Transition Squad offers a one stop shop to help clients downsize. We offer a menu of services which are packaged together based on the unique needs of each client. Our core specialty is to help our clients sell their belongings through our own online auction platform.
Our Mission
To take away the burden of the downsizing process,
To find a good home for your belongings, and
To get you the most money we can for them.
Our Services Include:
With our Client Managed Online Auctions, you simply set up the lots you want to sell, provide us with photographs and an inventory list, and manage the pickup of items that are won. We do the rest. We provide you with upfront documentation and training, and ongoing support throughout the process. As well, we:
Build a custom web page for your auction
Conduct the online auction using our auction platform
Advertise and market your auction
Collect credit card payment from winners, and
Provide you with winner receipts to manage the pickup.
If you need help with photography, we can even send over a professional photographer to ensure your pictures look their best. Great pictures generate higher bids. Once we have your photos and inventory, the entire auction can be done in as little as 7-10 days.
If you are a dealer that sells items on a regular basis, ask about our trade rates.
Need help setting up lots, managing photography, creating an inventory list, pricing your items, and managing the pickup? Our Territory Managers and Franchisees are available to help, starting with a free in-home consultation.
The entire process can take as little as two weeks. We recommend you do not get rid of anything in advance as items you may throw away or donate may have more value than you think.
Unlike most companies in this business, we do not start items at $1 unless they are very low value items. We research items and price them fairly but aggressively to entice bidding. It takes us a little longer to do the homework than just starting everything at $1, but ensures that you get a reasonable value for your belongings.
Estate sales are like whole house garage sales. Your local Transition Squad® team will stage virtually everything in the home for sale that you do not want to keep. They will photograph and price the items, and market the sale. Typically, the sale will be a weekend morning event. Our team will arrive very early (like 7:30 AM) and start handing out tickets for entry on a first come, first serve basis. There are sometimes hundreds of people lined up when the doors open and it is a mad rush to grab the best items. Our highest traffic sale had over 2,000 people between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM. People will line up very early, sometimes even sleep overnight in their cars to get the first tickets. Approximately 25 people are let in at a time due to fire regulations and security. There are several staff members working and watching various areas of the home while also wheeling and dealing. After the sale is over, typically late in the afternoon, the seller returns and the money is counted together. It is a very fast-paced, hectic day.
Most companies in this industry are liquidators. Transition Squad® is not. We're project managers. Our job is to find ways to get the most money for our clients' belongings with the least amount of hassle for them. Every home has three levels of contents:
Garage sale type items
Mid-level value items
Higher value, more desirable items
If you just have an estate sale, then everything including the higher value, more desirable items, get liquidated at garage sales prices. Even items that are already priced to liquidate are low-balled even further by bargain hunters. Often, the more valuable items also sell for much less than they're worth or not at all.
On the other hand, if you just have an online auction, there is a bidding war for all the desirable items with some of the auction frenzy spilling over onto the mid-level items. The garage sale items are typically left for disposal. However, the total dollars that be made on tools and other garage sale type items can really add up.
Transition Squad®'s unique two step process gives you the best of both worlds. First, we conduct an online auction so there is a bidding war for all the desirable items. Then, for anything left unsold, we hold an estate sale in conjunction with the pickup of the auction winnings. The end result is more items are sold overall and more money is generated for our clients overall. Using this approach, we've actually had many a situation where virtually everything was sold.
While most of our projects entail providing our services directly on behalf of our clients, we also run into situations where our clients need a quick close or don't want to go through the time and effort of selling their property and contents. In such cases, we can simply provide you with a fair cash offer to buy out your property and contents as-is and close on your schedule*. You don't have to worry about clearing out the premises, junk removal, repairs or upgrades. Simply take any items of sentimental value or that you want to keep for your new home with you. We'll take care of the rest. Closing can happen in as little as 7-10 days.
* Subject to inspection. Some conditions apply. Call for details.
Once the auction or sale is over and we know what is left, we can provide you with a quote to clear out the premises. We consign storeworthy items to help you get more money, drop off as much as possible to donation outlets and where possible get you a tax receipt, and dispose of the rest.
Moving can be stressful. Our Move Management service coordinates and manages your entire move to your new home, from getting quotes from reputable, insured movers, packing and transportation, all at competitive rates to provide peace of mind and ease of relocation.
In Toronto, Ontario, we have our own Consignment Store that carries quality second hand household items for up to 90% off buying new. This includes furniture, antiques, mirrors, jewellery, crystal, china, sporting goods, electronics, etc. We get calls virtually every day from people who don't have enough to hold an estate sale or auction from their home, don't have time before their home closes or are simply looking to do some redecorating and want help to sell a few choice pieces.
In other markets, we establish relationships with local consignment stores who take in your store-worthy items, space permitting, to try to get you as much money as we can for them.
If your home is in a state of chaos or you just need some decluttering, our organizing experts can help you put everything into a state of order so you don't feel overwhelmed. We charge hourly for the service so you can use us for as little or as much as you need. This service available where we have local representatives.
Generate an independent appraisal of contents to comply with estate tax rules and fair distribution of asset value. Our sister company, Automall Network, is a licensed dealer and an expert on vehicle valuations for major insurance companies. This service available where we have local licensed representatives.
