 7, 2026. Rules change, so call the clerk or inspectional services before you advertise. Also check whether your sale is a "yard" sale under the ordinance: a multi-day estate sale of a whole house is not always what the permit was written for.
| City | What we found | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Melrose | A permit from the Inspectional Services Department is required for a "casual sale" in a residential district. Permits are for up to 2 consecutive days, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and no more than 2 permits per calendar year to one resident or location. You may not sell items bought for resale or items you are selling as an agent for someone else. Signs may go up 24 hours before and must come down within 24 hours after. Fine up to $20 per offense. | Melrose ordinances ch. 152 (ecode360) |
| Peabody | A permit is required for residential yard or garage sales. Get it from the City Clerk any time before the sale. Limit of 2 days per calendar year. Fee $5 per day. You can list a rain date. Signs may not be put on city property such as poles, street signs or sidewalks. | Peabody City Clerk page |
| Lynn | The city site has a Yard Sale Listings page. We did not find a permit requirement stated on it. Call the City Clerk to confirm. Lynn City Hall main number is (781) 598-4000. | Lynn: Yard Sale Listings |
| Malden | We could not find an official yard sale rule for Malden, Massachusetts. Call the City Clerk before you plan. | Not verified |
| Medford | We found Medford’s citywide yard sale event page but no permit rule for individual sales. We could not confirm one way or the other. Call the City Clerk. | Not verified |
What this means for an estate sale. In Melrose, a 3-day sale or a sale run by a company acting as your agent may not fit a casual-sale permit. Ask Inspectional Services before you plan it. Also ask for sign rules, parking rules and the limit on number of sales per year.
Safety, payment and liability
- Cash and payments. Keep a cash box on a person, not on a table. Empty it often. Many people also take mobile payments. Do not take checks from strangers.
- People. Have at least two helpers at all times, one by the door and one at checkout. Do not advertise that the house is otherwise empty.
- Valuables and papers. Lock away jewelry, medications, firearms, keys and papers before the sale. Do not take shoppers into closed rooms.
- Insurance and liability. A shopper who falls on the stairs can claim against the owner. Call the homeowners insurer first. If the house is vacant, the policy may not cover it. See vacant house insurance. Clear walkways, light the steps, and block off unsafe areas.
- Taxes. We did not verify how Massachusetts treats sales tax on a one-time sale of household goods by an estate. Ask the estate’s attorney or CPA.
After the sale: leftovers
Plan the leftovers before the sale, not after. Book the donation pickup or the cleanout for the day after the last sale day. Options:
- Donate what is in good condition. See estate sale vs auction vs consignment vs donation for tax rules and what charities usually take.
- Haul or recycle. Mattresses and textiles must be recycled, and household hazardous products (paints, solvents, pesticides, batteries) go to an approved collection, not the trash. See whole house cleanout.
- Hire a cleanout service for the rest. JUNKRUN (junkrun.co) is one option; it shares owners with Home Options MA and we may earn money from it, and other companies exist. Compare written quotes.
Once the house is empty and clean, you can compare a cash offer with listing at the comparison tool, and see inherited or probate house for the sell-as-is vs list decision.