Catherine's Estates & Appraisals

As a buyer my recent experience was horrible. The company posted photos of a sale. Based on items in the photo I drove across town (40min) and waited two hours before the sale for a number so I would be first. When the items were not there I asked where they were located and was told the owner had taken many items back. This was the definition "bait and switch" and false advertising. The complete lack of recognition by the employees that customers were there because of the sale advertised photos was completely appalling. This company and its owner Catherine Baron suck.

Since this is an estate sales company, the assumption would be that one would consider hiring this company as someone has passed away, and the heirs would like to liquidate any remaining items in the estate after they have removed any items that they wanted, or were entitled to. Then an estate team, like Catherine's, would be contracted to sell the remaining items left in the home/estate. Catherine's reputation and knowledge in antiquities is vast, but what she gains in the expertise in inatimate objects, she severly lacks in professionalism, integrity, respect and honesty in dealing with people. If you are considering hiring her and her team because you are the heir to an estate, and have no intention of occupying the deceased 's residence, make sure that the items you or the other heirs want, or are entitled to, have been removed from the premises BEFORE Catherine ever comes to review the remaining contents. Once you are under contract with her she has total control on the contents of the estate.If you are considering hiring Catherine and her team because you are downsizing, moving etc. make sure to remove ALL items from the estate/residence PRIOR to Catherine coming to review the contents that you want sold. Also do not even consider hiring her if you are going to still be occupying the residence a month prior to the sale while they are staging your home, and during the several days of the sale. Fair warning....She will want to bring in her own inventory items that have not sold in other estate sales to add to your sale, which means that she will be utilizing your home/estate with her inventory, along with your possessions. This will obviously take away from the sale of your possessions, making her more money and you less as her items may sell and yours may not. If you are not ok with that, add a clause to the contract that very specifically states that she cannot bring in her own inventory to be added to yours. Review the contract with other family/friends for their input prior to your signing it. A contract with Catherine is ironclad and she will be very difficult to deal with after the fact if you do not put your intentions in writing on the contract. I have seen her rudeness, abrasiveness, dishonesty, lack of tact and integrity first hand as she cares nothing more than making money.These warnings come from a recent unfortunate contractual estate sale in which Catherine was hired, and the client was not able to get out of the contract when Catherine's true colors came into full view.

I engaged Catherine's Estates and Appraisals to appraise some items. I gave her my address and she provided me with her fee, which I agreed to. On the day just prior to our scheduled visit, she called to tell me that she would charge an additional $150 for travel. She knew where I lived in the intial conversation and did not tell me of the travel fee at that time. To appraise my items, she asked for my Wifi password and logged in to the Live Auction website. She used this website to appraise my items. Some of my items are ancient and there are not comparables on Live Auction. She did not know the time periods or countries of origin of any of my pieces. She guessed at some things, which I Googled while she was on-site and corrected her for. She gave me no written documentation. I was so taken aback by her obvious lack of knowledge that I did not have her appraise all of my items and ended the meeting early. I have since had a qualified appraiser appraise my items that verified that her assessments were laughable.