hubby and I are planning to go into Assisted Living.

[Lochloosa]

141. I did some research to find a good article on estate sales.

This one is clear and concise and points out the most important pitfalls.

http://www.consumersdigest.com/special-reports/the-truth-about-estate-sales

Hope it helps. If you choose that route, get everything in writing and check out the agents.

Estate Sales are largely unregulated in most states, which makes it difficult to find any recourse if you have a bad agent.

Here's the most important paragraph in the article:

We would love to tell you that you can take concrete steps to protect yourself from an unscrupulous or an inexperienced estate-sale agent, but even the most helpful advice that experts pass along can’t guarantee that you won’t run into problems. Unfortunately, if you get ripped off by an estate-sale agent, you should know that, even under the best of circumstances, trying to get your money back can be a losing proposition.