Estate Sales
Pricing
Complete Guide
How Estate Sale Fees Actually Work in Alberta
- By White Lily Estate Liquidations
- July 30, 2026
- 8:32 pm
- 13 min read
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Section 01
Why Pricing Structures Look Different Here
Most of what’s written online about estate sale pricing comes from the United States, where companies typically quote a single commission percentage, say 35%, taken off the top of whatever the sale grosses. If you’ve searched for guidance on what to expect closer to home, you’ve probably noticed the numbers don’t quite line up.
Calgary estate sale companies use pricing structures that differ from those commonly used in the U.S.
Both approaches accomplish the same thing financially, but the version used here is a client-share figure rather than a company-cut figure, and it’s frequently combined with a separate flat fee rather than commission alone. Understanding both halves (the split and the fixed fee) is essential before comparing quotes from different companies.
Section 02
The Three Common Structures
Estate liquidators serving Calgary homes generally offer one of a few pricing arrangements. Each pairs a revenue split, expressed as the percentage you, the client, keep, with a flat fee that covers the company’s baseline costs of running the sale. The examples below reflect the quotes families commonly receive.
| Structure | Client Keeps | Company Keeps | Fixed Fee* | Best Suited For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
High-value estates |
90% |
10% |
Highest overall |
Homes with substantial contents (antiques, art, quality furniture, jewellery) where gross sales are expected to be high |
|
Standard estates |
70% |
30% |
Medium |
The typical family household: a broad mix of furniture, décor, and everyday goods |
|
Buyout |
50% |
50% |
Lowest |
Smaller homes, condos, or estates with fewer sellable items, where fixed costs make up a larger share of the total |
*The actual figure is set after an initial walkthrough and depends on the volume and condition of the home’s contents – a larger, fuller home naturally costs more to inventory, price, and staff than a smaller one.
The flat fee is credited toward the company’s share of the sale proceeds- it is not charged on top of the agreed percentage. In other words, the flat fee is an advance payment that reduces what is owed after the sale.
For example: if your agreement is a 50/50 split and you pay a $3,000 flat fee upfront, then the sale generates $20,000, the company’s total share would be $10,000. Since you’ve already paid $3,000, only the remaining $7,000 is deducted from the proceeds. You do not pay both the full 50% and the flat fee- the flat fee simply counts toward the company’s share.
Our fee structure reflects real differences in what each sale requires. Every sale gets the same foundation of professional staging, cataloguing, advertising, and staffing, but larger homes with higher-value contents naturally require more of it: more staff to properly supervise valuable items room by room, and more specialized marketing to reach the collectors and dealers who buy antiques and fine pieces, rather than the general public.
That’s why we offer both a flat fee and a percentage-based option. The flat fee ensures you’re covered for the essential work involved in any sale, no matter its size. The percentage option scales with your sale’s value, aligning our effort and our motivation to price things well and drive turnout.
Section 03
What the Flat Fee Covers
A professional estate sale company’s fee covers a significant amount of work:
Initial walkthrough and consultation
In some cases - free. This first visit lets us assess the home and scope out the sale.
Item Research & Pricing
Every item in the home is researched and priced individually, from furniture down to kitchen utensils.
Home Staging
The home is staged to maximize buyer interest and create smooth traffic flow throughout the sale.
Marketing
Your sale is promoted through EstateSales.net listings, social media, buyer email lists, and neighborhood signage.
Staffing
Trained employees staff the sale for 2–3 days to assist buyers and oversee the home.
Payment Processing
Cash and credit card payments are handled securely throughout the sale.
Post-Sale Cleanup & Accounting
After the sale, we handle cleanup along with full accounting of proceeds.
Insurance & Bonding
Coverage is in place for the full duration of the sale to protect the home and its contents.
Section 04
What Determines Your Payout
The split you agree to matters, but it isn’t the only, or even always the most important, variable in how much money ends up in your hands. A few factors tend to move the needle more than the percentage on the contract:
What's actually in the home
Estates with antiques, quality furniture, jewelry, and collectibles generate significantly more than average household goods.
