For families

What estate sale companies charge and what that commission actually buys

For families Buford, Lake Lanier, Johns Creek, nearby towns

Family Estate Solutions of Georgia, LLC sets the commission after our complimentary walk-through of the home. It is typically in the mid-30s to mid-40s percent. A $650 date-hold reserves the sale dates and is fully credited against that commission if the sale happens. There are no hidden costs or fees. We pay out within 7 days, starting the next business day after the sale, sometimes as quick as 72 hours, with a settlement report.

If you are an executor, an adult child living out of state, or a parent who is downsizing, the fee question usually lands before anything else. What do estate sale companies charge, and what does that percent actually buy? This page is the family-facing answer for Braselton, Flowery Branch, Buford, Lake Lanier, Johns Creek, Roswell, Alpharetta and surrounding areas, and most of Georgia north of Atlanta. It matches what we put in writing. It is not a locked public commission on our fees page, because homes differ and we will not invent a number before we have seen yours.

Why commission is set after the complimentary walk-through

Estate sale companies typically charge one commission set after a walk-through of the home (ours is complimentary), often in the mid-30s to mid-40s percent of what sells. At Family Estate Solutions of Georgia that number pays for the sale work. It is not a mystery tax stacked on a booking fee or other hidden fees.

We will not quote a locked percent on the phone before we see the house. Volume, condition, access, parking, and how much the family has already removed all change the work. After the walk-through (complimentary, no charge), we write the commission into the agreement, typically in the mid-30s to mid-40s. If you want a checklist of what to ask any company, read questions to ask before hiring.

The $650 date-hold

If we book sale dates, a $650 date-hold reserves them. If the sale happens, that $650 is fully credited against commission. The family does not pay it on top of the commission.

There is no booking fee, no hidden costs or fees, and no setup fee. The hold is how we keep your dates on the calendar while we stage and list.

What the commission actually buys

One commission covers the sale work so you do not have to host strangers or guess at prices:

See estate sale services and how an estate sale works for the same story in shorter form. The commission is for running the public sale. It is not a purchase of your goods.

What it does not cover (hourly sorting)

Unsold items stay yours. The commission pays for running the sale. It is not a purchase of what is left.

Hourly sorting without a public sale is $75 per hour with a 4-hour minimum, on its own agreement. Some families only need help sorting keep, donate, and discard piles. Others need a full sale first. Keeping those lines clear protects you at settlement.

Shopper fees are not taken from you

Shoppers pay local sales tax for the county where the sale is held. Cards add about 3% POS surcharge. Easy ACH adds a 1% QuickBooks processing fee. Cash has no surcharge. We accept major credit cards, cash, or Easy ACH only (no personal or business checks). Shopper fees are not taken from commission or from the family's proceeds.

That surcharge is not absorbed in commission. It is not taken from family proceeds. Read the shopper version in Do estate sales take credit cards?

If plans change after staging

If you cancel after staging, or you need an hourly sort instead of a sale, the hourly rate is $75 per hour with a 4-hour minimum.

If we must cancel because the home is unsafe or inaccessible, utilities are off, or excluded items remain after written notice, the $650 becomes a rescheduling fee. If the sale is not rescheduled, we keep the $650, plus $75 per hour with a 4-hour minimum, plus documented third-party advertising and promoting costs. Full cancel and reschedule rules also live on the fees page.

When the family gets paid

We pay out within 7 days, starting the next business day after the sale, sometimes as quick as 72 hours, with a settlement report. Executors and out-of-state heirs often need that timeline for probate or for emptying a house before a listing. We promise a clear settlement window with a report you can hand to co-heirs or counsel.

Executors and families living out of state

Many of our conversations start with someone who cannot stay in Georgia for weeks of garage sales. You can manage from a distance. We do a complimentary walk-through of the home, send photos and a plan, hold the dates, staff the sale, and settle with a settlement report. You do not have to be on site every day. If you also need the house empty for a realtor timeline, say so on the first call so we can plan the sale calendar around your listing goal.

We specialize in Braselton, Flowery Branch, Buford, Lake Lanier, Johns Creek, Roswell, Alpharetta and surrounding areas, and most of Georgia north of Atlanta. Call and we will tell you honestly if we can serve your town.

How to compare companies without guessing

Ask who is on the contract (ours is Family Estate Solutions of Georgia, LLC). Ask when commission is set (after the complimentary walk-through). Ask what the percent includes (marketing, staging, staffing, settlement, with no hidden costs or fees). Ask how the date-hold works ($650 credited if the sale happens). Ask when you get paid (within 7 days, starting the next business day after the sale, sometimes as quick as 72 hours, with a settlement report). Do not invent competitor price sheets from memory. Compare written answers.

If you are ready to talk, book a free consultation or call (706) 471-1740. Related notes: hiring checklist, how long an estate sale takes, and our North Georgia service area.

Questions people ask

Family Estate Solutions of Georgia, LLC. Buford, Georgia. We are not a law firm. This page is practical information, not legal advice.