When a loved one passes away, the last thing on your mind is likely to be their entire home full of belongings. But once you’ve navigated the immediate physical and emotional needs that a death requires, you may find yourself with an entire estate’s worth of possessions – and wonder just what you have on your hands. In many cases, antiques, collectibles, art, furniture, coins, and jewelry have a value that far exceeds expectations, but it can be difficult and time-consuming to determine those values.
This is where estate services are a valuable commodity. Calling in an expert gives you access to appraisals of each item, as well as potential buyers including collectors, dealers, corporations, and private clients. The items can be easily sold for a fair price. Knowing who to call to handle your loved one’s estate can be challenging, but experienced appraisers are worth their weight in gold. In Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana, Chris Bennett of Bennett & Roelofs Estate Service LLC has proven to be the appraiser to call.
With a total of 30 years of professional experience between his time as an auction manager and as a founder of Bennett & Roelofs, Bennett has become an expert in his field. He is often called upon to provide professional court testimony in divorce proceedings to insure an equal division of assets, and as an expert witness in the field of antiques and automobiles. He works closely with local bank trust departments as an advocate for Estate Sale ethics. On a personal level, Bennett’s interest in antiques and collectibles started when he was only 12 years old visiting flea markets and swap meets.
Many people do not realize that they need to hold an estate sale until it is thrust upon them; Chris Bennett ensures that the entire process is easy, smooth, worry-free, and lucrative.
How Bennett & Roelofs Operates an Estate Sale
Once a client contacts Bennett & Roelofs, a staff member will meet any interested parties to perform a walkthrough of the estate. In many cases, Chris Bennett himself will come out for this initial meeting, spending up to 2 hours touring the estate and any outbuildings and storage units. This is when homeowners, estate executors, realtors, or appointed contacts can have their questions answered about the process.
Immediately upon the conclusion of the walkthrough, it will be determined if an estate sale is the appropriate course of action for the situation. If it is, costs, contracts, dates, and times are all determined as quickly and efficiently as possible. With an executed contract, Bennett and his team take ownership of the keys and create a schedule for setup and preparation, getting to work right away.
Contracting with Bennett & Roelofs means that all necessary tables, signage, advertising, and labor required to set up and conduct the sale are provided as part of your agreed upon fee. At the end of the sale, all trash will be removed to provide a thorough and worry-free end-to-end experience.
Bennett and his team can be expected to sort all items and display them; photograph high-value items for online sale; provide professional appraisals; price and tag all items; heavily advertise and promote your estate sale; place local directional signage throughout the area; manage the physical sale as it occurs; and itemize all post-sale accounting.
Estate Sales are Only One Component of Their Business
While estate sale services make up the majority of Bennett & Roelofs’ business, they are also called upon to provide antique and collectible appraisals, probate sales, and business liquidations. There are a number of situations in which you may find yourself with items to sell, but unsure of their worth or how to find qualified and interested buyers.
Bennett & Roelofs has liquidated the assets of computer stores, a Sears department store, grocery stores, a lumber mill, a printing facility, and a number of restaurants and bars. They have handled the sale of large farm equipment, planes, collectible and antique cars, boats, and ATVs, among other things. There are few items that Chris Bennett does not have the knowledge or connections to broker a favorable sale.
Chris Bennett Has a Passion for Antiques
Many people have a mild interest in antiques, or at least enough to maximize their earnings from an estate or liquidation. But Chris Bennett’s passion for antiques spans more than four decades, allowing him to have a vast and intimate knowledge about many items. His access to databases, signature and picture recognition software, and other valuable research tools save time while increasing returns. He has also created a network of potential and qualified buyers that simplifies and expedites the process. Bennett’s passion, knowledge, and extensive resources are at your disposal when you contract with Bennett & Roelofs.
When it comes to the emotional aspect that often accompanies the loss of a loved one, Bennett understands that his role often includes that of a shoulder to cry on and even a referee for family feuds. He maintains his professionalism at all times, bringing patience and compassion to his work.
When it comes to monetizing and liquidating the remaining items at the end of a life or business, you can remove the guesswork and offload some of the more challenging tasks by hiring an estate sale company. For those in Madison, Sun Prairie, De Forest, Stoughton, Watertown, Mc Farland, Oconomowoc, Baraboo, Fort Atkinson, Waukesha, Milwaukee, and the surrounding communities, Bennett & Roelofs is the premier choice.
