A succession representative may sell household goods at prices not less than the appraised value of such goods in the succession inventory or descriptive list by obtaining an order authorizing sales, from time to time, for such prices as the succession representative shall determine. No advertisement shall be necessary, and the order authorizing such sales may be rendered upon the filing of the petition. Household goods shall include furniture, furnishings, appliances, linen, and clothing. If the succession representative desires to sell household goods for less than the appraised value, advertisement shall be required.
Art. 3287.Household Goods
Book VI. Probate Procedure · Title III. Administration of Successions · Chapter 6. Alienation of Succession Property · Enacted 1985 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 3287 lets a succession representative sell household goods -- furniture, furnishings, appliances, linen, and clothing -- at prices no lower than their appraised value through a court order obtained without advertisement upon filing the petition, though advertisement becomes necessary if the representative wants to sell below that appraised value.
Full Text of Art. 3287
Amendment History
Acts 1985, No. 724, §1.
Plain-English Summary
Household goods present a practical problem for a succession representative: they are numerous, individually modest in value, and often need to be sold off item by item as an estate is settled, rather than in one negotiated transaction. Article 3287 sets up a streamlined process suited to that reality.
The article defines household goods broadly -- furniture, furnishings, appliances, linen, and clothing -- and lets the representative sell them, from time to time, at whatever price the representative sets, so long as the price is not less than the appraised value listed in the succession inventory or descriptive list. A single court order, obtained without advertisement, covers this ongoing authority; the representative does not need a fresh petition and separate approval for every individual item sold at or above appraisal.
The formality returns if the representative wants to sell below appraised value. At that point, the streamlined process no longer applies, and advertisement is required, restoring some public notice before goods are sold for less than what the succession inventory says they are worth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as household goods under Article 3287?
Furniture, furnishings, appliances, linen, and clothing, as defined in the article itself.
Does the representative need a separate court order for every household item sold?
No. One order authorizing sales from time to time, at prices the representative determines, covers ongoing sales of household goods at or above appraised value, without a fresh petition for each item.
Is advertisement required to sell household goods from a succession?
Not if the goods sell for at least the appraised value listed in the succession inventory or descriptive list. Advertisement becomes necessary only if the representative wants to sell below that value.
Can household goods be sold for less than their appraised value?
Yes, but only after advertisement, which Article 3287 requires whenever the representative proposes to sell household goods below the appraised value.
Source & verification. Article text is reproduced verbatim from
the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure (legis.la.gov). Enacted by the Louisiana Legislature.
Last verified July 30, 2026.
· Official source
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