For auctioneersEstate Auction Software: Catalog a Whole House and Sell It Online
Estate auction software helps you catalog a whole household of one-of-a-kind items, run a timed online sale, and clear the house by a deadline. Look for photo-based listing (few estate items have barcodes), uploads that work over a weak signal, on-site pickup scheduling, clear results for the family, and per-sale pricing if you don't sell every month.
What makes estate auctions different?
An estate is a one-time job with a deadline. Everything in a house has to be cataloged, sold and removed before a closing date or a lease ends, and the family or executor wants a clear accounting at the end.
The items are mixed: furniture, kitchenware, tools, jewelry, collectibles and boxes nobody has sorted in years. Few have barcodes, many need measurements, and a handful may be worth more than everything else combined.
Which features matter for estate auctions?
Estate work rewards software that handles one-offs quickly and keeps the paperwork simple for the people you're selling for. Ask to see a sample results export before you commit, since that's what you'll hand the family.
- Photo to lot: photograph an item and let AI draft the title, category, description, condition notes and a starting estimate for you to check.
- Folder uploads, with photos named by lot number, like 101.jpg and 101-2.jpg, grouped automatically.
- Uploads that work from a house with a weak signal, with photos resized on the phone first.
- On-site pickup: the address, pickup times and a remove-by date on the sale page.
- Reserves on the few lots that need them.
- A CSV export of results to share with the family or executor.
How do you catalog a whole house quickly?
Work room by room, and keep the photo, label and listing for each lot together. A house cataloged in order is a house that's easy to pick up from.
- Walk the house and decide what sells as single lots and what groups into box lots.
- Set up a staging table near the best light.
- Label each lot, then photograph it with the label visible.
- Let AI draft the listings, then edit them in batches.
- Measure furniture and note every flaw.
- Set aside anything that may need a specialist's opinion before you set a reserve.
How should estate auction pickup work?
Many estate sales are pickup only, at the house. Set pickup windows that include an evening or a weekend, a firm remove-by date ahead of the property deadline, and clear rules about bringing help and tools for large furniture.
Bidders read the pickup terms before they bid, so put them on the sale page, not in a follow-up email. Our bidder guide to auction pickup shows what buyers expect to see.
What does estate auction software cost for a single sale?
If you run an estate now and then, a monthly subscription may not make sense. Auktia's Pinch Hitter plan has no monthly fee: $100 a sale plus 10% of the first $2,500 sold, 7.5% of the next $2,500 and 5% above that, never more than $500 a sale. With no subscription running, there's nothing to cancel once the house is cleared.
So a $3,000 estate costs $387.50, and a $30,000 estate costs $500. If you run estates every month, a monthly plan from $49.99 plus 3% of hammer may fit better; compare both in the pricing details.
Should the family choose an estate sale or an estate auction?
An estate sale prices every item and sells first come, first served; an estate auction lets bidders set the price, and an online sale can reach buyers well beyond the neighborhood. The right answer depends on the contents and the timeline, and families often ask you to explain the difference. Our guide to estate sale vs estate auction lays out the trade-offs.
Questions people ask
Can I run an estate auction from the house itself?
Yes. Catalog on site, run the sale online, and list the house as the pickup address with set pickup days. Nothing has to move to a warehouse.
How long does an estate auction take?
Cataloging takes days to weeks depending on the house, bidding often runs about a week, and pickup takes a day or two after the close. Work back from the property deadline.
How do I report results to the family?
Export the sale's results as a CSV with each lot's hammer price, then build the settlement statement with your commission and expenses. Keep it simple and line by line.
Should I use AI to write estate listings?
It's a fast first draft, especially for a house with hundreds of items. Check every draft, add measurements and flaws, and treat AI estimates as a starting point rather than a valuation.
What usually draws bids at estate auctions?
Quality furniture, tools, jewelry, collectibles and anything in good working order with a known brand. Everyday household goods do better grouped into sensible box lots than listed one by one.
What if the family wants to keep some items?
Mark kept items clearly before you start cataloging, and photograph only what's for sale. It saves pulling lots after bidding has started, which frustrates bidders.