Estate seller never showed

[debodun]

I contacted a local estate seller to see if she wanted to manage an estate sale for me. We had an appointment today at 9 am. I got up early an vacuumed, dusted and mopped. It is now after 12:30 pm and she never showed up or even contacted me to say she wouldn't be coming. I feel this is very unprofessional. I wouldn't hire her now if she did call.

What is it with people these days that they don't keep appointments and don't notify that they won't?

 

[Ruth n Jersey]

Unfortunately, that is par for the course these days. I feel the way you do, I wouldn't hire her if she did call. We are having similar problems trying to get someone here to replace some siding on our house. None have bothered to respond to our phone calls. My son does high end cabinetry for a living and says he would never run his business that way.

 

[debbie in seattle]

When my mom passed, had the same issue. It seems (for my neck of the woods) that if these contractors (whoever they are) are offered a bigger, more $$$ job, they just blow off the smaller jobs. We have so much home construction out here it's a contractors dream. For we homeowners who have little jobs, we're at the bottom of the barrel.

 

[Redd]

Debodun, I would call her just to listen to her squirm when you asked her why she never showed up.

And then ask for yet another appointment, have her come but don't answer the door.

 

[Cookie]

I wonder if the estate people talk to each other and compare notes to see whether a place is worth their while.

 

[debodun]

I wonder if the estate people talk to each other and compare notes to see whether a place is worth their while.

She was referred to be by another former estate seller who actually came to look, so they probably communicated. The first one had retired and doesn't do sales any more, but wanted to see what I had.

I find some of them have too many "rules" (e.g. you can't be home during the sale, house must be clean and odorless, house must have working plumbing -toilet & sinks). What am I running - a resort? Don't they realize since I'm doing the hiring, I am the boss, not them? It would cost me $5000 to fix up the house to their satisfaction only to make maybe $2000 and have to give them 35% of that.

 

[Carla]

I hate when people are no-shows, there is absolutely no excuse (except a true emergency) with everyone carrying a cell phone now days. I have had several appointments with people that never came, never called. If they don't want the job, I can accept that, but the rudeness of never calling does seem to be common today. I hope you can find someone for the job, maybe someone who appreciates your business.

 

[debodun]

We are having similar problems trying to get someone here to replace some siding on our house. None have bothered to respond to our phone calls. My son does high end cabinetry for a living and says he would never run his business that way.

Don't get me started about maintenance contractors! Years ago I wanted the bricks in the chimney pointed up. I called a mansonry contractor who said he would be at my house at 9:30 am to see what needed to be done. At 11:30 he still hadn't come or called. I called him and inquired about the appointment. He said he had to go and look an another job, but he would stop the very next thing. At 2 pm he still hadn't shown up or contacted me. I called him again and he said he got "hung up" looking at more possible jobs, but would be right over. In the end, a 16-year-old boy showed up at 4 pm do the work who said his boss had to go and look at other jobs. I didn't want a pimply-faced teenager up on my roof unsupervised, so I sent him packing. About 5:30 the original mason called me furious that I wouldn't let his helper (who I suspect was his son or nephew) do the work. I told him that he should be doing the work and stop galavanting all over looking for more work when he couldn't do the jobs he had now. He said, "You have no idea how the contracting business works!" and hung up.

 

[Victor]

I had an estate sale a few months ago. Her requests are totally normal, typical of what is expected. I was told the same thing.
If this is an estate sale of the contents in the house, these are standard rules, except for the plumbing. The plumbing is usually
fixed before the house is sold or you sell it "as is". The rules are for your benefit, not hers.