Company Information

1) Why choose B-Keen to conduct your Estate Sale?

Paramount customer service, Honesty, Integrity, Professionalism, attention to detail, determination, current market knowledge, flexibility and willingness to do whatever it takes to Bring top dollar for your goods. We work very hard to beautify and make your entire home look show-room ready. We carefully inspect, appraise, appropriately price, nicely photograph & display everything, in ways similar to what one might find in a fine department store. Please note that your best interest is also ours and we will not sell things for less than we must, however, it is liquidation and to be thoroughly effective, things must be priced to sell in a few days only. When working for you we prominently promote a highly acclaimed 1st Class Estate Sale on your property, conduct a weekend sale event and Satisfy or Exceed your needs and expectations.

2) How much will it cost?

Nothing out of pocket, we charge a competitive commission rate (percentage) pulled from the sale revenue. As every household is different so too is the work needed to liquidate it. We "bid" each job on a case-by-case basis and lock this rate into our plain-English contract before getting started. No hidden charges. We provide everything required to prepare and conduct the sale.

3) Can my family and I just sell it all ourselves?

Yes, but it is VERY time consuming, frustrating, and deceptively difficult.

4) What's involved in the process?

A Lot... Preparation by digging through every room, closet, cabinet, chest, drawer, box, bag, container, garage, attic, basement, shed, yard, garden & storage facility. Discarding all trash, sorting, categorizing, thorough assessment, cleaning, displaying, photographing, researching, appraising and pricing days on end. We optimize presentation, plan pedestrian flow, restrict access & remove doors as needed, add extra lighting, try to keep merchandise off the floor via folding tables, shelving & displays. Other considerations include sale timing, logistics, safety, code compliance, parking and communicating with helpers, clients, family, Realtors, neighbors & more. Clever, prominent advertising and effective promotion by signage, e-mail, ads in-print and on-line with good pics are all essential. Optimally, your Estate Sale will be a very busy event with adequate staffing to direct and assist customers, answer questions, negotiate, handle and record payment (be certain you are "EMV" & "PCI DSS" compliant if accepting credit cards), cover security and ensure safety. With everything correct, including pricing, discounts and sale techniques, little if anything will remain afterward. Charities are a good way to part with leftover items which you or your family does not want, you can get a tax benefit and some organizations will pick up. In Florida we've received help from and recommend the "Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches" Charitable Organization.

5) How long will it take for B-Keen to conduct an Estate Sale?

Concerned for our clients' interests and the desire to sell every item at its highest potential, we invest a lot of time into each and every job we take. We handle, inspect, prep & price EVERY item in the Estate. After we visit, tour and answer each others questions, agree on scheduling & rate, sign a contract and then get started, contents vary greatly and typically require from One to Three Weeks, including the weekend sale event. Up to 5 days may be needed after the sale to get it completely cleared out, broom swept & give your funding in the form of cash or check.

6) How do we know what is worthy to sell and what is not?

Almost everything is worth something to someone. Generally speaking, the more you have the better it will all sell. And please don't give things away or donate to charity beforehand, we'd prefer to donate later if it didn't sell it in your sale. Just pull out all keep-sakes, photos, data-media, private information, Rx medicine and anything else you wouldn't want strangers to have access to. Please, let us decide what to throw out. If you must, please properly discard only: used packing materials, soiled clothing & foul furniture from the 1970's & newer, spoiled foods, prescriptions, bad batteries, dirt & debris. Please note also that while some soiled, pet damaged or other objectionable items might have some value, first impressions are important to consumers and the nose truly knows! Keeping repulsive items in a sale could adversely affect the over-all outcome. Always seek advice first!

7) Can B-Keen sell Automobiles, Boats, RV's, the House and/or Real Estate?

We sell all types of vehicles and offer Reduced Commission Rates for vehicles & other big ticket items. We're licensed to sell personal property only, not Real Estate, but have attracted many successful home-buyers in the past and willingly provide this free service.

8) Is B-Keen insured against injury, theft and breakage?

