estate sale shopping

If you’re on our website right now reading this article, it’s probably a fairly safe assumption that you have some kind of interest in estate sales. But whether you’re a regular attendee or one who plans to get started, it’s important to know that there is a certain etiquette that you should be abiding by. It is nothing draconian or needlessly complex, but there are little things you can do to make it a more pleasant experience for yourself, the estate sale company, and the other guests that are present at the sale.

Here are some behaviors you should consider the next time you’re at a Kansas City estate sale!

Don’t Treat it Like a Garage Sale

Estate sales often draw comparisons to garage sales, and on a surface level, it’s not hard to see why. In both instances, you have a homeowner who is letting go of a good portion of their things. However, that’s mostly where the similarities end, and if you walk into an estate sale and treat it like a garage sale, well, you’ve got the wrong idea and you’ll likely offend the estate sale professionals and the homeowner in the process.

Estate sales are organized, formal, and professional affairs that are extensively prepared for beforehand, and are usually the result of a major life event, such as downsizing, death of a family member, or asset forfeiture. It demands more respect than a Saturday morning garage sale would, so please consider that when you’re attending one in the Kansas City area!

Don’t Try to Bargain and Haggle

If the liquidator wanted variable prices paid for their items, they would have just organized an estate auction. If you’re showing up to an estate sale to attempt to haggle your way down to single digit prices, you’re in the wrong place. This somewhat goes with the advice above — if you’re at an informal sale on someone’s lawn and you’re paying cash, haggle away. If you’re at an estate sale, you’re at an event where prices have been extensively researched beforehand by certified appraisers, and you can bet that nobody in charge is going to be too keen on lowering prices.

It’s possible for items to get cheaper if the estate sale lasts for multiple days, as the liquidator would rather sell it for something rather than nothing, but this is typically determined by the estate sale professionals on-site rather than the customers.

estate sale

Don’t Bring Pets or Rowdy Children

We’re not saying that children are entirely forbidden from attending estate sales, but please remember that most sales haven’t child-proofed the premises, so if you’re bringing the little ones, ensure that they’re well-behaved and that they stay by your side. Children, unfortunately, can be a liability, and many guests also don’t like the prospect of kids running around and grabbing random items when they’re trying to shop.

The same, of course, can be said for pets, primarily dogs. Please keep your pup at home when you’re attending estate sales.

Estate Sales in Kansas City

With that being said, we would love for you to come and check out the upcoming estate sales in eastern Kansas and west Missouri! On our home page we keep track of every estate sale that’s coming in the future, and we know you can find something that you’ll love.

We serve a wide area that goes beyond greater Kansas City. If you’re in Gladstone, Holt, Independence, Liberty, Overland Park, Tonganoxie, Leawood, and other surrounding areas, there’s likely an upcoming estate sale nearby. We hope to see you there! And, as always, please contact us if you have any questions.