Redesigned estate sales firm thriving

Hundreds of customers traipse through an immaculately clean condominium in Bloomfield Hills, carrying lamps, oil paintings for sale, cosmetics and sofas. Mark Blondy happily rings up another sale for the Commerce Township-based Americana Estate Sales Inc.

"It's like a high-grade circus: The tent goes up, the people come and make up stories about the occupants and walk out with its contents," said Blondy, 50. "They go home and you move the show to another location."

Americana Estate Sales expects to improve its sales this year to almost $100,000 or more after a lackluster 2010 provided a wake-up call to redesign his business that coordinates the sale of white elephants.

"I'll admit, 2010 was a bad year, but it took me out of complacency," said Blondy, who formed an estate business in 1996. He redoubled his efforts with the help of Patty Livernois, the ex-owner of Uppity Puppy, a Royal Oak dog boutique, who knew retailing and web design.

Together they built a following of 10,000 contacts. They also identified a moving company that would help their clients who purchased furniture too big to transport by car.

But nothing did more good for Blondy than taking courses in effective communication from Landmark Education in Livonia, he said.

"I thought it was my job to tell clients what they needed to do to sell their possessions, and it wasn't working. What I found was that listening to them mattered. Let them tell me more about the occupants of the house, what possessions were most sacred and how they wanted leftover items sold on consignment or donated," Blondy said. "Make sure you hear what they say and repeat it back so you don't override expectations."

Improving communications in person and online helps him get referral business among people in transition — death in a family, moving out of town or just downsizing. At the average house, it takes two weeks to organize, sort, price, display, market to customers, sell items and clean up.

Blondy coordinates two and sometimes three sales a week with seven part-time people, including two professional belly dancers. The average event lasts two days and brings $5,000 to $10,000 cash to the client. Americana takes an average of 25 to 35 percent.

Brian Crilley, the son of Shirley Crilley, owner of the Bloomfield Hills home where a recent sale occurred, said it wasn't easy to let go of the stuff he had grown up with and watch strangers march out with it.

Metro Detroit continues to be a national leader in estate sales, one expert said.

"Detroit is the second-largest market in the country behind Chicago for estate sales. You'll find an average of 25 to 30 sales per week," said Dan McQuade, co-owner of Vintage Software LLC, a Missouri company that powers EstateSales.net and makes money from companies that advertise their estate sales on his server.

"The economy is down and people want bargains."

The popular company sends 150,000 customized emails a week on sales occurring around the nation and provides a Web search option to locate specific collectibles.

Blondy expects to expand business next year by creating a training academy for estate sale workers and an association of estate sale operators. He is formulating a code of ethics and a board of directors and writing a training manual.

"Antique dealers and estate sale operators aren't certified like home appraisers. We want to provide a means of overall support through accreditation, ethical standards, education and other resources," said Blondy, who has conducted more than 500 sales in his 15-year tenure. "Our experience makes the difference."