Yes, Yes & Yes, We are fully insured & bonded. To best serve all, we take safety & security very seriously. We work proactively to prevent problems, instead of reacting to them. We take every precaution and provide clear & wide pathways, increased lighting, marking step-downs and trip hazards, removing eye & other sharp dangers, etc. We secure and consolidate valuables within manageable areas, staff-up with appropriate personnel, and employ armed security to protect our clients' Estate interests.

9) Can clients influence pricing of their stuff which B-Keen is commissioned to sell?

No and Yes, We allow it on certain items, if discussed and agreed to up-front. Many high-value items are unlikely to return an appreciable portion of their fair market value in a "typical" Estate Sale and may be better suited to auction or other venue, but we would like to have a try first. Anything we can't sell remains yours after the sale. We won't give your good stuff away (there's no profit in doing that), but we also don't want to go the extreme other direction by over-pricing, it can have a similar effect. A prominence of high-priced items in an otherwise typical household, can scare away customers. Estate Sale shoppers will not feel sentimental values nor do they care what items cost when new. Some buyers who find, what they feel to be over-priced items, will call & tell their friends: "don't come here", and quickly exit to seek another sale... This trend can snowball and soon the sale will end, leaving a house full of stuff, not much revenue and a big dilemma!

10) Does B-Keen allow Pre-Sales (items sold before the sale begins) ?

NO, unless mandated by our client for family and their close family friends only. Extremely rare (we've done it once) and we clearly post in advance. We do not allow any other Pre-Sales. BTW, neither do we answer early pricing questions, as it can create an unfair advantage, not to mention our time lost from preparations. Thanks for your understanding & continued support!

11) Are there ANY items which B-Keen doesn't handle?

No, we handle everything! Some clients have guessed that we don't handle clothes or other, typically low-value items, and hence discarded or donated things without even asking. This is very frustrating because we've found the compounding of sales from so many small, low-value items can often add up to rival or exceed the total from larger value items. Certainly, it is less work to simply prepare and sell big, beautiful, & expensive pieces, but we know that today's economy coupled with Florida's high proportion of retired folks has many people seeking more modest finds and we want to attract as many buyers as we can. Toward our mutual benefit WE REALLY DO SELL EVERYTHING from fine furniture, antiques and precious jewelry to common household goods & garage bric-a-brac, ie. anything our clients wish to get rid of, even live chickens! (they run really fast! -special thanks to Bill:),,, All of it!

12) What happens to items which didn't sell?

That decision is entirely up to our client, remaining items belong to the Estate. High value items may fair best when offered through a reputable auction company. Remaining left-overs are often sold as one-lot for a low price, just to have someone haul it all away, or very often are donated to charity.  As desired, we help and can ensure that the house is left entirely empty.

About Us

(B-Keen Appraisals & Estate Sales)

A Florida business, fully insured, bonded, certified & licensed. Owner: Barry Kuenn

We champion client concerns! Flexibility, innovation, attention to detail, honesty and rock solid dedication enable us to exceed client expectations. Whatever it takes, you can count on us to make it happen! Highly acclaimed by clients and customers alike, we go the extra mile to provide a bright & positive shopping experience which attracts impressive buying crowds who quickly convert your Estate Contents into Top Dollar liquid assets. If desired, we completely empty the house, leave it broom swept and ready for the next phase of occupancy. We thoroughly address unique client and customer needs through understanding and practicing of Professional Service Excellence. While everyone wants a good-deal, knowledgeable customers appreciate "a fair price". We target competitive and fair liquidation pricing, in-line with current market trends & today's tenuous economy.

While our service levels vary greatly, professionally orchestrated, Genuine Estate Sales (aka. Tag Sales) and Entire Content Appraisals are what we do best. Additional services include Personal Property Item Appraisals, Estate Inventory, Photo-Documenting, Custom Packing & more. We help people in situations with a loss of loved ones, divorce, downsizing or any reason requiring liquidation or protection of assets in a timely and sensible manner. We're affordable and willing to serve clients near & far.

