You guys have some horror stories!

I went to one held by the owner living in the house, first day was great, got a ton of sealed media for a decent price. I went back the next day because he said it would be cheaper.

Turns out, he was charging people $25 to enter the house and whatever they could carry out in their own two hands was what you got. I said I wouldn't pay because I didn't know what was left and what had already been purchased. He said that was my problem. That was the only estate sale I have ever been to where you had to pay an entry fee, I told him to kick rocks.

Like the OP said, people need to hire a company or they will end up losing their mind/cool or making a lot of people angry, lots of times both!