Sharon Hawkins prepares items for an estate sale in Laguna Woods. Hawkins and her identical twin sister, Karen Vicker, own Karen & Sharon Estate Sales, which manages, markets and facilitates the events. For buyers, bargain hunting is the name of the game, and amateurs compete against pros to find the best deals. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Karen Vicker closely inspects a watch before it is put up for grabs at an estate sale in Laguna Woods. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Karen Vicker, left, and twin sister Sharon Hawkins are certified appraisers who have studied antiques across Europe. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Customers enter a Laguna Woods home as it opens for an estate sale at 10 a.m. The line of buyers waiting outside to look for bargains forms early. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Customers at a Karen & Sharon Estate Sales event comb through rooms. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
A shopper is loaded up and ready to pay. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Big estate sales can be lucrative for the sisters, who charge 30% commission. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Ready for pickup. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
