Place the care of your family’s belongings in trusted hands
By Jillian Chandler Photo by Kiersten Patterson Photography
Have you wondered what to do with all the items left to you by a family member that you have no room for? Did you just become the executor of an estate and have no clue how you are going to liquidate everything and work too? Feel overwhelmed? There is help for all this. JKern Auction Group and Gypsy Girl Estate Sales are just the people to call.
When Julia and her husband Wayne came to Sandpoint in 2014, Julia had no idea what to do with her vast experience in interior design and sales. However, she soon realized there were no resources for those needing liquidation of estates. After one person asked her to liquidate their estate, she had found her “Sandpoint” calling—and Gypsy Girl Estate Sales was born.
Julia’s first sale was held in the summer of 2016. Two summers later she realized a need for the option to have auctions for her clients. She attended Western College of Auctioneering in Billings, Montana, and came back to Sandpoint to open the auction side of the business under JKern Auction Group.
Julia has found that every family’s needs are one of a kind and that no two clients are the same. In order to provide the best option and services to meet individual client needs, she offers a free consultation to anyone who calls. She then visits with the family, assesses their situation and has an in-depth conversation with them before determining whether an auction or estate sale is in their best interest. “For the most part, the decision usually boils down to time and number of items to be liquidated,” affirms Julia.
Julia says she and her team come with encouragement, smiles and determination, helping their clients bring closure to a difficult stage of life. Whether that stage has been brought on by death, downsizing or divorce, they are there to help guide clients through. “We love our clients as if they were members of our own families. We recognize the difficulties which are bogging them down. Because we are not emotionally in the middle of it, we can step back and see, what seems an enormous burden to them, a very doable task to us.”
JKern Auction Group and Gypsy Girl Estate Sales is comprised of a dedicated and compassionate team, including Julia's son, Tanner, inventory manager and lead ring man; and Leilani, marketing and sales director, who, as Julia says, "is indispensable to me; I would be lost without her.” Julia is grateful for Judith and Barb, two women who volunteer their time sorting, washing, tagging and cleaning, or simply doing whatever is needed of them. “They say I keep them young. I just hope one day I may be as generous and loving as these two are. They are so valuable to my team. Many others join us on our auction days, making everything run smoothly.”
Julia is committed not only to her clients but to her community. She has been involved in the Community Assistance League, serving on the Grant Committee and as chair of the Social Committee. She has also headed the CAL Kinderhaven tree for the past four years. “That’s where I get to get my ‘design bug’ out of me. I am committed to their cause!”
At the end of the day, Julia wants to be able to have achieved the goal of liquidating everything for the highest price that the market will bear. She wants her client to have had a wonderful experience, getting the maximum for their items. In addition, she wants customers who shop their sales to feel like they have purchased those items at fair prices.
Breaking the norm, Julia says, “It is a common misconception that estate sales or auctions are only held in the warmer months. Life happens 365 days a year. We strive to meet the challenges of life that create complications for our clients. With all the online tools we have available, we can provide a service to anyone, no matter the locations or the time of year.”
If you or someone you know is considering an auction or estate sale, or would like a complimentary consultation, Julia encourages you to give her a call today and book early, as dates fill up quickly.
JKern Auction Group, LLC and Gypsy Girl Estate Sales
478165 Highway 95
Ponderay, Idaho 83852
208.920.3286