Estate Sales

Estate Sales By Holly - A Client's Experience

My late wife was a collector. She loved Lenox, Waterford, Stamps, Counted Cross stitch Puzzles and Jewelry. Recently , I decided that it was time to move to a smaller home, so it was time to let her things go. In fact, I decided to sell everything in the house except my living room and master bedroom furniture and my radio hobby equipment. There was an overwhelming amount of " stuff ", much of it high-end, and there was a significant variety. I needed professional help.

I knew of at least 3 options: an onsite auction, a managed estate sale, or a ont-time total clean out. I have actually had personal experience with an onsite auction and a one-time buyout and I have been to dozens of estate sales over the years. I decided to go with an estate sale if I could find the right professional to manage it. I had been to a handful of estate sales in The Villages, and I was impressed by all of them, but I particulary remembered those managed by Holly Heiden, Estate sales By Holly. So I started (and ended) by calling Holly.

Holly came to my house and immediately understood my situation. My late wife's collections were eclectic and extensive. Holly explained exactly what she would do , and I signed a contract right then and there. To make a long story short( I know, it is too late for that already, isn't it ), Holly more than lived up to everything she said she would do. We were able to schedule the sale for only a few weeks out, so things had to move quickly. Since my wife's jewelry was boxed up ( 4 bankers' boxes ), Holly took it to her home to get started with organizing and pricing it.

A week later, Holly Jerry (her husband), and two very nice and very hard-working women took over my house to stage everything for the sale. Staging included unpacking tons of Lenox, cleaning the Lenox, Waterford and anything else that needed cleaning, pricing everything and staging it all. Access to the finer jewelry was limited so that none of it would disappear. In parallel, Holly consulted with experts regarding the jewelry, stamps, Lenox,ect. and she advertised the heck out of the sale on the Internet and in print.

The sale was an immense success. Hundreds of potential buyers came by and few left empty-handed. A buyer flew in from Dallas and bought the entire stamp collection. A couple of my friends went to the sale, and they were very impressed by how well it was being run. I stopped by once each day, and I was also impressed. Per the contract, a scant three hours after the sale ended, all unsold items had been removed to be donated to charity, and the house had been swept clean. Except for the fact that the house was empty (yay!), you wouldn't even know that there had been an estate sale. Fewer than ten days after the sale Holly gave me a check for the proceeds of the sale, copies of all the sales slips from EVERY customer, pictures of the staging and an itemized list of all the unsold items that were donated to charity.

Bottom line : I was very impressed with Holly and her team, I was very happy with the outcome of the sale, and I would highly recommend Holly to anyone without reservation !

George W. Briggs , 9/28/2016

Holly Heiden saved me from an long-distance executor's nightmare.

I had contacted another estate sale company (which shall remain nameless) and had agreed on times, dates, prices, and terms. I drove thorough five states the week before the sale date, calling the OTHER party's phone number time after time. I got to Florida, leaving increasingly desperate messages on the same answering machine. To this day, I don't know if the OTHER party died, fled to Patagonia, or just decided he didn't like me any more. All I do know is that I had a houseful of furniture, decorations, and possessions that had to be sold before the house could be sold, and I no longer trusted people who do estate sales in Florida.

My realtor suggested Holly Heiden, and the nightmare turned into a dream come true. Holly showed up that afternoon, examined the property, negotiated terms, and agreed to hold an estate sale in just a few weeks time. She put it in writing (very comforting, to a man who had just been burned by a merely verbal contract!) and let me know about costs and benefits up front.

As the day of the sale approached, Holly sent me pictures of the carpets, where she detected some wear and tear as she moved pieces of furniture. I hadn't noticed those spots, so I asked our realtor to send a steam cleaner out to "perk up" the place after the sale was over. It is little things like a spot on the rug that makes it hard to sell a house long distance!

Holly kept me posted on the progress of the sale as it unfolded. Little did she know that I had an observer on the ground--a friend of the family who was there to make sure that everything went right. Everything went right and then some!

