PENCE HERITAGE, LLC Professional Estate Sales and Appraisals
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Our Mission
PENCE HERITAGE ESTATES SALE is a long established leader in North Georgia in the estate sale business having served our community for the past 27 years. Our professional staff takes pride in serving our clients with dignity and integrity to meet the needs of each client. Recognizing that the needs of each client may vary, we work with each person to meet their specific needs to make the daunting task of liquidating an estate easier.
For the past 17 years Pence Heritage has appraised antiques, fine art and decorative arts for charitable contribution, insurance and state and federal taxes, as well as equitable distribution of assets. Owner Sandra Pence is a member of the American Society of Appraisers. All appraisals conform to the UNIFORM STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL APPRAISAL PRACTICE.
Why an Estate Sale?
Whether you are dealing with the contents of the estate of a loved one or making a major move to downsize, cleaning out a house can be overwhelming. Our groups consists of experts in a number of fields, including antique silver, porcelains, Orientalia, coins, ephemera, designer clothing, period & designer furniture, militaria, weapons & sporting goods, automobiles, electronics, each with years of experience. Our experts are continually engaging in educational opportunities to expand their knowledge of the field and to stay updated on changing trends.
Why Use a Professional Liquidator?
Liquidating your possessions or those of a loved one is emotional. A professional company can objectively assess what is to be sold and determine a fair market value. A professional will handle advertising and cleanup so that the client does not have to deal with those things. Being a member of the American Society of Appraisers owner Sandra Pence is part of a network of appraisers that can be accessed to help identify rare or unusual items. Our access to a wide number of auction houses allows us to aid our clients to get rare items consigned to auction. Recently , we were able to get four pieces of rare Newcomb Pottery consigned to the top pottery auction in the country. The four pieces sold in 2024 for $14,000+.
What Is Sold at an Estate Sale?
- Anything that can be used in everyday life , as well as, antiques art, coins, and collectibles, can be sold. Popular items include clothing, linens, kitchen items, decorative items, toys, books, office equipment & supplies, power & hand tools, garden supplies & tools, electronics, musical instruments, craft supplies, sewing machines , fabric, lawnmowers, tillers, appliances, cars, boats, etc. Anything that can be used in everyday life can be sold. Let us decide what is trash so you don't throw out money. It is amazing what will be sold. We offer a range of services including estate sales, online auctions, and cleanouts to help our clients with all their estate liquidation needs.
How Do You Price & Stage a Sale
At Pence Heritage Estate Sales we strive to fairly price each item so that it is a price that reflects a fair market value and provides value for out customer. Many items are sold at most sales and we know where the median price is. Other items require research into the secondary relevant secondary market. That means researching auctions and antique shows and dealers in the Southeast. We understand that our client wants as much as possible but at the same time realistically we know that our customer does not intend to pay retail for used goods.
We understand that everything we touch in an estate was another person's possessions. Our mantra is to treat each item with the same respect as we would treat our parents' possessions. That means making certain each item has been inspected for any damage, dusted and cleaned when possible. Price tags are applied to 95% of the items in the sale. We rarely "box lot" anything other than some Christmas items, screw, nuts, etc. Everything is then displayed as they would be in a fine store.
How Do You Advertise?
A successful sale is dependent upon getting buyers to the sale. When we started doing sales the only way to reach buyers was to advertise in the local newspaper. Today that is no longer the case. We advertise every sale on this website and on www. estatesales,net listing items for sale and posting photographs. The result is large crowds as seen in a photo of one of our sales posted above.
What Happens to What It Left?
Don't worry we never leave a house in a mess unlike many companies. We also view this as a green business and while there are things that warrant being trash, we do not send the items that did not sell to the county landfill.
Occasionally a client wants to donate some items to a local charity and we facilitate that for them. But in the vast majority of sales a we sell everything that is left at a bargain price to one company. They remove everything from the house and then we have it cleaned. We have never had a client or realtor complain about the condition the house once we are gone. There is no charge for this service,
Testimonials
See what our clients and customers have to say.
I highly recommend Pence Heritage to coordinate, organize and host your Estate Sale. I used them for 2 Estate Sales when my Mother passed away. One sale was in Athens and the other was out of town. Sandra does everything needed and takes all the stress off of you during that very stressful very emotional time. You don't have to do anything to get ready .... literally.....you don't have to worry about cleaning out the cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom or worrying about items in the garage ......Sandra and her team come in and stage all of the items for you. She advertises the sale. She has a loyal following that line up hours before the doors open ready to shop. She even did this for a mountain home out of town. When the sale is over.... you walk into a clean empty house. It is amazing. She even sold a car for me. I felt like she honored my Mother's memory and her spirit. She took great care with my Mother's treasures. She knows the value of furniture and collectibles. She does her homework. She is a certified Appraiser. She is connected to specialists in various fields and will reach out to them to research and sell your items. She was very easy to work with and always went the extra mile with my items and working around my schedule.... as well as listening to me and understanding my emotions and need to reminisce about certain items and memories attached to those items. I was coordinating all of this while living 10 hours away. She even helped me move the items I chose to keep. She made sure I used a carrier that specialized in antique furniture and set up the appointment for me. Her company does it all. She sells everything in the house and I think she often helps sell the actual house. I know that there are other companies that do Estate Sales.... but I chose Pence Heritage because I knew she would understand the value of my Mother's possessions. She would respect and honor my Mother. She has an excellent reputation in Athens and a loyal following. She is professional. She took care of everything. I thank her and I recommend her.
Susan P.
Very professional company. I had the opportunity to shop at an estate sale that they were hosting and they were awesome. Great customer service and deals. Book them! Don't hesitate.
Y. S.
My family and I have been shopping at sales held by Pence Heritage for nearly a decade and I must say that everything is always organized and well maintained. It's 2025 and I'm still wearing designer clothes that I purchased from Pence Heritage 10 years ago! The staff is highly trained and professsional. I look forward to attending more sales in the future!
Diaundra H.
I love going to Sandra's sales! She prices things fairly and everything is priced so I can decide to buy or not. Her staff is helpful if I have a question. She has been doing this for decades and knows about antiques, art, glassware, furniture, household goods, etc. I have been to every other estate sale company in the area and hers are the best sales.
Betty C.
Thank you for handling our downsizing sale so efficiently. It made moving so much easier.
Jessica O.
Thank you so much for handling our house sale. You did a great job and we enjoyed working with you. I highly recommend you.
Nancy H.