An experienced liquidator of 26 years gives direct, unvarnished answers. No blank-check hourly setup fees, no blind commission guessing, and zero hidden markups.
“We work for people, not things. Regardless of means and investment in belongings, everyone deserves excellent service. Asking me what our average commission rate is doesn’t matter — your job may not be average. It may be way above, or way below. If you’re comparing one company to another based solely on commission rate, suffice to say, I could write a book of friendly advice.”
Your project no doubt lies somewhere between high-profile historic landmarks and modest family residences. We apply the same rigor, crowd management, and respect to every square foot.
We are the company that liquidated the sprawling 17,000 sq ft home of the man who built the Ritz Carlton Hotel downtown. High-end asset curation, bespoke security, and multi-tier liquidation execution.
We welcomed over 3,000 visitors to the historic Markle-Pittock Mansion when it had to be emptied in just 3 days for Lynn Angel. Massive public mobilization, rapid clearance, and flawless timeline control.
We have helped many more kind families with modest homes move on with the exact same efficiency, attentiveness, and care. People are what matter—we work for you, not the objects.
At Peerless, the client is in the driver’s seat of their commission. You decide what merchandise goes into the sale, and you choose when to get paid:
“For every week you are able to wait for payment, we reduce the commission rate by 1% — up to 7 weeks.”
Adjustable directly in your Empire v.5 client login before signing.
Here is exactly how Peerless answers the common questions on estate liquidation RFPs, compared against typical industry practices.
| Question / Service Category | PEERLESS Estate Sales Policy | Competitor / Industry Habit |
|---|---|---|
| Setup & Staging Labor | $0.00 (Zero). We never charge for setup time or labor. Our work is fully funded through commission. | Commonly bill $20–$30/hour, which is an open-ended blank check out of your control. |
| Marketing & Advertising | Flat $75.00. If additional specialty promotion is required, Peerless covers it from earned sales potential. | Often billed at $250–$600+ or marked up with vague line-item digital fees. |
| Trash, Hauling & Dumpsters | Pass-Through Cost. The owner of the garbage pays for the garbage. Dumpsters are paid by us and retained from gross sales at direct cost. | Frequently marked up by 25-50% on top of local dump fees. |
| Post-Sale Sweeping | $0.00 (Complimentary). We sweep up after every sale as a habit to ensure your Realtor is impressed. | Often billed as a separate $300-$500 "post-sale broom cleaning" fee. |
| Unsellable Piano Removal | $300 Flat. If a piano cannot be sold and your Realtor wants it GONE, we charge $300 to remove it completely. | Standard moving quotes range from $500 to $1,000 for upright or grand pianos. |
| Credit Card Processing | Split Proportionally. We split credit card fees in ratio to commission. You pay for your plastic money; we pay for ours. | Often passed 100% to the client or inflated with merchant surcharge margins. |
| Upfront Deposits | $0 Deposit. (A rare "Signing Fee" only applies when extreme labor vastly exceeds sales potential). | Many require $500–$1,500 non-refundable staging retainers before stepping foot on site. |
| Cancellation Fees | None. As Gary says: “No one ever cancels ;)” | Can carry steep $1,000–$3,000 liquidated damages clauses. |
| Sales Minimum Threshold | $3,000 Gross Sales. Only triggered if sales are under $3,000 (very rare). | High thresholds often exceeding $7,000 to $10,000 minimums. |
Our cash registers track roughly 30 distinct departments: Furniture, Fine Art, Jewelry, Clothing, Tools, Electronics, and more. Online and auction items receive individual item numbers and appear piece-by-piece on your final report.
Your payment date choice can raise or lower the commission rate by up to 7%.
“We make them go away. Our contract details what can happen. There is no one answer. It takes a village and lots of hard work. For your interests as a hands-off client, you simply don’t have to worry about it.”
The written estimate is our contract, and it is not an estimate. It is a commitment to provide service based on the scope of work and conditions contained within. The contract includes a project calendar with specific dates, and those dates are only held for a short time. New clients don’t sit on contracts with good dates — they click to sign and confirm those dates.
“If you like what you’ve read, we can arrange an appointment for me to see the property. You show us the problem you need solved, and we prepare a proposal to solve it.”