ESTATE SALE FAQS (scroll down to see AUCTION FAQs)
Why should I hire Corpus Christi Mercantile for my auction or estate sale?
- We care about you and about your prized possessions. We will always be empathetic to you and your family’s feelings, and we will exercise great care in the handling your possessions -whether small quantities or large estates.
- Our commission covers setting up and conducting your sale from start to finish! It also pays for all advertising costs, organizing, staging, and labor costs! There are no hidden fees!
Which should I choose … Auction or Estate Sale?
Of course the choice is ultimately up to YOU however auctions are usually best for larger, collectible, more expensive estate items such as art, jewelry, antiques, collectibles. Not the garage sale nickel and dime items.
How far in advance should I call you?
- The sooner the better. We may have other sales scheduled. If you need your sale expedited we will work with you!
- If there is a substantial amount of items needing to be priced, organized, and cleaned additional prep time may be necessary.
What will it cost me for Corpus Christi Mercantile to execute my Estate Sale?
- Our commission varies based on the amount of time, labor, and research required. We will decide on our percentage at your free consultation.
- We will negotiate with you a percentage of total sales for our commission, and simply deduct that from the proceeds at the end of the sale.
How long does it take you to “set up” an Estate Sale?
- We normally only need 3-5 days to set-up an estate sale however size and amount of items may cause set-up time to vary.
How many days do you hold an estate sale open?
- We usually hold the estate sale open to the public for 2-3 days
I don’t have an “entire household” of possessions. Can you help me sell what I have?
- Give us a call! 361-227-9826. No such thing as too small to us! We’ll help you in best way possible!
My estate is not full of EXPENSIVE or highly VALUABLE items? Can I still schedule an estate sale with just normal household stuff-furniture, household goods, etc?
- YES! There are A LOT of estate sale attendees who go to estate sales to find non-expensive, household items.
What happens to the items that don’t sell?
- We strive to sell every item for the highest price we can achieve and it is always our ultimate goal to sell EVERYTHING … However, at the end of the sale and items are left over, we can arrange to have a charity or clean out team remove those items.
- Of course, you can always choose to claim any unsold items or give them to friends or family.
What if my estate contains fine art or very rare collectibles?
- We have the resources available to determine the current market value of items whether they are common or rare. For unique items, if we cannot find the necessary information, we have an appraiser that can give us answers. If we can’t price something confidently, we will let you know before the sale.