When the sale was over, Holly packaged up a priority mail box with documentation, a family Bible, sales books, records of tax-deductible donations in the name of the Estate, and a cashier's check for QUITE a bit more than I had expected.

Bottom line? I started with a nightmare and ended with a dream. Thank you, Holly!
--

Scott W. Somerville, Esq.

 

Scott W. Somerville, Esq.3/20/2015

 Estate Sales By Holly Heiden held an estate sale in our home in The Villages in July 2014. We would recommend her without hesitation ! She was professional, efficient, organized and did everything she promised to do . Our sale was successful because of her. There was a lot of hard work in the preparation which ultimately paid off in our favor. Holly and her husband Jerry are very trustworthy and again, we highly recommend her to anyone considering having an estate sale. 

                                                                        Sincerely, Brad and Loretta Cummings

Brad and Loretta Cummings

 I would like to extend my appriciation for the outstanding manner in which you handled the estate sale at my Mother's home, in The village of Calumet Grove , The Villages, Florida.

  The amazing part was at the end of the sales I was presented with a copy of all the sales slips for every item sold along with pictures of how the items were displayed for sale. The home was cleaned and left spotless.

 I find it difficult to fully express my appriciation for the professional manner in which you handled the event from beginning to end.   Many Thanks, Nancy S. Norton

Nancy Norton Quotation Source

Holly Heiden and Estate Sales by Holly staff gave our family peace of mind from the first day we met her. Holly guided us through the process of preparing our Mother's home for an estate sale. Holly is knowledgeable, through,honest,friendly and very caring. She gained our trust immediately and supported us generously , as we faced the task of transitioning the contents of Mother's home to new families who would appriciate our Mother's belongings as much as she did. Holly has become a trusted friend and we highly recommend her and highly appriciate her professionalism. We are grateful we found her.  Sincerily, Virginia Peynton and John Brna

Virginia Peynton and John Brna

When my dad passed away recently , I was faced with the question , " what to do with a house full of possessions ? "

 When my parents left their farm on Ohio many years ago, they held an auction. I knew I didn't want to go through that again. After a friend suggested that I check into the possibility of holding an Estate sale, I began the search. I made a couple of calls from ads listed in The Villages Daily Sun, one of the calls led me to Holly.

  She and her Husband Jerry scheduled a time for a walk-thru. Holly then explained how they would handle the sale from beginning to end. They would take pictures, research items if necessary, set up the advertising for internet and print ads, arrange for pick-up items that didn't sell, and clean up the home at sale's end.

  I stopped in at the house the night before the sale, and the house had been transformed into a department store. It was just amazing !  Thanks to Holly and her crew a difficult situation turned into a pleasant experience !   Sincerely, Marrion L. Magee

Marrion L. Magee

 My wife and I never met Holly Heiden face to face. All our negotiations had been done by telephone or email, but we can atest that whatever Holly told us to expect, what the set-up would be and cost involved, was followed to the letter.

 We are very satisfied that Holly had produced what she estimated our estate would bring in. Holly gave us the individual sales receipts for each item or group of items that sold and the prices paid . Holly and her crew left the premises empty of everything , in a clean condition and ready for the next residents to move in.

  Thank goodness that these honest, professional and efficient people still exist.

                                                 Sincerely, Ray Wojdula and Janie Peppel-Wojdula

Ray Wojdula and Janie Peppel-Wojdula  Quotation Source

 Thank you Holly and staff ! You guys are wonderful and so professional. You really know your stuff !  I had done some checking about estate sales and commission fees vary from person to person. Some had fees as high as 60% and what didn't sell the family had to remove.

  From the time I talked to you on the phone until we met in person, I just felt so comfortable and knew you were who we needed to deal with.  Our estate sale was downsizing my Mother's home so she could move to another city. We kept what she really wanted, but that still left us with a house that was overwhelming for my mom. It also gave me a glimpse into the future of what was to come when she passes.