NEWS September 2018 ~ It's been a literal whirl-wind since last entry. Thanks to hurricane Irma, we took a much needed break last Sept. & evacuated out to Yellowstone and a few other national parks. Luckily our home sustained no damage. Notably our favorite mango tree blew over but we tied it back up and this year it fruited heavily,, yum!:-). Sadly we lost Barry's brother Kevin in Sept. 2016, God rest his soul. Subsequently, without him helping mom (now in her 90's), things and business scheduling have been more difficult. We've managed a fair number of fine sales and have met many friendly folks along the way. Acknowledging the importance of occasionally pausing to breathe in a bit of fresh air, we'll continue in this challenging business so long as demand exists & we arise each day! In follow-up business news regarding credit cards, we've decided to keep it simple and stick with cash only. Thank you ALL for your patronage, patience and understanding!

January 2016 ~ After many months off we are now up and going again. Barry took some time off for home tree-scaping, family medical needs & his own health. He is now fully recovered from: the shingles, pleurisy and a back injury. Family health has since improved, trees are growing and he has sworn off giving piggy-back rides! In secondary business news: Our old credit card machine finally expired, we let-go our CC processor and now seek a 21st century replacement. --> Cash only for now, sorry!

February 2015 ~ Since our move from Texas to Florida, we've completed several sales, and have seen progressive growth and popularity with each. We feel very fortunate, business is good, the weather is great and it is nice to be here in Southwest Florida, especially during winter! With our home in North Port (South of Sarasota) and family still in Clearwater (where Barry grew up) we give preference to locations along Southwest Florida's "Suncoast", from Tampa Bay to Naples. However, we enjoy travel and invite opportunities from ALL Florida locations & beyond.

June 2014 ---------> We have MOVED TO FLORIDA...! Even though for family... it was not an easy decision.., after living in Texas for over 33 years, the place kinda grows on ya! - We've met a ton of wonderful people, learned so much and witnessed mmazin' things in the GREAT State we fondly think of as its own Country! Thanks to ALL our beloved helpers, clients and patrons for your loyalty, kindness and wisdom! We love our Texans, cherish the Lone Star State and are not canceling business there, in the right situations we'll be back for Appraisals, Estate Sales & maybe just visit!

In 2013 we are going strong with private appraisals and fine sales in progress. We've also a bit of extra good news to tell: Barry has found a new lady and wasted no time in making her his partner, they tied the knot in Nov.'12 She comes to us with strong backgrounds in business, accounting, marketing, interior design & much more. She's already proven her skills and is certainly an asset... Barry says she's a keeper! She may seem quiet and soft spoken, but don't be fooled, she is sharp as a tack. We hope you'll visit our next sale where you can meet her.

B-KEEN Company was conceived by Barry and Lisa[1] Kuenn in 2008, through clock-work like Estate Sale shopping over the course of 15 preceding years & very often finding shortcomings or poor business practices along the way. Ultimately, one-day, negative experiences led to a light-bulb moment for Barry. As was typical for him on most any weekend, he had planned and was actively shopping as many sales as he could, from Thursday thru Sunday. After witnessing another (one-too-many) incident from a moody, disgruntled & uncaring estate sale employee (or was this person the company owner!?!)... the light-bulb lit & Barry said to himself "I could do a better job than these rude people". And so began the personal & professional challenge, he decided THIS would be his next career. Not letting go of his original goal, he still looks for improvement to be The Best in The Business, in fact, many customers have already gone out of their way to tell us that, bar none, we are "THE BEST". While we don't make every customer happy, we do try, and we receive lots of kudos. We have a similar track record with our clients, most can not believe how good we've made their place look, how busy & effective the sale was, even items they thought surely no one would buy -sold, the place totally cleared out and the proverbial cherry on top, they receive more money than expected! We take pride in our work and invest heavily in time & effort to promote safe, well received and very effective Estate Liquidation Sales.

