History of the estate sale
There was a time when the term estate sale was associated only with very wealthy members of society. People who might have rooms full of renaissance era cutlery, furniture, and fine art, for example. We don’t know if that ever actually was the case, but we can tell you it definitely isn’t anymore.
People have estate sales all the time. An estate sale is a great way to network with the community, give away the things you don’t need, and make a little money. People are having “living” estate sales, too.
Fueled by job mobility, changes in demographics, and the dawn of the internet, estate sales are becoming common practice, and not just in the traditional sense. Estate sales are good for getting rid of some of your stuff before a big move or when just trying to downsize, too.
Let’s break down a few of the reason we have seen the estate sale industry booming louder than ever before.
Times are changing
The estate sale business in the United States is booming due largely in part to baby boomers. Before our parent’s time, not so long ago, it was common for families to have 5,6, or 7 children. People tended to have a lot less in the way of personal belongings, collections, and the like. There definitely weren’t many action figure fanatics back then.
People considered different things to be more important than material possessions, but that is a conversation for another time.
When Mom and Dad passed away, their estate consisted only of a few things that had value. Items with sentimental value or, let’s face it, any kind of value, were distributed amongst the children quickly and easily.
Fast forward 50 years…
the tables have turned considerably. The size of the average family is shrinking, and people are becoming more and more obsessed with STUFF. Haven’t you noticed?
Not just that, but the things we own are more expensive, too. Think about liquidating a home office, or even the contents of your pockets right now. The millennial age has brought big-ticket items into our daily lives like never before.
When a loved one passes away, family members, sometimes just one child, are tasked with taking on a lifetime worth of belongings.
Estate sales are a good way to host a community event where people can come, shop, find things useful to them. At the same time, you can clear the space and prep it for the next stages.
The money generated by an estate sale often exceeds $20,000.
Estate Sale Management as a popular business model
As mentioned above, there are many factors that contribute to the recent boom in the estate sales industry. But why are so many people beginning to turn it into a business? Why, suddenly, are people so inclined to run estate sales of their own?
“The growth of the industry has quadrupled in the last five years,” said Carol Madden, editor, and publisher of EstateSalesNews.com. she estimates that roughly 15,000 estate sale companies currently do business in the United States, many of them being small, privately owned companies.
Pretty impressive stats. The industry thrives when demand is there for a service, regardless of what it is. We have been in this industry servicing the Atlanta metro area for over 10 years, but we can’t blame newcomers for trying to come in now. It is a good sign for the industry as a whole when more and more people are getting involved.
Estate Sale Franchising with Certified
That’s right. We’ve officially converted Certified Estate Sales into a model that invites people to franchise with us.
Owning an estate sale company is a personally and financially rewarding task. It is now easier than ever for entrepreneurial individuals to pursue this business model with a kickstart an ongoing support network, cooperative marketing, and more.
You can read more about the what franchising can do for you in one of our recent posts.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a franchisee and running your own estate sale business, you can get in touch with us anytime or check out our franchise page. It is a rewarding trade that allows you to bring happiness and relief from your clients in a time of need. We love doing it, and we know you will too.
