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1-10 of 81 messages
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Managing Ham Radio Estate Sales
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by AH6GI on October 16, 2009
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Those mega estates are a problem. For normal folk, get a $1.29 loose leaf binder and write descriptions and disposal instructions for each radio:
Collins 30L-1, $400 - $750. Sell on eBay. Local sale at $550 is acceptable. Description: linear amplifier, acquired 1980, tubes work, in regular service, has soft key, will work with modern radios, manual is in filing cabinet. Sell with manual, all attached cables.
And put a string tag on each radio on the back with an abbreviated description:
Collins 30L-1, $400 - $750, see the book "About the radios".
Do NOT save the information in an Excel spreadsheet, no one has time to play computer forensics. Use pen and paper and a well marked 3 ring binder.
On the front of the book, list TRUSTED friends with names, email and phone numbers. Also include general guidance on selling on eBay, widows assistance if your club offers that.
Keep the book up to date, as if someone's life depended on it.
de ah6gi/4
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RE: Managing Ham Radio Estate Sales
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by KF4HR on October 16, 2009
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Aside from the obvious ethics and inventory issues, please continue with the article. I'm not interested in buying any equipment, but I would be interested in learning how you manage the equipment sales.
KF4HR
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RE: Managing Ham Radio Estate Sales
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by K0BG on October 16, 2009
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Good luck!
I'm still in the midst of helping a widow dispose of nearly 40 years of hardware. Fortunately, there is one receiving source (a school) for the odds and ends. And, like your case, the list reads like a phone book!
The late model transceivers (newer than 10 y.o.), went fairly quickly, and for somewhat less than what the market could bring if one wanted to sit on it long enough. But the rest of it is a very long story!
There were three transceivers, replete with external VFOs, speakers, etc. Some of it worked, some of it was questionable, and some of it was DOA. I repaired what I could, and shipped off the remaining to the various repair stations when I couldn't, or mostly wouldn't.
The four amplifiers, two towers, antennas, you name it, all required some level of repair, disassembly, and/or hauled off. Thankfully, the purchasers paid the price to take the towers down, and cart them off.
The repair bill now stands at just over $1,000 and I footed the bill! If and when the remaining two pieces, both amps, are sold, I should come out about even. I didn't keep track of the time spend, or the number of trips made two and from. Thanks to owning a pickup truck, those were less than they could have been.
I'm 69, and only God knows how much time I'll remain upright, but the experience has taught me a lesson in objectivity. I have a list started now, where all of the stuff needs to go, and to whom, even to a list of 'in the trash' items. I sure don't want to put my wife through what this poor widow has gone through over these last 6 months. If you're nearing my age, you might want to think about the 'afterlife' too!
Alan, KØBG
www.k0bg.com
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RE: Managing Ham Radio Estate Sales
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by AB7E on October 16, 2009
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I have to agree with KF4HR. There isn't any useful information at all in this piece ... it's just a long introduction to what could have been a decent article on a worthy topic. Hopefully others will add to what AH6GI offered.
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Managing Ham Radio Estate Sales
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by WB8WOR on October 16, 2009
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I've got another one
If you decide to leave your estate to a ham club to dispose of, make sure they know what you're doing.
Dumping a basement full of stuff from junk to treasures for some guy to sort through is not a gift. Especially with the attorney breathing down his neck to finish up so that the case can be closed.
Also, if you do this, make sure the stuff your wife won't let you keep in the house is not stored in the shack. Not everyone wants to see the pile of naughty magazines from college that you can't bear to part with. For them it's just rude.
All in all, a suprise estate donation is a lot of work for people who are not prepared to deal with it.
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RE: Managing Ham Radio Estate Sales
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by K6AER on October 16, 2009
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“Do NOT save the information in an Excel spreadsheet, no one has time to play computer forensics. Use pen and paper and a well marked 3 ring binder.”
I disagree. On large estate sales you will save a lot of time managing the sales leads, shipping if needed, payment, sale price and details of the sale easily with a spread sheet. My estate would require many binders and I dont want that to happen to my wife.
I understand not all folks are conversant with computers and that is fine.
