by Karen M.
Member since:
March 7, 2007

Estate Auctions...

May 21, 2007 06:33 PM EDT
views: 33 | comments: 15
From time to time, we like to go to auctions and buy antiques or little things that we need. My husband and I were talking today about the fact that those auctions are someone's entire life being sold to strangers for a fraction of what they are worth. Jeez...when you put it that way, it is somewhat sad. We have decided we will have an estate auction sortly after we retire. After all, who needs all of the things you accumulate for that many years by that point in your life? Do you ever go to estate auctions? I find them enjoyable and will continue to go, but thought some of you might have similar feelings.
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Comments: 15

Heather M. May 21, 2007, 6:38pm EDT
i have been and yes it is a little sad when you think about it!
Wilma M. May 21, 2007, 6:41pm EDT
I don't go often but have seen some wonderful things for sale. It is sad when you think it represents the end of someone's life but their possessions do go on to be a part of someone else's life.
Jennifer S. May 21, 2007, 6:43pm EDT
I've been to a few and have usually enjoyed them. It's very sad when the estate is of someone you knew.
Barbara B. May 21, 2007, 6:45pm EDT
I have thought about this so often. My parents home is being lived in by my nephew and we will be looking at parsing out their belongings and the ultimate estate sale. We went through this already with my grandmother and it is a bittersweet time. We look at the items and remember the times we used them or played with them in earlier years. Knowing that we will be passing down the items we have taken claim to is heartfelt to be sure. I just hope our granddaughters will respect what will be given to them and appreciate the family history of it all. Time will tell. Oh, we still go to those garage sales and thrift stores nonetheless, adding to the cache of stuff to be sorted out later. Life is a wonderful thing!
CyberGwen ! May 21, 2007, 7:02pm EDT
I enjoy them, but agree with Jennifer, it is a whole different ball game when it is someone that you knew.
Deb J. May 21, 2007, 7:03pm EDT
I love estate sales but I too feel for the families that are in the process of selling the items that surely they grew up around and some had certain meaning for them. It is sad though ~ like the end of someone's lifetime of accumilation.
Nana to Seven Cutiepies May 21, 2007, 7:20pm EDT
Years ago I used to go a few times a year, when I had a big house and some place to use and place everything. Now I need to have one of my own also. It is surprising what nice things you can find.
Jen (I'm back for more!) G. May 21, 2007, 8:48pm EDT
I used to work for an auction house in Otego, NY when I was going to college. We did estate auctions, but they did not bring in nearly as much money as the other "themed" auctions (ie., glass, sculpture, indian artifacts, antiques). We usually wound up combining 2 or 3 estates together when they were done at the auction house.
I help run a tag sale in my grandfather's house after he passed, and it was very depressing. The things people said in front of me was very insulting. Granted, some people didn't know who I was, but others did. Kind of wished we had hired someone else to do it instead of doing it ourselves.
Jaye C. May 21, 2007, 10:18pm EDT
I think it's sad that we put so much emphasis on all the "stuff" we own. Yeah, there are memories attached to them, but that accumulation of stuff isn't "our entire lives." I think we'd all be better off if we stopped putting so much significance on our possessions.

Besides, it's better to pass those items to others than to hoard them because a dead relative loved them or to toss them out where they fill up landfills.
Randy- Being true to myself May 21, 2007, 11:53pm EDT
I just keep selling and selling in yard sales, furniture, electronics, appliances, toys, etc.
Karen E. May 21, 2007, 11:54pm EDT
My husband and I had an estate sale when we got ready to sell our house and buy an RV to live in fulltime. We had to get rid of almost everything. It was hard to do because it was all OUR stuff, and when you get right down to it, we were attached to it. But, it was ultimately owning US. I gave a few things that I really couldn' bear to part with to my kids, but everything else went out the door. The people who handled the sale for us told us we were their first live customers.

That was 7 years ago. I have not missed any of it. I love being able to live where ever I want to be, it is so much freedom and peace of mind not being owned by a house full of things.
Michelle W. May 22, 2007, 8:23am EDT
I have never been to an auction. I hear that they are great and can be loads of fun. Maybe one of these days, I will be able to get to one.
Austin Cushing May 22, 2007, 2:21pm EDT
I love the concept of estate sales and yard sales and such - although, yeah, it's sad when it comes about because someone died. We all have too much junk.
Karolyn Q. May 30, 2007, 6:12am EDT
We haven't gone in a while but we will again. The place we always went to is still around. I have been hesistant because my son will be with us. We always did well and got some great buys too.

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