  So we decided to nip this in the bud and it was the smartest move we could ever make. The sale was organised, clean and what didn't sell was donated to a Hospice thrift store, we also received a donation receipt. This was wonderful for us as Hospice took care of my dad , 8 yrs before.  Holly even let us add to the sale items we had decided to de-clutter from our own house. During this time our local channel 9 did a " Buyer Beware about estate sales " . But not to worry with Holly , she's above board and totally honest with the seller in mind, it felt like family helping family. You can't go wrong with her , she knows her stuff. Friends of my mother's attended the sale and were very impressed with how the sale was conducted.  Thank you for a job well done ! Debbie Branton

Debbie Branton Quotation Source

Dear Holly, I can't thank you enough for the wonderful job you did for my Mom's estate sale. You lifted a huge burden off my shoulders during such a sad and overwhelming time. You handled everything from beginning to end with such professionalism,compassion and integrity.Without you I would have had a nervous breakdown.You truely are an asset to the community.You went above and beyond by changing the locks on my Mom's home,putting batteries in the garage door opener and sending a diamond pendant back to me after having it authenicated. You're cut from a very special mold.I only wish I you could come up north to take care of things up here.If I find someone half as wonderful as you,it will be a miracle. God bless you Holly! With highest regards,Pam Tama

Pam Tama  - Quotation Source

It is with pleasure that I write my letter of recommendation for Holly Heiden. Holly is a true professional,business woman in the Estate Sale field. She manages estate sales in a format style that is rarely seen nowadays ! Organizing items and arranging them is one of her many skills. She is also very organized with her records and receipts. Every item is accounted for in her books. Holly is knowledgeable about antiques and prices items according to fair market value. I was impressed with kind , patient demeanor when answering my questions, and she always returned my phone calls in a prompt manner. I know that you will enjoy Holly and her efficient,friendly staff take care of your Estate Sale !   Sincerely , Ron and Leatha Moeller 

Ron and Leatha Moeller -

With Holly in charge I was able to lock the door of my Mother's house, hand Holly the key and not turn back.The estate sale was a huge success ONLY because of Holly's work ethic.She has years of experience,knowledge of antiques and knows craftsmen she can contact for reference. With her handpicked proffessional team behind her , she displayed the items for maximum value. She was able to bring in a large number of customers due to her insight of how to advertise the sale. Her crowd contrlo skills made it conducive to those buying. She made an impossible task seamless for me . She has my highest recommandation.  Gwen Grasso

Gwen Grasso

Dear Holly and Team: Don and I would like to Thank you and your staff for your assistance in the recent liquidation of our neighbor's home. The sale included the contents of the home,a car, and a golf cart. The owner was moved to an assisted living facility and the contents of 91yrs had to be sorted. The family member were out of state,so we called "Holly Estate Sales" to assist us. You and your team are truely professionals. What seemed like an overwhelming task for us,became a well managed project. The web site was up and told of the sale, the advertising was done in the newspapers, and all the details arranged. The day of the sale, the staff had road signage complete and traffic well routed. At the end of the sale, all receipt books were presentd along with the "before" photo's.There was a through accounting of the sale and the remaining items were given to a receipted charity. The home was empty and immaculate, ready for showing to sell. You EXCEEDED our expectations and want to thank you for a job well done. Sincerely, Carol Brooks and Don Wheatly

Carol Brooks and Don WheatlyQuotation Source

Holly was a lifesaver ! With little warning,I had to move my Mother from the villages to North Carolina. After sending the things that my Mother wanted to NC, I turned the house keys over to Holly, who immediately went into estate sale - planning mode. She told me what would likely sell(nearly everything- even cleaning supplies and a bundle of rags !), and her crew did a fantastic job. We were so pleased to see the comprehensive,detailed list of items sold, the donation form for the few items that didn't sell, the pictures of the sale and - of course- the big check ! Thank you so very much for all you do !  Best regards, Karen Johnson

