We here at Jacobson Realty have aligned ourselves with estate professionals to make downsizing as smooth and seamless as possible. We recommend a consultation with your listing agent and home stager first. They will know the important furnishing and personal items to retain to help market the house.

From this point, we recommend the use of a professional estate sales company such as Doneen Hoffman of Estate Professional Services, LLC, to help sort, purge, donate and sell everything else. Doneen has lots of experience helping people hold estate sales so that they can get the best prices for their things without the headache of selling them by themselves.

Estate sales professionals such as Doneen want you to know that these are not yard sales — her estate sales are upscale shopping experiences. Doneen helps her clients fetch the best price for their items. They allow shoppers to shop in the homes, and they mark items clients want to keep as “not for sale.” All sales are final.

Doneen can hold a pre- and post-sale, or she can sell a piece at the estate sale and hold it until after the home sells. “We work with every single client individually,” she says. “Every client has different needs and wants.”

Doneen strives to go above and beyond for her clients. If a client wants a specific price for an item, she does her best to get that price. She prices items fairly and does not negotiate. Auction companies may start low and sell low, but Hoffman doesn’t operate that way. Auction companies also charge to bring furniture to their site for the sale, while estate sales are conducted at the client’s home at a time that is convenient to them.

Estate sellers typically offer a free consultation. Doneen examines personal items, seeks to understand the client’s particular circumstances and determines the best time to schedule the estate sale after coordinating with the listing agent.

Doneens’ sales usually start on a Thursday or Friday, and Saturdays are pick-up days. She does not hold sales on Saturdays because, she says, “Saturdays are yard sale days, and we are not a yard sale.”

Doneen takes photos of items so that she can do market research about fair pricing. She also uses photos for marketing, which is a major factor in the success of the sale.

Doneen takes care of marketing her estate sales to get the best possible turnout. Her company uses as many marketing tools as possible to get the most people in attendance and maintains a strong alliance with local auction houses. With her strong reputation, she usually has 10 to 15 people waiting for the doors to open when the sale starts.

After the sale, Doneen will also help declutter and organize. She offers “haul away” services for items that may not sell or need to be donated to charity. She will then coordinate with the listing agent to complete the pre-marketing process.

For more information on Doneen’s services, visit her Facebook page.

If you’d like more information on the home selling or buying process and our free home staging services, contact Jacobson Realty and Home Staging.

Jacobson Realty and Home Staging (JRY) was established by Broker/Owner Belinda Jacobson-Loehle in April 2002. Belinda is a native Washingtonian who grew up in Alexandria, Virginia and has lived and worked in Gainesville, Virginia since 1995. She has been a licensed broker since 1989. 

The JRY mission is to provide professional advice and analysis, maintain clear and consistent communication, and serve clients with respect. The home buying and selling process can be an exciting and stressful experience. Our goal is to make it smooth, educational, enjoyable, quick, and as financially beneficial as possible.