How Much Do Estate Sale Companies Charge?

Why the published numbers don't match

If you have read three articles on this topic and gotten three different ranges, that is not an error on your part. The numbers answer different questions. A company survey reports what companies say they charge, which is why the EstateSales.NET figures cluster around 35% and 40%. A consumer guide such as Angi's gives a wide band meant to cover everything a homeowner might see. A state attorney general's office is not trying to publish an average at all; it is warning people that commissions can be high and that fees may stack on top.

No agency or trade body publishes audited commission data by state or by estate size. Pages that show a neat table of “small estate: X%, large estate: Y%” are usually repeating one operator's pricing or an editor's rule of thumb. We removed a table like that from this page because we could not tie its percentages to a source. What we can say is what the sources above say, and that the same estate can get meaningfully different quotes from two companies.

What actually moves the rate

Sources agree on the direction of the main factors even where they disagree on exact percentages. HomeLight lists the total value of the items, the location and market demand, and the level of service provided. It also says that many companies offer lower rates when the revenue potential is higher, and that some will negotiate when an estate has many high-value items.

• Expected gross proceeds: more revenue gives a company room to accept a lower percentage; a small gross has to cover roughly the same setup and staffing effort
• Item mix: antiques, art, jewelry and collections take research time, while mixed household goods take volume labor; either can raise the cost of running the sale
• How much of the job is the sale itself: a house that needs heavy sorting, staging or removal of unsold contents costs more to serve than a tidy house with a clear set of sellable items
• Local buyer traffic: HomeLight notes location and market demand as a factor, which is one more reason to collect two or three local quotes rather than rely on a national number
• What the percentage includes: a company that bundles photography, advertising and cleanup into its commission will often quote a higher rate than one that bills them separately

Why small estates are harder to place, and what that means for cost

HomeLight reports that most estate sale companies want a minimum gross revenue estimate of $5,000 to $10,000 before they will take a sale, and that some accept less while others set higher thresholds. The EstateSales.NET 2023 survey points the same way: 20.51% of respondents said they would accept a $5,000 minimum and 14% set the bar at $10,000, against a 2021 average minimum of $8,468. The survey also found that most typical sales gross under $20,000, with about 37% under $10,001.

The practical takeaway is that a small or low-value estate may be declined, may be quoted a higher percentage or a minimum fee, or may be better served by another route. We cover those options in our guide to an estate that is too small for an estate sale. If your estate is on the smaller side, ask each company directly whether it has a minimum and how that minimum works, because the survey shows the thresholds vary a lot.

Fees that can come on top of the commission

Treat the commission as the headline price and the fee schedule as the fine print. EstateSales.NET says about 80% of companies charge additional fees of some kind and calls that standard. The Minnesota Attorney General's guide tells consumers to ask about every one of the following before signing. The point is not that every company charges all of them; it is that you should know which ones apply to you.

• Advertising and photography: some companies include them, others bill them separately
• Trash removal, hauling and cleaning: leftover contents after the sale are the most common surprise, so ask who removes them and who pays
• Credit-card processing: EstateSales.NET lists card fees among the common extras; ask whether they are deducted from your share or absorbed
• Moving or heavy-item handling, and security staffing for higher-value sales
• Appraisals: most companies price from experience, and a formal written appraisal from a credentialed appraiser is normally a separate engagement; see our guide on hiring an appraiser before an estate sale
• Minimum fees or flat setup charges: some companies set a floor so that a small sale still covers their cost

Commission, flat fee, buyout or auction: different ways to be charged

Commission is the default model, but it is not the only one. Some companies run the sale for a percentage, some quote a flat or hourly fee for prep and staffing, some offer to buy the contents outright, and some sell through online auctions with their own fee structures. These are not interchangeable, and a percentage from one cannot be compared with a flat number from another until you convert both to what lands in your pocket.

A buyout is a wholesale purchase, so the buyer needs room to resell at a profit and the estate generally receives less than a competitive sale of the same items would bring. In exchange you get speed and certainty. If you are weighing a sale against an auction or a buyout, our guides on estate sale versus auction and estate sale versus estate liquidation explain how each works and what to ask.

How to compare quotes: the net-to-estate test

The cleanest way to compare companies is to ask each for the same written answers and then do the arithmetic yourself. A lower percentage is not automatically the better deal. HomeLight makes the same point: a company with a strong buyer network can bring in more total sales, which can outweigh a few extra points of commission.

• Ask each company to write down the commission, every fee that could be charged, any minimum, and what happens to unsold items
• Ask whether the percentage is applied to gross sales including or excluding sales tax, and who remits the tax
• Ask for the payout timeline and an itemized settlement report listing what sold and for how much
• Ask how prices are set and when they drop, since pricing strategy affects the gross that the percentage is applied to
• Ask for references and for proof of insurance; Angi notes insurance is not required of estate sale pros, even though most reputable companies carry it

Payouts, sales tax and what you actually keep

Commission is deducted from sale proceeds, so what reaches the estate depends on the gross, the percentage, any separately billed fees and any sales tax handling in your state. Payout timing is set by each company's contract. HomeLight's company profiles show how much it varies: one lists payment within 30 days of the sale and another lists proceeds wired within 10 business days. Put your timeline in writing.

Taxes are a separate question from commission. For New Jersey sales, see our guide on whether you pay sales tax at an estate sale in NJ, and for the income-tax side of what the estate receives, see whether estate sale proceeds are taxable. For splitting what is left among heirs, see splitting estate sale proceeds among heirs. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Protections: the industry is lightly regulated

Angi states plainly that estate sale companies are not a regulated industry, so you need to check qualifications and references yourself. Rules differ by state. Minnesota, for example, requires estate sale companies to be bonded under Minn. Stat. § 325E.70, according to that state's attorney general. Elsewhere the contract, the insurance certificate and the references are the protection you actually have.

A high commission by itself does not make a company a scam, and a low one does not make it safe. The warning signs are vague terms, pressure to sign immediately, an unexplained upfront payment, and no itemized report at the end. Our guides on how to avoid estate sale scams, the estate sale contract checklist and estate sale insurance and liability go through what to ask and what to get in writing.

Doing it yourself instead

Skipping the company avoids the commission but replaces it with your time and the risk of pricing mistakes. Sorting, researching, pricing, advertising, staffing and handling cash is a large project, which is why HomeLight says most companies need at least a few weeks to assess, price and market a sale. Our DIY estate sale versus hiring a company guide lays out the trade-offs, and the guide on estate sale versus online marketplace covers selling piece by piece instead.