The American Society of Estate Liquidators (ASEL) is a nationwide educational and professional resource for the estate liquidation industry. ASEL does not conduct estate sales directly, but its online directory may help an executor, administrator, trustee or family representative locate an estate liquidator near the estate property.
aselonline.com
Nationwide resource: Estate liquidator directory, consumer education and professional standards.
Find an Estate Liquidator | Visit ASEL
Best for
- Executors who need to sell or remove substantial household contents
- Estates involving furniture, artwork, jewelry, collectibles, tools, vehicles or other personal property
- Executors who need help finding estate liquidation professionals near the estate property
- Families who want a more structured process for selling personal property
- Executors who want to compare providers using profiles, designations, experience and written standards
How it works
- Find a liquidator: Search ASEL’s online directory using the ZIP code of the estate property. Review available member profiles and company information.
- Review credentials: ASEL offers professional designations based on documented education and industry experience. Credentials can provide useful background when comparing providers.
- Understand standards: ASEL publishes a Code of Ethics covering professional conduct, written expectations, accountability, confidentiality, fees and conflicts of interest.
- Interview providers: Executors should interview more than one estate liquidation company when practical.
- Request written terms: Before authorizing work, request references, insurance information and a written contract.
- Confirm sale procedures: Confirm how fees, expenses, proceeds, unsold property, access to the home and final reporting will be handled.
What Can ASEL Do for an Executor or Estate?
Administering an estate may require the sale or removal of furniture, household goods, artwork, jewelry, collectibles, tools, vehicles and other personal property. When the volume of property is substantial, an executor may need professional assistance organizing and conducting the liquidation.
ASEL does not conduct estate sales directly. Instead, it serves as an educational and professional resource for the estate liquidation industry. Its online directory may help an executor, administrator, trustee or family representative locate an ASEL member near the estate property.
How ASEL may help an executor:
- Find a liquidator: Search ASEL’s online directory using the ZIP code of the estate property and review available member profiles.
- Review credentials: ASEL offers professional designations based on documented education and industry experience.
- Understand standards: ASEL publishes a Code of Ethics covering conduct, confidentiality, accountability, fees and conflicts of interest.
- Compare providers: Executors can use directory profiles, company websites, designations, references and written proposals to compare estate liquidators.
- Prepare better questions: Consumer education can help executors understand what to ask before hiring an estate liquidation company.
Services an Estate Liquidator May Provide
The scope of service varies by company, but an estate liquidator may be able to help with:
- Reviewing the household contents and determining whether an estate sale is practical
- Organizing, displaying, researching and pricing personal property
- Advertising and conducting an on-site estate sale
- Managing buyers, sale staff, payments, security and sale-day procedures
- Identifying property that may require a specialist, auctioneer or alternative sales channel
- Discussing options for items that remain after the sale
- Providing agreed-upon records, proceeds or settlement information
Important: Executors should request a written proposal explaining which services are included, which services cost extra and which responsibilities remain with the estate.
How to Use the ASEL Directory
- Visit ASEL’s Find a Liquidator directory.
- Search using the ZIP code of the estate property rather than the executor’s personal address.
- Review the available member profiles, services, experience, designations and company websites.
- Interview more than one estate liquidation company when practical.
- Request references, insurance information and a written contract before authorizing work.
- Confirm how fees, expenses, proceeds, unsold property, access to the home and final reporting will be handled.
Questions to Ask an Estate Liquidator
- How long have you conducted estate sales?
- Have you handled estates of this size and type?
- Who researches and prices higher-value property?
- How do you decide whether an item belongs in the estate sale, an auction or a specialist marketplace?
- What commission, minimum fee or other charges will the estate pay?
- Are advertising, labor, security, cleaning, disposal or payment-processing fees additional?
- Are you insured?
- How will you protect the residence and its contents?
- How are sale proceeds documented and delivered?
- What happens to property that does not sell?
- Can you provide recent client or professional references?
- When will the estate receive its final accounting?
When an Estate Liquidator May Be Helpful
- Large households: The property contains more personal belongings than the family can reasonably sort, price and sell without assistance.
- Remote administration: The executor lives in another city or state and needs local assistance managing the contents of the residence.
- Preparing a home for sale: A residence must be cleared before it can be listed, transferred or returned to a landlord.
- Unfamiliar markets: The executor needs a starting point for identifying estate sale professionals in an unfamiliar community.
- Family coordination: Family members may benefit from a more structured and impartial process for selling personal property.
- Specialized property: The estate contains collections or valuable items that may require research or referral to an appropriate specialist.
Not ideal for
- Estates with little or no personal property to sell
- Families who have already distributed, donated or removed most household contents
- Executors who need a governmental licensing agency or regulator rather than a professional resource organization
- Situations where a formal appraisal, auction specialist or attorney-directed sale is required before property can be sold
Costs and Written Agreements
Estate liquidation companies establish their own pricing and service terms. Charges may include a commission, minimum fee, labor charges, advertising expenses, cleaning costs, disposal expenses or a combination of these methods.
A written agreement should clearly identify:
- The services the company will perform
- The commission, minimum fee or other pricing structure
- Expenses that will be deducted from the sale proceeds
- Sale dates and access arrangements
- Responsibility for advertising, staffing and security
- The treatment of valuable, excluded and unsold items
- Payment and reporting deadlines
- Cancellation and dispute procedures
The executor may wish to have the estate’s attorney review the agreement when the property is unusually valuable, ownership is disputed, beneficiaries disagree or the proposed contract creates significant obligations for the estate.
Security & standards
ASEL publishes a Code of Ethics for professional conduct. Its standards address written expectations, accountability, confidentiality, fees and conflicts of interest. However, ASEL is not a governmental licensing or regulatory authority. Executors should independently review each provider’s qualifications, references, insurance, fees and contract terms.
Contact the American Society of Estate Liquidators
Telephone: 704-543-1051
Use ASEL’s consumer directory to search for participating estate liquidation professionals near the estate property.
FAQs
Q: Does ASEL conduct estate sales?
A: No. ASEL does not conduct estate sales directly. It serves as an educational and professional resource for the estate liquidation industry.
Q: How can ASEL help an executor?
A: ASEL’s directory may help an executor, administrator, trustee or family representative locate an estate liquidation professional near the estate property.
Q: What should executors review before hiring a liquidator?
A: Executors should review services, experience, designations, references, insurance, fees, contract terms, sale procedures and final reporting expectations.
Q: Should the estate get a written agreement?
A: Yes. The agreement should explain services, fees, expenses, sale dates, access, staffing, security, unsold property, reporting deadlines and dispute procedures.
Q: Is ASEL a government regulator?
A: No. ASEL is an educational and professional resource organization. It is not a governmental licensing or regulatory authority.
About this Listing
Executorium will NOT receive compensation if you engage with this business.
Executorium provides this information for educational purposes. Inclusion of an organization or professional directory does not constitute an endorsement, guarantee or verification of an individual provider. Executors should independently review qualifications, references, insurance, fees and contract terms.
ASEL is an educational and professional resource organization and is not a governmental licensing or regulatory authority.
Learn More
– Official site: https://www.aselonline.com/
– For consumers / Find a Liquidator: https://www.aselonline.com/for-consumers/
– Code of Ethics: https://www.aselonline.com/code-of-ethics/