Barry brings a variety of experience, knowledge, talent, tenacity, wit and calm demeanor to excel in this field. He's had a lifelong hunger for learning about history, antiques and collectibles. He grew up in Florida, moved to Texas at 19 and worked in the electronics industry for over 25 years. He worked various jobs including design technician, IT systems administrator, UNIX computer support help desk and quality control inspector on security installations. Eventually, corporate bureaucracy, stress and opportunity all knocked in unison, so he jumped ship and began making plans to open an antique brokerage business. Graduated Y2K from the Texas Institute of Antiques and Collectibles in Denton and then traveled extensively, buying authentic pieces to sell via antique malls and on-line. After the economic impact of 9-11, personal life changes and the afore mentioned "light-bulb moment" it was time to give that up & move on to his current path, focusing full-time on promoting High Quality Estate Liquidations. In July 2010 Barry added the role of Personal Property Appraiser, with a Certification from CAGA (Certified Appraisers Guild of America) , to his repertoire. He loves his work, especially the discovery & research of unique or finely crafted items, and then seeing the enthusiasm of proud buyers as they eagerly take possession! Raised in an old world traditional family and steeped in millennial world frenzy, Barry holds reverence to the old values and lives by a motto spoken by his late father - "A man is only as good as his word". While we may only operate under signed contract, we also honor our word and do what we say. Furthermore, Barry insists that We not only do the job, indeed we do it right!

We do have helpers, and rely heavily on them... our team of experienced friendly, helpful assistants and consultants enable us to quickly accomplish our charter. They are all family or long-time personal friends with Barry and rest assured they are trustworthy, honest and very qualified to provide clients and customers alike with courteous Professionalism.

As Barry's previous antique brokerage focused on genuine antique and vintage merchandise offered in a forthright manner, he also mandates our Estate Sale Service be "Top-Notch". We've combined our best ideas with only the very best from top liquidators across Texas, Florida, Kansas and Missouri to deliver expedient, 1st class sales. You're assured Complete Satisfaction when you choose B-KEEN APPRAISALS & ESTATE SALES.

[1] With the greatest admiration and the deepest sorrow, I must inform everyone of the tragedy which has befallen us... In mid-June 2011 my late wife, Lisa, was diagnosed with a seriously advanced stage of ovarian cancer. While she declined uncertain modern surgery in favor of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) treatments in China, she held strong like no one else. However, after four short months, one day a tranquil calm took hold and she left our world. She went with a smile in thinking about her favorite little dog Fabio and two daughters, Ellie and Jessica. I feel honored to have known her for nearly nine years. She was as complex as anyone could be, strong willed, smart and had superior common sense. As Cantonese, Hakka and Mandarin were her primary dialects, her English (not to mention Spanish) words didn't always reflect her true thoughts. She really had the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met and somehow always produced well planned generosity. She was nothing short of miraculous in her cooking skills, things you'd be hard pressed to find on a menu anywhere and it would be knock your socks off awesome! Ever had papaya or pumpkin soup? How about cantaloupe stir-fry? She was also perhaps the cleanest person I've ever known and had a great sense of humor. With these and many more unwritten virtues, she will be fondly remembered for many generations. She was a tremendous benefit to and very much liked this business. She enjoyed meeting new people, I hope you had the chance. God rest her soul. -B

Got Stuff?

Do you have too much stuff?

Would you like a simple way to turn it into cash?

Are you Overwhelmed & unable to deal with it?

Do you live out-of-state or just way too busy?

Don't know where to turn or who to trust?

Let the Pro's at B-Keen Estate Sales solve your problem.

With no out-of-pocket cost our income is paid on simple commission from sale proceeds. We carefully Handle it ALL and turn it into fast cash for you. We have the integrity, experience, knowledge and dedication to take care of every detailed step required to bring top dollar for the goods you need cleared out. We quickly provide you the proceeds with documentation for your peace of mind, and we are fully insured, bonded, certified & licensed. While we must turn a profit to stay in business and some homes just don't have enough "stuff" to make it professionally profitable... most people have more value in "stuff" than they realize. The combined values of so many little things together with big ticket and mid-range things, add up very quickly indeed! Small or large, packed or not, urban or rural we can help. Note: Please be careful if you're considering getting rid of anything on your own beforehand, doing so can diminish your chances of having a Highly Successful Estate Sale. ~ Please call or "Send an Email", we never charge to talk or visit. The First Step is yours, we'll take it from there!

