| rev:text
| - Tom Helms and his cohorts run a total scam/racket - I was referred to Tom via an attorney reference to my CPA - thus, I was not as rigorous about securing a fee agreement in advance as I would normally be - and like most people looking for this service, I was in the middle of a move...busy.
Quick version: For what Tom charged me $1,000 for, I could have hired a housekeeper (who knows how to shop on Amazon.com) and achieved the same result for under $100. (to which he'll undoubtedly respond by waiving his credentials/certification in the air, as if his certification magically transforms sorting clothes and a google search into a "professional appraisal service").
Long version: I called Tom and:
In advance of our meeting, he was fairly responsive and nothing was amiss. I should have red-flagged this, but I did ask him in advance of the appraisal whether any preparation was required and how much time he would require at the house to which he responded "we'll see." Again, I was not deeply worried about this silly little appraisal and I moved on. Tom Helms showed up at our place with 2 additional people. He was pleasant and conversational. I later learned from my wife that she was helping them spread out the stacks of clothes and items we had separated out for pictures - and that if she had not they would have "taken forever."
Later, I received an invoice with the appraisal for over $1,000. Long and short of it - when we raised that this fee seemed unreasonable for the service provided (albeit 60 days after receiving the invoice) we were lambasted by Tom who then justified his fee ($150/hour per appraiser he brought to our house) by trying to assert that it would have been considerably less if the personal property were better prepared for their visit.
First, this was not true. The house was entirely cleared of everything - we had already moved out - except the donation items which we arranged in stacks and assortments that made sense. There, literally, was nothing else in the house other than these items.
Second, they provided us with no advanced instructions, no fee agreement and no terms or expectations - nothing whatsoever - just a ridiculously large bill.
Here's my favorite part - he added that were it not for my wife's help in separating stacks of clothes for them, it would have been $500 more! So we should be grateful
I guess. What a scam.
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