Frequently Asked Questions

We  can often arrange a sale within a week, yet we try to  schedule sales  at least two weeks in advance to allow time for plenty of  advertising.  We’re always flexible to meet your needs.

There  is no up-front cost to the seller. For our commission, we’ll  agree to  share a percentage of the total sales amount as our  compensation. Our  current standard rate is 40%*

*May vary depending on contents of the home.

We  keep most estate sales open to the public for one to two days, yet  we  always tailor the sale to meet the requirements of the seller,   especially if the sale involves the liquidation of commercial   merchandise.

We  advertise broadly, including in local news and online advertising   media, and we also advertise your sale items to our in-house e-mail  list  of buyers who have already expressed interest in items like yours.  We use all the social media available to advertise locally, within the  city of Tucson, and surrounding areas.

We  are a family owned local business. We live in the area and many of you  are our neighbors. We understand the market and are willing to work as  hard as we can to meet your needs.

Although  more is better, we can certainly help sell your items in  smaller lots,  especially if you have tools, antiques or other  collectibles, jewelry  or single items which may be valuable. 

We also offer consignment options for our online store. Just call  us and we can help.

We  handle all the preparations, including the advertising,  inventorying,  arranging of items for display, and attaching the pricing  to each item  or group of items. During the sale, our staff will assist  buyers,  answer pricing questions, and handle the sales. 

We  work hard to sell everything you offer, at the highest price  possible.  And, we’ll consult with you about the pricing, to ensure that  while  the sale continues, buyers will be enthusiastic about remaining  items.  Still, most of the time there will be a few items left over;  often,  these can be donated to charity so you’ll have a tax deduction.  At the  end of the sale, we can help you arrange for a third party to  remove  any remaining items, and clean out any trash left behind,  including  sweeping. Usually there’s no charge for this, but if there’s a  large  amount of trash or unsellable items, we’ll deduct the cost of  cleanup  from the sale proceeds. We’ll work closely with you to ensure  maximum  sales and minimum left-overs. 

We’ve  sold so many items in similar sales in Green Valley, Tucson and   throughout the region that we generally have a good idea how much a   particular item will sell for. For individual items which are  especially  rare or valuable, you can certainly set a minimum price,  although we  always encourage flexibility. 

The  answer is emphatically “No.” That’s because many items may appear   worthless to the untrained eyes of family members or may simply be   overlooked. Yet, even old newspapers and magazines, or collections of   hardware odds-and-ends, may have great value. As well, even old  clothing  and linens can be sold. The only items which you should remove  are  personal identification documents or financial documents. Please  leave  the sorting and appraisal to our staff members, who have plenty  of  experience in finding value which may not be apparent.

That’s fine, just let us know in advance of the sale.

After  many years of assessing estates and, we usually have a clear  idea as  to the approximate value of each item, and we also have expert   associates who can provide realistic appraisals for even the rarest   antiques and art. As well, we have a large list of proven buyers who   have previously contacted us to express interest in many different   specialty categories of antiques and collectibles.

We monitor all your sale items to minimize the chance of breakage or loss.  Our well-trained staff members are always standing by to assist visitors and ensure that your sale is successful.

That’s no problem. We can handle everything by phone, e-mail and courier.

We’ll  provide you with a detailed accounting statement immediately after the sale, and we’ll deliver your sale proceeds within five business days after the sale.

An  estate sale means that the entire contents of a home, including one-of-a-kind items, antiques, and vintage possessions are up for sale, usually at a significant discount below the retail price that you  would pay for comparable items.

It’s  easy to browse and buy at J&J estate sales. Simply check our calendar for upcoming sales, and stop by the listed address during the sale hours; you can sign up in advance to receive our calendar and photos of selected items via e-mail. Many sales take place over a couple of days, while others sell out very quickly.

To see the best items, make sure to come early on the first day of the  sale. When you arrive, just sign in with one of our staff members. When you see something you like, simply notify our staff and they’ll tag it for you. It’s that simple.

For  convenience while you continue shopping, we make table space  available  near the checkout area so you can reserve items that you’re  certain you’ll purchase. Our sales associate can tag larger items while  you continue shopping. Since many items draw fair interest from multiple shoppers, please reserve or tag only those items which you’re sure you’ll buy. All sales are as-is and final.

• VISA
• Mastercard
• Discover
• American Express
• Debit cards
• Cash

To  be fair to all shoppers, the stated prices are firm although we do reserve the right to set prices in descending tiers according to the length of a sale. We do accept reasonable offers to ensure that all items are sold.

The opening and closing hours of all sales sessions will be listed in advance, and we encourage you to arrive early so you’ll have plenty of time later for checkout. 

After checkout at the sale, any items that you can’t carry with you will be tagged for arranged pickup, which is best done before the end of the sale. Although J&J Estate Sales isn’t a moving and storage company,  we’ll be happy to help you arrange suitable transportation or delivery.

It’s  easy to receive early information about the unique or  hard-to-find  items that savvy buyers find at our sales – If you want to  save money  and discover plenty of hidden treasures, just sign up to receive our  calendar via e-mail, and show up early at the sale. Or, you  can send us  your wish-list of desired items, and we’ll let you know in  advance.

It  depends on the type of sale and the discretion of the owner.   Sometimes, remaining items are retained by the owner, donated to local charities for a tax write off or left-over items may be sold as a  single lot to a wholesale dealer or an individual buyer as a “buy out.”  If  you’re interested in making a buy-out bid for items remaining at the end of the sale, feel free to approach a J&J staff member.