Family Tree Estate Sales  - deceptive trade practices and possible in-house resale of estate property Kemah Texas

In my experience, hiring Family Tree Estate Sales (Shane and Jessica Compeau) to handle my late father’s estate in July 2025 was a deeply disappointing and harmful decision. I trusted them because Shane’s mother, Marlys Parker, is my neighbor, and I believed that connection meant they would be fair and honest during a very difficult time. Unfortunately, that trust was misplaced. The contract was vague, but I was told to expect a full, properly advertised estate sale. Instead, the day before the sale the type of sale was changed without my consent, and in my opinion it became more of a “picker-style” event. Preparation was minimal. They failed to show up on the agreed-upon date, worked only short hours, and rushed the setup. They also listed the sale online with the wrong address on EstateSales.net. On Friday, the first (and least trafficked) day of the sale, nearly all high-value items disappeared quickly, including my father’s entire lifetime Snap-on tool collection (worth $7,000–$10,000), specialty tools, and a garage full of equipment.

Their vague receipts only listed $945 total for “tools.” In addition, my father’s Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts, memorabilia, and paraphernalia were also gone by the end of the sale, yet the receipts do not reflect anywhere near their true value. Receipts overall were non-itemized, with questionable entries like “clothes” for $400 or a “denim jacket” for $200, while valuable items were undersold. At the end of the sale, every valuable item was gone, yet the estate received almost nothing in return. Based on what I saw, I believe this may have been an in-house resale situation, where items were intentionally sold cheap only to be resold later at higher prices. The family also owns The Perfect Piece Emporium, an antique business in Kemah, which in my opinion raises serious concerns about where my father’s belongings actually ended up. Property was mishandled: they cut through a locked fence instead of using the combination lock, left keys in an exterior door, and unplugged appliances, which caused my brother to lose power in his room and disabled the washer/dryer.

We did not pay for a clean out, but in the end we were cleaned out of all valuables. What remained was thrown into piles in the garage and left in total disarray. At payout, they even tried to give me 50% instead of the contracted 60%, only correcting it when I questioned them. They also spelled my name wrong on both the contract and the check. Many of their positive Google reviews appear to be written by family and friends, which in my opinion made the business look more reputable than it actually is. In my opinion, this was a serious abuse of trust. Families going through grief deserve compassion and honesty, not misleading practices and financial harm. Based on my experience, I strongly caution anyone against hiring Family Tree Estate Sales. Protect your valuables, demand itemized receipts, and choose a company with true transparency and integrity.