How to Start a Estate Sale Business
in 2026
📅 Last updated: March 07, 2026
Everything you need to launch a profitable estate sale business — from legal setup and equipment to pricing, marketing, and getting your first 10 clients. Plus: how AI can run your operations.
Skip the manual work. Let AI run your business.
Bizzby gives you a full AI team — marketing, sales, bookings, invoicing, client management — for $199/mo. One human VA costs $3,000-$4,000/mo and does a fraction of the work.
Use this execution order to launch with clear pricing, reliable delivery, and consistent lead flow in your first 30 days.
Define Your Estate Sale Service Model
Estate sale companies earn 25-50% commission on everything sold. One well-run sale can gross $5,000-$50,000+ in a single weekend.
- Full-service estate sales — organize, price, advertise, staff, and sell the entire contents of a home. 30-50% commission. Your core service.
- Partial estate services — help with specific rooms or categories (jewelry, antiques, tools). 35-50% commission on items you handle.
- Online estate auctions — photograph and list items on auction platforms for remote bidders. 25-35% commission plus buyer premiums.
- Cleanout services — remove unsold items after the sale. Charge $500-$2,000 for full cleanout. Donate, recycle, or resell remaining items.
- Downsizing consulting — help seniors and families sort, organize, and decide what to keep, sell, or donate. $50-$100/hour.
Set Up Your Pricing, Staging, and POS Systems
Start lean, but buy equipment that lets you finish jobs safely and profitably.
- offer and scope templates ($0-$300)
- proposal + e-sign stack ($20-$150/mo)
- CRM/follow-up automation ($0-$300/mo)
- professional website/portfolio ($0-$2,500)
- industry certification or licensing budget ($100-$2,000)
Set Your Commission and Fee Structure
Commission rates vary by sale size. Larger estates justify lower percentage because the volume is higher. Always have a minimum fee.
- Standard commission: 30-40% of gross sales for full-service estate sales. This is the industry norm.
- High-value estates: 25-35% for estates expected to gross $50K+. Lower rate offset by higher total commission earned.
- Minimum sale fee: $1,000-$2,500 minimum regardless of sale outcome. Protects you from low-grossing estates.
- Cleanout fee: $500-$2,000 for removing unsold items. Include this in your contract or bid separately.
- Advertising costs: pass through $100-$300 in advertising costs to the client, or build it into your commission rate.
Get Estate Sale Contracts
Estate sale clients are families dealing with death, divorce, or downsizing. Trust and referrals drive this business above all else.
- Elder law attorney partnerships — attorneys handling estates refer families who need to liquidate household contents. Your #1 referral source.
- Realtor relationships — agents listing inherited homes need the house emptied before showing. Offer to handle the entire liquidation.
- Senior living facility contacts — downsizing seniors moving into assisted living need their homes emptied. Connect with move managers.
- Google Business Profile — rank for "estate sale company near me." Families search this first when planning a sale.
- EstateSales.net and local directories — list every sale on EstateSales.net and local estate sale directories. Builds your buyer following.
Build a Team and Run Multiple Sales
Solo operators run 1-2 sales per month. With a team, you can run 4-8 sales monthly and gross $20K-$80K+ in commissions.
- Hire sale-day staff: $15-$20/hour for cashiers and floor staff. A 2-day sale needs 3-5 people per day.
- Train a pricing team: teach staff to research and price common items. You handle antiques, jewelry, and high-value pieces.
- Build a buyer email list: collect emails at every sale. 1,000+ engaged buyers on your list means packed sales from day one.
- Run concurrent sales: with trained staff, you can organize one sale while another runs. Doubles your monthly capacity.
- Add an online auction channel: photograph unsold items and list them online. Captures value from items that did not sell in person.
One of the lowest startup cost businesses in the liquidation industry — your main investment is knowledge and legal setup.
| Item | Budget Start | Professional Setup |
|---|---|---|
| ASEL training / certification | $300 | $600 |
| WorthPoint subscription | $30/mo | $30/mo |
| General liability insurance | $700 | $1,500 |
| E&O insurance | $500 | $1,000 |
| Business registration (LLC + EIN) | $50-$150 | $150-$500 |
| Client contract (attorney review) | $0 (template) | $300-$500 |
| Price tags, signage, display supplies | $200 | $500 |
| EstateSales.net listing fees | $40-$80/sale | $40-$80/sale |
| Square or payment processing | $0 (2.6% fee) | $0 (2.6% fee) |
| Business operations (Bizzby) | $199/mo (Starter) | $499/mo (Scale) |
| Total | ~$2,000 | ~$5,000 |
Income depends on route density, average ticket, and how quickly you move from one-off jobs to repeat clients.
These ranges reflect typical U.S. market pricing and should be adjusted for local labor, travel time, and materials.
Bizzby replaces the need for a receptionist, marketing team, bookkeeper, and office manager. Here's what each plan includes.
🚀 Starter — $199/mo
Everything you need to run a one-person business professionally. AI handles scheduling, invoicing, client communication, review requests, and basic marketing. You focus on the work.
- AI receptionist (24/7 call & text handling)
- Online booking & scheduling
- Automated invoicing & payments
- Review generation & management
- Basic email marketing
- Client CRM
⚡ Scale — $499/mo
Everything in Starter, plus advanced marketing, team management, and growth tools. Built for businesses ready to scale from solo to team.
- Everything in Starter
- Advanced marketing campaigns
- Team scheduling & dispatching
- Multi-location support
- Advanced analytics & reporting
- Priority support
- Custom integrations
Execute this in order and you will launch with pricing discipline, operational control, and early revenue momentum.
Week 1-2: Foundation
- Register LLC, get EIN, and open business checking
- Get general liability insurance (you are working in clients' homes)
- Create an estate sale contract template with commission, terms, and liability
- Set up a POS system for sale-day transactions (Square or similar)
- Build a website with your services, commission structure, and contact form
- Create accounts on EstateSales.net and local sale listing sites
- Buy basic supplies: price tags, tables, signage, bags, and cash box
Week 3-4: Launch
- Visit 5 elder law attorneys and realtors with your service brochure
- Contact 3 senior living facilities about downsizing referral partnerships
- Offer to help organize or staff someone else's estate sale for experience
- Complete your first estate sale (start with a friend or family member)
- Photograph the sale and document gross sales for your portfolio
- Collect emails from every buyer who attends your sale
- Ask the estate client for a testimonial and Google review
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