Karen Johnson

Holly - You are so very professional. I so appreciate all of your help and the timeliness, honesty, organization could not have been better. You honored all of your promises and were prompt in sending our check. You may use me as a reference forever, there could not possibly be anyone more appropriate to do this job. Again, I thank you and highly recommend you. I have already passed your name on to someone else. Thank you , Pam Kossman 

Pam Kossman -

Recently I had Holly and Estate Sales by Holly staff do an estate sale for me and I can't tell you how happy I am with the outcome. My daughter and I had an early flight to Michigan to catch,I expressed my concern for leaving the beds stripped,but not washed and dried.They said not to worry that they would take care of it and they did. We walked out of the house and left everything in their capable hands. I have a check for more than I expected it to be. They make everything spic and span and are well known in the area. I highly recommend them to take care of your precious things when you can no longer use them.         Sincerily, Jan Price

 

Jan Price

Holly Heiden is an amazingly professional and organized estate sales coordinator.Her thoroughness and attention to detail was deeply appreciated. She displayed all items to maximize the full value of the items,as well as keeping meticulous records for all sales. She sold the car,golf cart and household goods quickly and fairly.She keeps in constant communication and let's you know the status of what is going on through out the process. She saved us hundreds of hours of work and we highly recommend her services.               Sincerily,Barbara and Michael Hethcote

Barbara abd Michael Hethcote

 My 2 sisters and I live in Atlanta. We found and contacted Holly when it became apparent that we needed to move our 90-year-old-Mother into an assisted living facility. Holly met with us one weekend in March when my sisters and I made the trip from Atlanta. A week later holly and her crew were cleaning,organizing,tagging and preparing for what turned out to be a 4 day sale.Holly did a fabulous job on our behalf,and we learned that is not only a woman of integrity,she went above and beyond her promises. The originally planned 3 day sale turned out to be a 4 day sale for this reason: the local newspaper ran Holly's ad in the wrong section of the classifieds. The crowd turnout was, of course , disappointing to Holly and her staff. Holly made the decision to run the sale an extra day to make up for it !

I have other stories I could relate proving Holly's strong work ethic and integrity, but suffice it to say that my sisters and I could not have been more pleased with the end result. As an aside, I was down in FL last week-end and several of my Mom's neighbors approached me to say they observed a lot of hard work and long hours spent by Holly and her staff, and they all commented on her sensitivity to "crowd control",parking, signage and the neighbors properties. I would welcome a phone conversation with anyone who might have need of Holly's services. Just ask Holly for my information.

                                                                                        Jane Gutschenritter

Jane Gutschenritte.

We located Holly Through her website,www.hollyestatesales.com. After meeting with Holly we were impressed with her business like approach. She provided us with a list of former clients, who gave her an excellent rating. The sale was scheduled 60 days later. We completed the move to Texas and Holly handled everything else. She staged the sale items,priced them,handled the sale and sent a check with excellent backup paperwork of all transactions. Holly demonstrated compassion,caring and handled the sale with integrity and honesty. After the sale was completed,a family member visited the house and reported everything was gone and the house was left clean and ready to be sold. Overall we were very pleased with sale and would highly recommend her services to others.                       Thank you , Hannah Holloway and Family

Hannah Holloway and Family

Dear Holly, Thank you ! Thank you ! Thank you ! For doing such a great job with Barbara and Ed's Estate sale. It was an overwhelming relief to place the "estate in such experienced and capable hands". That task was very daunting to us both and what a relief to be able to have let someone else do all the work. And work I'm sure you did,to get ready for the sale. Better you than us is all I can say ! We were pleased at how smoothly the sale went and we are more than happy to recommend you to Anyone in need of your services. We had no qualms what so ever about conducting the sale,ect.,via long distance,email and telephone calls.What could have been a nightmare for us turned out to be a " feel good " experience. Thank you again, Sincerely, Kathleen Radoff

 Kathleen Radoff