• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechInvestors Guide

Exclusive: This Startup for Estate Sales Just Raised $41.5 Million

By
Leena Rao
Leena Rao
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Leena Rao
Leena Rao
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 31, 2016, 8:00 AM ET
Sales of U.S. Existing Homes Drop to Lowest in Four Months
A Windermere Real Estate Co. Inc. "Sold" sign stands outside of a home in Seattle, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013. Purchases of previously-owned U.S. homes fell in October to the lowest level in four months as limited supply and higher mortgage rates restrained momentum in the housing-market recovery. Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesPhotograph by David Ryder — Bloomberg via Getty Images

Everything But The House, a startup that is creating a digital marketplace for estate sales, has raised $41.5 million in new round, Fortune has learned exclusively.

The round, which brings the company’s total funding to $84.5 million, was led by existing investor Greenspring Associates, with participation from returning investors Greycroft Partners and Spark Capital.

Everything But The House was founded in 2008 with the ambition of bring estate sales online. As CEO Andy Nielsen explains, getting rid of old items of a loved one after they die can be a painfully time-consuming and arduous process if done without help. You have to sift through furniture, artwork, and keepsakes to determine what to keep, sell, or donate. Some people simply hold an estate sale after picking out any particularly valuable items for auction or an antique store. Others hire local specialists who do the job for them.

Everything But The House’s employees will come to a customer’s home, go through all the items, and select what should be sold or donated. The startup photographs everything from coins to cars, then prices, stores, and sells the items on its site.

In turn, the startup takes a cut from sales, which Nielsen says averages around 35%. Estate sales on the site range from $15,000 worth of goods to mega-sales in the millions of dollars. Currently, Everything But The House is in 27 cities.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

In 2015, Everything But The House saw $30 million in “gross auction revenue,” according to Nielsen, which indicates total value of things sold on the site, and was double what the company brought in in 2014.

The startup takes anywhere from 35% to 45% as a commission. With Fortune’s back of the napkin math, the company pulled in at least $10 million in revenue in 2015. Nielsen says that the company anticipates revenue will grow 110% in 2016.

Everything But The House is betting that a more centralized approach to estate sales will succeed. But that also depends on attracting potential buyers to its upstart site, which can be a challenge in an era in which there’s no shortage of alternatives to buy used goods.

E-commerce upstarts like One Kings Lane had trouble building growing businesses in the home accessories market, especially with competition from Amazon (AMZN), eBay (EBAY), Wayfair, and Walmart (WMT).

Nielsen agrees that some e-commerce startups have faltered, but he stands by the unit economics of the startup, remarking that the company has not made the mistake of getting ahead of itself for expansion.

“Startups make the mistake of seeing some scale and building ahead,” he says. “We’re not getting ahead of ourselves. We’re building each city when we actually see real business.”

About the Author
By Leena Rao
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

duke
Big TechAmazon
Amazon Prime Video reaches deal with Duke Blue Devils to air 3 games per season
By The Associated PressMay 1, 2026
33 minutes ago
valerie
CommentaryLayoffs
Tesla’s former HR chief: the AI layoff panic Is built on a false premise—here’s what most workers need to know
By Valerie Capers WorkmanMay 1, 2026
40 minutes ago
AI
AIdisruption
Meet the Americans dismissing AI hype and using it with ingenuity: ‘The efficiencies gained out of it have been tremendous’
By Cathy Bussewitz and The Associated PressMay 1, 2026
41 minutes ago
Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple Inc., inside the Steve Jobs Theater during an event at Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, US.
AICFO Daily
Apple just posted $111 billion in revenue. Now its CFO and incoming CEO are teaming up
By Sheryl EstradaMay 1, 2026
52 minutes ago
Exclusive: Startup Fun raises $72 million for the serious business of converting crypto and cash
CryptoVenture Capital
Exclusive: Startup Fun raises $72 million for the serious business of converting crypto and cash
By Ben WeissMay 1, 2026
2 hours ago
The fruit fly cancer researcher who built his first prototype out of lollipop sticks and straws
NewslettersTerm Sheet
The fruit fly cancer researcher who built his first prototype out of lollipop sticks and straws
By Allie GarfinkleMay 1, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

China dominates the world's lithium supply. The U.S. just found 328 years' worth in its own backyard
North America
China dominates the world's lithium supply. The U.S. just found 328 years' worth in its own backyard
By Jake AngeloApril 30, 2026
20 hours ago
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne—whose stake would be worth up to $400 billion had he not sold it in 1976—says that at 91, he has no regrets
Success
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne—whose stake would be worth up to $400 billion had he not sold it in 1976—says that at 91, he has no regrets
By Preston ForeApril 27, 2026
4 days ago
Accenture's Julie Sweet blew up 50 years of company history. She says the hardest part is still ahead
Conferences
Accenture's Julie Sweet blew up 50 years of company history. She says the hardest part is still ahead
By Nick LichtenbergApril 29, 2026
2 days ago
America shot its arsenal empty in 2 wars. Now it needs Beijing's permission to reload
Commentary
America shot its arsenal empty in 2 wars. Now it needs Beijing's permission to reload
By Steve H. Hanke and Jeffrey WengApril 30, 2026
20 hours ago
Google Cloud revenue is now 18% of Alphabet's business. Is this the beginning of the end of Google's search identity?
Big Tech
Google Cloud revenue is now 18% of Alphabet's business. Is this the beginning of the end of Google's search identity?
By Alexei OreskovicApril 29, 2026
2 days ago
Exclusive: America's largest Black-owned bank launches podcast with mission to unlock hidden shame holding back generational wealth
Banking
Exclusive: America's largest Black-owned bank launches podcast with mission to unlock hidden shame holding back generational wealth
By Nick LichtenbergApril 29, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.