This is usually the first question a family asks, and the honest answer is: it depends on the estate, but there's a real industry standard you can hold any company to. Here's how estate sale pricing actually works, what moves the number up or down, and what to watch out for.
The short answer: commission, not a flat fee
Estate sale companies almost never charge upfront. Instead, they take a commission out of what the sale actually grosses, meaning you pay nothing out of pocket, and the company only gets paid if the sale performs. That built-in incentive is exactly why it's worth asking a company how they price and market before you sign anything.
| Estate type | Typical commission |
|---|
| Small estate / lower-value items | 40–50% |
| Typical full-house estate | ~35% |
| Large or high-value estate (art, jewelry, multiple vehicles) | 20–30% |
That might look backwards at first. Why does a smaller estate cost more, percentage-wise? Because the company's labor cost (staff for three days, pricing every item, marketing the sale) is roughly the same whether the house is full of high-value antiques or ordinary household goods. A $30,000 estate covers that labor easily at 25%; a $3,000 estate needs a higher percentage just to make the weekend worth staffing.
If a company won't tell you their commission percentage before the walkthrough, that's worth asking about directly. It should never be a surprise on the back end.
A real example
$10,000 gross estate sale at 35% commission
Total sale gross$10,000
Estate sale company's commission (35%)−$3,500
Check to the family$6,500
What should be included in that percentage
A fair commission covers more than just staffing the sale weekend. Make sure it includes:
- Pricing every item in the house: furniture, kitchenware, garage, attic, closets, all of it
- Marketing the sale: listing on EstateSales.net, social promotion, photography of standout pieces
- Staffing the full sale weekend: cashiers, floor staff watching for both customer questions and shrinkage
- A second opinion on anything that looks rare or valuable, so it doesn't get priced like everyday goods
- Reconciled, itemized payout within about two weeks of the sale ending
Rare or valuable pieces get priced on their own, not lumped in with everyday goods.
Small estate? Ask about a minimum
On a small estate, 35% of the sale might not cover a full weekend of staffing, pricing, and marketing, so it's standard for the company to set a minimum fee going in. For example: 35% commission, with a $2,000 minimum. Whichever number is higher is what the company takes, agreed to before the walkthrough is even over. It's not a discount for you on a small estate; it's the company protecting their own cost of running the weekend.
Smaller estate
$4,000 gross
35% commission$1,400
$2,000 minimumApplies$2,000
Typical full-house estate
$10,000 gross
35% commissionApplies$3,500
$2,000 minimum$2,000
Ask what that minimum is upfront, in writing.
Extra marketing costs extra, and should be disclosed upfront
Standard marketing (EstateSales.net listing, social promotion, photography) is baked into the commission. If your estate would benefit from marketing beyond that, a paid ad push, wider print promotion, whatever the case calls for, a good company will bring that to you as an added cost before spending it, not bury it in the final numbers. If a company can't clearly separate "what's included" from "what costs extra," get it in writing before the sale.
Red flags to watch for
- Cash-only companies. A legitimate sale takes cards too, and cash-only operations make it hard to verify what actually sold.
- No written contract or commission percentage in writing. Get the number in writing before the walkthrough is over.
- Vague answers about what happens to unsold items. Ask directly. The answer tells you a lot about the rest of the operation.
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