Marketing effort
Companies with large buyer email lists, and a strong connections in the industry attract more buyers and drive higher competition among them.
Pricing expertise
Companies with large buyer email lists, and a strong connections in the industry attract more buyers and drive higher competition among them.
Location and season
Sales held during peak seasons (spring and fall) typically outperform those in rural areas or during the winter months.
A useful way to think about it: a company offering you 90% of a sale that only generates $4,000 nets you $3,600. A company offering 50% of a sale that generates $12,000 because of stronger pricing and marketing nets you $6,000. The generous-sounding split isn’t always the better deal – the company’s ability to actually drive sales matters more.
Section 05
Questions Worth Asking Before You Sign
Because pricing structures are fairly similar between companies, the real way to compare fairly is to ask the same questions of every liquidator you interview.
Are you insured, and are you bonded?
Confirm the company carries appropriate liability insurance before anyone sets foot in the home, and ask whether it is bonded - not every legitimate local company is, so it's worth clarifying rather than assuming.
What's the split, and what's the flat fee - in writing? Are there any additional fees?
Ask for all the numbers, not just the flat fee. Request how the flat fee was calculated for your specific home.
Which pricing model will you use on sale day?
The two-day markdown or the strict 60-cent floor - find out which applies, and why.
What happens to items that don't sell?
Donation, consignment, or removal, and whether removal carries an additional charge.
How is payment reconciled and when?
Ask for a typical timeline from the final day of the sale to your payout, and how the accounting is documented.
Who Handles Your Sale, and What's Their Screening Process?
Ask whether sale staff are trained employees or last-minute hires, and what kind of background checks or vetting process they go through. The people walking through your home for two or three days should be trustworthy and experienced.
Section 06
Red Flags That Signal an Overpriced or Unprofessional Company
Based on our experience, a few warning signs come up more than others.
Offering to buy items before the sale
A liquidator offering to purchase pieces directly from you, ahead of the public sale, may have a built-in incentive to undervalue them. In our experience, sellers are better served by liquidators who source buyers for their items rather than becoming a buyer themselves.
Nothing is put in writing
The split, the flat fee, the markdown schedule, and the unsold-item policy should all appear in a signed contract - not a verbal understanding.
An unusually generous split with no flat fee explained
If a company offers 90% with a suspiciously low or undisclosed flat fee, ask how they intend to cover staffing and marketing costs. Corners are usually cut somewhere.
Pressure to sign the same day
A liquidator confident in their pricing and service won't need to rush you into a decision. Take time to compare at least two or three quotes.
No insurance
This is a dealbreaker - walk away immediately. If a worker or a customer is injured during the sale, they can sue the homeowner directly. Insurance protects you from that liability, which is why it's essential that the company carries both general liability insurance and WCB (Workers' Compensation Board) coverage.
Section 07
Why Families Still Choose a Professional
One Contract, Full Coverage
Insurance, bonding, and liability during the sale period are handled entirely by the company – a real concern once strangers are walking through the home.
Pricing Expertise
Knowing what a piece is genuinely worth, rather than guessing, is consistently where the biggest gains in total proceeds come from.
Speed
A home that might take a family two or three months to clear on their own is typically emptied within a few weeks under professional management.
A Buyer Network You Can't Build Overnight
Regulars who show up for every sale a company runs are worth more than any amount of neighbourhood signage.
A Cleared, Market-Ready Home
From the initial walkthrough to the final broom-clean sweep, a full-service liquidator handles the entire home – not just the pieces that happen to sell.
Section 08
What This Looks Like in Practice
Numbers on a contract are useful, but they only tell part of the story. Here’s how Calgary-area family described the process after their sale wrapped up.
Every estate is different, and the right structure – 90/10, 70/30, or 50/50 – depends entirely on what’s in the home and how quickly it needs to be cleared. In our experience working with Calgary families, the most useful step you can take is an honest, no-obligation walkthrough, where a liquidator can tell you which model actually fits your situation rather than which one is easiest to sell you on.