The decision whether to hire a company or conduct your own estate sale is extremely important. It is possible to conduct your own sale if you have the knowledge of item values, and the free time to organize and price the items.
We recommend consulting a professional, as the professional estate sale company has the knowledge of item values, experience organizing sales, and a built-in following of potential buyers. To find a professional estate sale company near you, visit the Estate Sale Company page at EstateSale.com, a website used by over 2500 estate sale companies.
Consulting with a professional first will help you decide whether the company or self run option is best. It is safe to say that on large estates with many high value items, hiring a professional company is usually the way to go.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are not familiar with antiques and collectibles and their values, DO NOT THROW ANYTHING AWAY!! What may look like trash to you could be extremely valuable.
Here is a link to a discussion on GardenWeb.com where users are discussing whether to hold their own estate sale or hire a company. There are many good points discussed.