We Care About Client Concerns & Satisfaction

Do you have items with sentimental value passed on to you from family or friends? We do and we're not strangers to the dilemma of how to keep extra "stuff" while already living in a full house. Large magnificent pieces or fine matching sets can be the most frustrating. Furthermore, complexity grows with Sentimental Significance and multiple surviving heirs. Items or collections may have been acquired over a lifetime or passed down from cherished generations. We don't recommend anyone sell their most prized family heirlooms. Perhaps you can find ways to fit them in or swap out and sell replaceable items in favor of keeping your older or cherished pieces. Besides, life with antiques can indeed be fun!

Our services introduce us to interesting people with diverse and sensitive emotions. We can't know exactly how you're feeling but we do our best to understand your needs and try to handle every concern with kit gloves. Those who have come before us deserve honor and dignity, respectfully we treat their effects with high regard. In fact, We take great pride in carefully handling ALL of your property and PROTECTING YOUR HOME, as we would want if the tables were turned. Be at ease, we are also fully insured, bonded, certified & licensed in two states. We keep in close contact and let you know about any surprises, personal & family items or unusually valuable pieces. We work diligently (often hundreds of man-hours) to inspect, investigate, highly promote and ensure that your goods bring their appropriate value. We want your sale to be a success, and for you to be happy. If you're happy, we are too, because nothing promotes business better than HAPPY YOU!

Most of us, at some point in our lives, are faced with having to "let go" of things. Sadly, in our modern society, most pre-owned items hold Fair Market & Liquidation Values which rarely approach Retail or Sentimental Values. Many people have difficulty dealing with this and we understand. If you must sell things which you'd rather keep, you may not want to witness them go. We provide a COMPLETE TURN-KEY SERVICE and HANDLE EVERYTHING. You can be distant or local, un-involved or as much as you like. Whatever your need, we'll make it so. B-Keen Appraisals & Estate Sales, per your wishes!

SAVE yourself from a BIG headache

& EARN MORE CA$$$H

We work very hard to promote 1st Class Estate Sales and seek "an honest day's pay" plus good testimonials & references for our services. B-Keen owner, Barry Kuenn, is personally involved "hands-on" at every stage and on location at every sale we conduct. We exclusively enlist the help of family and trusted long-time friends. We provide lower rates to clients when possible and cut prices for customers when justified. Good Rates Plus Quality Service = B-Keen Estate Sales. Exceeding client needs is our #1 priority. We get paid by percentage, under contract, and because of that we don't make money unless you make money. We are absolutely motivated to fetch the highest price possible in selling your Estate content items. Certified in Appraising and experienced with the vast majority (we still discover previously unseen things) of residential Estate contents. As no one can possibly know it all, we continuously perform in-depth research and seek help from field specific collectors, historians and professionals. Barry will tell you at first visit if we can do an excellent job for you OR if we are not your best option. We won't sacrifice quality for quantity and prefer not to rush through preparations because haste makes waste. Also, due to scheduling and other factors, its in your best interest to Seek professional advice as early as possible.

Please "Contact Us" for a free visit. Don't worry about cleaning up before we arrive, we thought we've "seen it all" but have recently seen worse! If you're compelled to get started on your own, please properly discard only: used packing materials, soiled clothing & foul furniture from the 1970's or newer, spoiled foods, prescription medications, leaking batteries, dirt & debris. These things aside, Please Don't Throw Anything Away without first getting advice from someone in the business of Estate Liquidations or Antiques and Collectibles. Items which are broken or in poor condition can have appeal and noteworthy value. Collectors, Artisans, Crafters, Decorators, Dealers and Do-it-Yourself-ers often purchase things which appear to be completely un-sellable.

By hiring the correct professionals to conduct your Estate Sale, you can actually MAKE MORE MONEY & SAVE YOUR PRECIOUS TIME.

For even more info, please visit our website (b-keen.com) or our Next Sale...

Thanks for your interest & valued TIME,

Regards & B-Safe,

B-KEEN