Understanding the BRG Process for Estates and Consignments


Estates 101 | PUBLISHED 09.02.20 | Jennifer Ventresca
 | BRG

What is BRG’s process?

We know each estate, downsize, moving sale, and consignment is unique, as are the circumstances behind the client's need to liquidate that estate or personal property. BRG approaches each estate with care, compassion, and tailors each proposal to meet the needs of our clients. Generally, though, here is what our clients might expect when they reach out to us for estate assistance.

First contact and consultation:

BRG BlogFirst it all begins with a phone call or email. Occasionally, clients even pop-in to our showroom on the chance that one of our estates and acquisition team members happens to be on site. No matter how the first contact is made, one of our estate experts will be happy to consult with you and, if needed, schedule an appointment to meet with you at the estate.

Customized Proposal:

BRG BlogDepending on the overall valuation of your estate, your property may qualify for sale through BRG's platform or through our sister brand, Clearing House Estate Sales. Either way, within a few days of the initial consultation you will be presented with a customized proposal and agreement. Based on the size, quantity of items to be sold, and overall secondary-market valuation of those items, this proposal may include several options for selling your treasured pieces. Such options might be a dedicated single-owner online estate auction, inclusion in our monthly multi-estate online auctions, inclusion of a distinctive item in one of our semi-annual exceptional auctions, consignment to 50,000 square foot designer-quality showroom (Black Rock Interiors), and/or listing your luxury-level item(s) on third party seller sites where BRG is an approved dealer (1stDibs for example). No matter the format or venue for the sale, BRG provides the most comprehensive and modern sales format and platform around.

The agreement will clearly specify the services to be offered, commissions (if applicable), and/or any other applicable fees for our services (i.e., trucking, dumpster fees, etc.). Rest assured, that whatever the scope of work entails, it will all be outline within the proposal.

BRG will never pressure you to sign a proposal and will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the process and/or proposal. A dedicated contact person will be with you from start to finish to help guide you through the sale of your beloved property. In other words, once the contract is signed, BRG will take care of everything else.

BRG Begins Work:

Once you review the proposal and sign it, the BRG team begins working on your account.

BRG BlogPhotography & Cataloging -- A convenient date and time is scheduled for the BRG team to photograph and catalog the items being sold from the estate or home. If appropriate, pick-up and transport of the items in the estate or home may be transported to one of our locations in Bridgeport, Greenwich, Boston, Raleigh or Dallas. The pieces to be included in the sale will be tagged and numbered with a custom item number (akin to a product SKU, but specific to Black Rock Galleries).

Estate Sale/Auction Goes Live -- Once the cataloging and photography are completed and reviewed by our auction management team, your collection is ready to be listed on our site. Your estate or property collection will go “live” on our website and/or be placed in our consignment showroom for outright purchase.

Previews -- In the case of an online estate auction, although rare, an auction preview may be scheduled for a convenient date/time, if needed (typically a Saturday for three to four hours). Typically, however, no preview is necessary because BRG's excellence in photography and cataloging provides the details bidders are seeking.

The auction itself is open for bidding on our website for seven to ten days. The days leading up to the auction closing date should be considered an extended online preview for the bidders. The initial auction bidding (immediately after the auction goes live) tends to be light and sporadic, as our bidders ponder their choices, review the cataloging and photos, and perform their own due-diligence and research.

Online Bidding -- As the auction closing date and time nears completion, the bidding frenzy begins. In fact, most of the bidding action occurs during the final hours and minutes of the auction. That is when our clients realize the value of the online auction approach to estates. At the conclusion of the auction, our bidders' credit cards are automatically charged for their purchases. Although there are some occasional declines (on file credit cards expire,customers change their cards, etc.) BRG takes care of those in the days immediately following the auction. Rarely, but it does happen, BRG may need to reach out to an under-bidder after the auction closes to see if the under-bidder wishes to purchase the item at their last bid.

Client Dashboard -- Meanwhile, our clients are given access to their own online dashboard which allows them to follow the status of their estate in real-time. They can see consignments as they are added to inventory, photographs, and (after the auction closes) each item's selling price.

BRG BlogCustomer Pick-up -- Customers will pick-up their lots during the scheduled pick-up time. If the pick-up is taking place at the home, your estate manager will schedule a convenient auction pick-up date (usually the Saturday after the auction closes) with you before the auction goes live on the site. In those situations, our careful and qualified staff will bring the pieces out to the customers (unless otherwise noted). Customers are not permitted into our client’s home during pick-up (unless otherwise stated) which reduces the risk of theft, damage, and disruption. Plus, in the age of Covid-19, this format reduces exposure because countless numbers of people are not going through the home at any given time.

After the Sale is Completed (Reporting & Payment)

Payouts and consignor reports are processed in the middle of the month following your sale. Once the sale is closed-out by our estates and acquisitions team, you can expect a full reporting of and final payment within 45 days (oftentimes sooner depending on when the sale closes within the month). In other words, if your sale closes on the 29th of the month, you might expect your payment in about two weeks. However, if you sale closes on the first of the month, your payment would be received closer to the 45 day mark.

It really is that easy!


If you are downsizing, handling the sale of a loved-one's estate, or even looking to just change out the decor of your home and wish to sell several key pieces in your home, contact BRG today to learn how we can help you get highest possible returns.

CONTACT US TODAY

Keywords: Estate process, how it works, proposal, consultation, photography, cataloging, consignment, auction, estate sale, reporting, payout, downsize, estate, moving, moving sale

Understanding the BRG Process for Estates and Consignments. Black Rock Galleries provides high end estate liquidation services through online estate auctions and a 50,000 sq ft designer showroom. estate liquidator, estate sale, online auction, antiques, fine art, liquidation, clean outs, auction, consignment, interior design, fine jewelry, collectibles, appraisals, estate appraisals, estate services, decor, furniture, furniture consignment, antique center, consignment shop. We offer appraisal services and specialize in fine art, jewelry, antiques and decorative arts. Sell with us. Black Rock Galleries is the tri-state's largest estate liquidator serving New England and the greater New York City area. We are the trusted source for expert appraisals, auction services, estate sales, and consignments. Black Rock Galleries is the east coast's largest and most trusted estate liquidator, with locations in Connecticut, greater Boston, MA and Raleigh, NC, Fairfield, Southport, Apex, TX. We are the best source for expert appraisals, auction services, estate sales and consignments. We have served thousands of families and estates with compassion, professionalism and expertise. BRG works with attorneys, executors, realtors and families to bring the greatest return on personal and estate property in the current market. Our unique combination of services make us the easy choice to get the job done in a timely and stress-free manner. We are with you from the initial consultation to the final clean out. Our house-built online auction software platform offers clients a dynamic approach to liquidating their personal property. This venue is most successful in bringing the best return with the least amount of disruption for our clients. See our services page for a complete description of this offering. Understanding the BRG Process for Estates and Consignments
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