How to advise on the sale of a collection?

[Somer]

What he said:
"Given the above, an actual, useful Plan wouldn't just say "eBay," it would have appropriate text describing all the features of interest to potential bidders in a file for the widow to cut/paste into an eBay listing. Clearly, having such material prepared by the person who knows the bike best would maximize the eventual sale price, as well as save the grieving widow a great deal of effort at a time when she will be dealing with a lot of other things. Equally clearly, putting all of this together requires a lot more time and effort on the part of the not-yet-deceased than simply saying "eBay" and thinking they're a hero for leaving that one-word "Plan" for the widow."

Yep, just picture your spouse fielding numerous questions "Numbers match, any repop?,All cadmium correct? Buy it now price?,I'll send you a check and there will be extra in there, just send me the balance, "Bike not as represented, I stopped PayPal payment". It can go on and on. I met one woman who was good at handling an estate. Her husband tagged everything. She had been to enough meets too to know a little. They will find out what a headache you left them that they will want to dig you up and kill you again.....

 

[mercurycrest]

I'm getting this strange desire to head off to the workshop to partially disassemble something else and scatter the parts.

 

[youngjohn]

Unless you a) Sell the stuff before you die, or b) Give the person who will have to sell it sufficient information, you're not going to get the best price. It doesn't matter how you sell them, the above will apply.

I'm confident that with no advice necessary, my 'future Widow' wouldn't be daft enough to take a Paypal payment for a motorcycle.

 

[david bowen]

I have help with two deceased estate's, the second one took notice the bikes a bike bits no trouble, all the junk in the work shop do not let cherry pickers! in get an offer for the lot cheaper than a dump truck?

 

[roy the mechanic]

My old pal used to say- "where theres a will there's relations" ! Most will not give a hoot for the "value" ,only what can we acheive. If you cannot be bothered to inform your nearest and dearest of the value of this "old junk" it is your own fault. Mark boxes with messages, vin bits, triumph, whatever, best yet talk to them. My offspring have no interest, but have been told what's where and do not take anythiong less than what you have been told. If the s o b's won't pay, then junk it. I reckon this way they will be in front.

 

[Magnetoman]

They will find out what a headache you left them that they will want to dig you up and kill you again.....

Having started down this rabbit hole, I've been spending time exploring some of the side tunnels. Earlier today a friend who has a large collection of amateur radio equipment smugly told me that he already has a spreadsheet listing the names, model numbers, and his estimates of current retail worth of the items. When I pointed out that wouldn't do his widow nearly as much good as it might without actual descriptions of the items that could be used in auction or eBay listings his immediate reaction was "that would be a lot of work." However, he quickly recognized the importance of him doing that work.

In the case of complete motorcycles (or "complete" basket cases, as if there were such a thing...) it's not as hard as you might think. Auction or eBay listings of similar machines can serve as templates for preparing descriptions of your own, both saving a lot of time as well as ensuring the descriptions are in a useful format with the necessary content.

 

[aldeburgh]

What if I sell one Vincent and then buy a bike collection with the proceeds and still have enough change to take her indoors out for fish & chips AND an ice cream , everyones happy!

 

[Albervin]

Just done that.

 

[greg brillus]

I guess it depends on whether your wife likes to remind you of how expensive your "Toys" are verses how little by comparison "Hers" are.......I just tell mine, that She's got me and the two boys.....what more could she want......

 

[Magnetoman]

Somewhat related to this question, as well as to the recent thread on advising on the sale of a collection, this past weekend I was at an annual bike show in town. Coincidentally, during the day two acquaintances separately bragged to me about machines they had recently purchased from widows for bargain prices. One of them, asked to advise on the sale of the collection, told me he had paid $3000 for a Ducati F1 which is worth $15+k.