The loss of a loved one is a difficult time. It can be an emotional time between family members when it comes time to selling the home and handling the personal property. If the estate has a lot of personal property as well as real estate, then an auction company could be your best bet because they can handle everything for you through one company, plus you know the property will sell on that auction date.
However, I've attended a lot of real estate auctions for estate sales, and I feel a lot of times they could sell for more being listed traditionally. A lot of times it comes down to the condition of the house. Most of the buyers at real estate auctions are investors, and investors want a deal because they have to make money. Also, real estate auctions are NOT contingent on financing, so the majority sell to cash buyers. Many will still allow financing, but if the buyers financing does not go through for any reason, they lose the earnest money paid (which is usually 10%). The majority of regular home buyers are using financing of some kind, so by conducting an auction it weeds out a lot of potential buyers that would otherwise be interested.
If you need help with getting the property cleaned out, and/or make property updates prior to selling to achieve a higher selling price, I can help you with that. I work with a lot of contractors regularly doing my own property investments. We can discuss ways to add more value and appeal to more buyers.
If you're in charge of selling an estate property you should consider both options, listing it with a Realtor, and speaking to an auction company to see what fits your situation the best. Reach out to me today for a free property valuation, and we can dive deeper into what would work best for you.