Say your mom just moved into assisted living. Her house over in Old Colorado City still has forty years of stuff in it: the Hummel figurines, a garage full of Dad’s tools, a basement nobody’s been down to since 2015. You live in Phoenix now, your sister’s in Denver, and the plan is to list the house by spring. So one of you googles estate sale companies, three of them call back, and every one of them sounds friendly and says they’re the best in town.
How do you choose? Honestly, by asking all three the same questions and seeing whose answers hold up. You’ll want to know how long they’ve been running sales here, how they figure out prices, what they actually do from start to finish, and how the money works on both sides.
Choose The Right Estate Sale Company In Colorado Springs
It’s worth asking about sales tax too, which hardly anyone does, along with what happens to whatever’s left and whether they can help with the house once the sale is over. Whoever answers clearly, without changing the subject, is probably the one to hire.
Questions worth asking (and answers worth hearing)
| Ask them | You’re hoping to hear |
| How long have you done sales in Colorado Springs? | Years here, plus a real sense of who shows up to buy |
| How do you price things? | Item-by-item research on what’s selling now |
| What does your service cover? | Sorting, pricing, staging, ads, staff on sale days, cleanout |
| How do you get paid, and when do I? | Specific terms, written into the contract |
| Do you collect sales tax? | A quick, confident yes |
| What happens to leftovers? | A plan, maybe even an offer to buy the rest |
| Can you help sell the house? | Yes, or a name they trust |
Local experience counts for more than you’d guess
A company that’s run sale after sale in this town knows the crowd. They tend to know who around here buys mid-century furniture, which weekend regulars are after tools and fishing gear, and which things just sit no matter how cheap they are. They also have a mailing list of people who show up on day one. Someone new to the area doesn’t have any of that yet. So when you call, ask how many sales they run in a typical year, and whether you can stop by one this weekend or at least see photos from a recent setup.
Pricing is where the money is made or lost
This is the one to dig into. If things are priced too low, the estate leaves money behind. If they’re priced too high, the house is still half full on Sunday afternoon and the cleanout bill gets bigger.
A good way to test it is to point at a few things during the walkthrough, maybe the dresser in the guest room, a box of costume jewelry, and the tool chest in the garage, and ask how they’d come up with a price for each. You want to hear about checking what similar pieces are actually selling for right now. A shrug and “oh, about forty bucks” isn’t the answer you’re looking for. Ask too whether they go through the kitchen drawers and the garage shelves, because a couple of dollars here and there across a whole house adds up fast. It’s smart to read What Should You Never Throw Away Before an Estate Sale? Everyday Items That May Have Resale Value before anybody hauls a load to the dump.
Find out what they actually do
Some companies show up for the sale days and that’s about it. Others handle everything, from sorting and pricing to staging each room, advertising, staffing the sale and leaving the place empty. Get the whole list from each company so you’re comparing the same thing.
While you’re at it, ask how they deal with the things the family wants to keep, like the photo albums and Grandma’s ring, so none of it accidentally ends up with a price tag. If your mom or someone else still lives in the house, Can You Hold an Estate Sale While the Home Is Still Occupied? covers how that works.
Money, in writing
Before anyone signs, you should know how the company gets paid, whether there are extra fees anywhere, how long after the sale you’ll get the proceeds, and what kind of report or accounting comes with the check. All of it should be in a written contract. Most reputable companies won’t hesitate to spell this out. If one gets vague, or would rather “just keep it simple” without a contract, keep calling around.
The sales tax question nobody thinks of
It sounds dull, but it’s a good test of how professional a company is. Back in 2019, the Colorado Department of Revenue said in an information letter that a company running estate sales for clients had to collect sales tax on what it sold. The City of Colorado Springs, for its part, requires a sales tax license for anyone in the business of selling at retail inside city limits. A company that’s been doing this properly will have an answer ready before you finish asking.
Leftovers and the house itself
There’s always something left at the end, maybe a sleeper sofa nobody wants or six boxes of Reader’s Digest. Ask whether they keep negotiating on what’s left as the sale winds down, who empties the house afterward, and whether that’s included or billed separately. Some companies will also offer to buy the whole estate if a full sale doesn’t make sense, which can be a lifesaver when the listing date is close.
Then there’s the house. Once the sale’s done, it still has to be sold, and having one team handle both can save a lot of phone tag, especially when you’re three states away. Selling a Parent’s Home in Colorado Springs: Handling the Estate Sale and the Listing Together explains how that can come together, and if the family’s spread out, read How to Handle an Estate Sale When Family Members Live Out of State as well.
Frequently asked questions
What should I ask an estate sale company before hiring?
Start with how long they’ve worked locally and how they price things. Then cover what’s included, how payment works on both sides, whether they collect sales tax and what happens to anything unsold.
Do estate sale companies in Colorado collect sales tax?
They should be. In a 2019 letter, the Colorado Department of Revenue said a company selling clients’ household contents at public sales has to collect sales tax on what it sells.
What happens to items that don’t sell at an estate sale?
That varies. Some companies keep negotiating on leftovers and then arrange a cleanout, while others will make an offer on the whole estate.
Should I get the agreement in writing?
Always. Fees, payment terms and the timing of your payout belong in a signed contract before the sale starts.
Planning an estate sale in El Paso or Teller County? TANDEM Estate Sales & Real Estate is family-owned, has served the Colorado Springs area since 1995, and can take care of both the estate sale and the home sale. Call 800-906-8450, take a look at Our Process and What’s Included, see how We Can Do Both!, or contact us.
