Estate sale etiquette

Remember it is a home

An estate sale usually takes place in the house where these things were lived with, often at a hard moment for a family. Stay in the rooms that are open, leave closed doors closed, and treat the house and the street the way you would want yours treated.

Follow the entry system

Busy sales often use a sign-in sheet or numbers and let a few shoppers in at a time. Check the listing for the opening time and any early-arrival rules, take your place, and let the staff run the door.

Handle things with care

Pick up fragile pieces with two hands and put them back where you found them. If you want something, carry it with you or ask how items are held. Tucking a piece out of sight to come back for it is unfair to everyone else.

Ask before you assume

Payment methods, the discount schedule, and pickup times are set by whoever runs the sale. When the seller has filled them in, a listing on EstateSaleFans shows them under Sale Details. Ask at the checkout table about anything that is not covered.

Many sales lower prices on the last day. A polite offer is fine, and so is a no.

Come prepared

Bring bags or boxes, a tape measure, and help for anything heavy. Park where the listing or the signs say, keep driveways clear, and take large purchases with you inside the pickup window.