What Happens During an In-Home Auction Appraisal

When someone schedules an in-home appraisal with O’Sullivan Auctions, one of the first questions they often have is, “What do I need to do before you get here?”

Usually, not very much.

We schedule a time that works for you and let you know that, depending on what you have, the visit should take between 45 minutes and an hour. Sometimes it takes less, but we do not go over an hour.

I am a Certified Personal Property Appraiser, and most of the time my wife, Bridget, comes with me. We each have knowledge and experience in different areas, so having both of us there gives the owner two different sets of trained eyes.

Two Different Sets of Eyes

My areas of expertise include tools, antiques, fire-related memorabilia, antique and vintage pottery, advertising signs, breweriana, coins, jewelry, dental gold, medical items, pens, flashlights, cereal premiums, ephemera, and quite a few other things I have picked up over the years.

I also tend to notice details other people miss. A small maker’s mark, the way something was constructed, the material used, or an unusual feature can completely change an item’s identity and value.

Bridget’s knowledge leans especially toward vintage and retro toys; radios, televisions, stereos, and telephones; vintage kitchenware; Pyrex, Fiesta, CorningWare, and Tupperware; lamps; costume jewelry; old bathroom and medical items; vintage linens and towels; vintage pottery; and ordinary household pieces that have become collectible over time.

Between the two of us, we cover a lot of ground. When we need to confirm an identity, date, variation, or current value, we may do some research during the appointment. We do that discreetly. No appraiser can carry every maker and every recent sale price in his head, and careful research is part of giving someone an honest assessment.

The Things People Stop Seeing

When we arrive, owners often have certain things set out for us. We start there, but we will also walk through any part of the home, garage, basement, or outbuildings they allow us to see.

That is usually when we begin finding the surprises.

In nearly every room, we notice something the owner has forgotten about or simply stopped seeing because it has been sitting there for years.

I might ask, “Are you interested in selling that? It appraises around…”

Most people do not realize that something trivial or mundane to them may have value to someone else. It might complete a collection, bring back a childhood memory, match someone’s vintage kitchen, or be the unusual piece another person has been trying to find.

Once we point those things out, owners are often surprised. Most are happy to sell them once they understand that someone else may genuinely want them.

National Value Versus a Local Auction

We assess what an item could sell for in the broader national retail market. Then we get realistic about what it would likely bring at a live auction here in our local market.

Those numbers are not necessarily the same. An insurance-replacement value, a national retail value, and a local auction result are three different things. I may tell someone, “If I were going to insure this, I would insure it for…” But that does not mean I expect it to bring the same amount at a local auction.

I always remind people that an auction is “any given Sunday.” We do not know exactly who is going to show up, who will bid, what they will want that day, or whether two determined bidders will compete for the same piece.

An appraisal gives you a fair and informed assessment, but no one can pinpoint exactly what something will sell for at auction—or guarantee that it will sell at all. The final price is determined by the bidders who are there that day. That is why our auction contracts do not guarantee prices or sales.

What Happens After the Appraisal?

After we have looked through everything and given the owner a fair and reasonable assessment, we explain the available options.

If there is enough for a personal estate auction, we ask whether the owner would like to discuss moving forward with one. If what they have is better suited to a consignment sale, we tell them about our next available consignment auction and explain how it works.

There is never any pressure to sign a contract. We can usually tell whether someone is ready to proceed, still thinking about it, or simply wants to understand what they have.

Our in-home appraisal is free. Sometimes people call us even though they do not have any intention of selling, and that is perfectly fine. Bridget and I enjoy seeing what people have, hearing the stories behind their belongings, and helping them understand what may have value.

If the owner decides to move forward, Bridget begins the contract process and walks them through the details. Once the contract is complete, we take preliminary photographs and make a brief inventory so we can begin planning and advertising the auction.

An in-home appraisal is not about judging your home or pressuring you to sell. It is about helping you see your belongings through experienced eyes, understand what they may be worth in different markets, and decide what feels right for you.

To schedule a free in-home appraisal with O’Sullivan Auctions, call 906-675-8971.