I have handled about 7 estate sales for hams over the last ten years and in the process I separate the items for sale into price categories. Below $500, Below $1500 and above $1500. On the higher price items I’ll go out to QTH.com and pull some examples of similar items and cover the pricing with the widow. This gives them a very comfortable idea what the equipment is worth and removes any doubt about the value of the estate.
I selling the equipment you have to balance what is a fair price and how much time it is going to take to sell the equipment. To get the last 10% of value you may be setting on the equipment for months and that is a lot of work.
Most of the time if no family member wants specific items the remainder of the small stuff just becomes junk. This can go to a swap meet and be sold quickly or given to a ham organization. Assign a write off price so the widow has receipts for their income tax.
Much of the time the widow wants to get on with their life and wants all the stuff to disappear. Respect their wishes.
Typical charge to handle estate sales is 15-20% of sales if it is handles like a business and it is not a personal obligation to a friend. Situations will very.
As the author said the equipment is not going anywhere and you have to let the widow time to get their immediate needs in order. The ham equipment is way down the list of needs in probate.
One last item. Take a few minuets to write down which of your ham buddies would be a good candidate to help and discuss this with you hamster friends. Put some orders down in writing so you widow has some direction. This is not an easy thing to do but nobody lives forever and as we all know life changes suddenly.
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RE: Managing Ham Radio Estate Sales
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by KB6QXM on October 16, 2009
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Very nice article, as we all will be dealing with an estate now or in the future.
I like how some people are so "old school" about writing the value in a loose leaf book. Huh?? This is the 21st century.
I personally own and use a software program that you use to log serial numbers, attach pictures, define what room the asset is in. Purchased cost, present value. This methodology helps for many purposes. Insurance claims if you have to prove what you had and what it's value is. Estate valuation. Possessions are obvously calcuated into your net worth, therefore everyone should have an inventory of their possessions. If you become a silent key, this extensive information can help define the value of the gear.
These programs are not expensive, just time consuming for data entry. Back up your data externally. These programs allow for this also. These programs are around 40 bucks.
3-ring loose binder....huh? Maybe in 1920, but this is 2009. Spreadsheet....no...not a great solution. MS access database...not that many people know how to build databases. The program I use leverages off of excel and access behind the user interface. The user interface is easy to use. I personally do not like the customer service of the program I use, but it is cheap and the program is well written.
Google: AssetManage 2009 personal edition. You can download it as trialware. Check it out. If you like it, buy it.
I do not work for the company...I personally do not like the customer service of the company, but the program is worth a look.
There are many other of the same types of programs. This is how to keep track of ham radio gear and assets, not a 3-ring binder.
73
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RE: Managing Ham Radio Estate Sales
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by N4KC on October 16, 2009
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Agreed this is a good starter article, and suggestions in the posts are already adding to the author's intent. It worked. I've been meaning to catalog my stuff and put it a printout with my other "when I'm doing grass root inspection" papers...in, yes, a loose-leaf binder. My wife would not know a spreadsheet from Shinola! Maybe this will spur me on.
Best example of this sort of thing I've seen locally was a group of four or five good ham friends of the SK who--at the widow's request--descended on the shack and did a complete list of items, assessed condition, researched prices, and published a list. The prices were mid-range, intended to sell items while still getting a fair value for the widow. Bargain hunters were advised to look elsewhere. But we knew how well the SK kept his gear and it sold quickly, mostly without haggling. I bought several items...maybe for a few dollars more than I would have paid on eBay, but 1) I knew the gear worked and did not risk or pay shipping, and 2) I knew where the money went.
I'd think towers/beams would be the toughest to handle, and create the closest thing to urgency. Towers and antennas not properly maintained could not only lose value but create a safety hazard over several years.
Don N4KC
www.n4kc.com
www.donkeith.com
www.facebook.com/donkeith
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Spreadsheet vs. paper
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by K5END on October 16, 2009
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.
.
.
I suggest doing the inventory in a spreadsheet, and then printing it out and storing it in the notebook.
In the top line of the printout should be
the name of the spreadsheet file, information on which computer hosts it and where to find it in the folders.
If the computer or file is password protected, that information may be kept in the typical sealed envelope held by a trustee or the executor.
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