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It seems as if Michal Landor is always at the center of the storm. Armed with a receipt book, knowledge of antiques and a disarming smile, the petite Moroccan-born estate seller must at once market, negotiate and placate in a frenetic environment. Such is the nature of Landor’s popular tag sales, one of which came last week to a sleepy block in Flushing.

Tag sales are sales of used household items usually with prices tags affixed to them. Estate sellers like Landor are contacted by the executor of the estate or a real estate agent to determine if there is enough merchandise for a sale. In any case, the house must be completely emptied prior to the closing on the sale of the house.

“It’s endless learning,” said Landor, who has been in the business for eight years. “You need to have a knowledge of arts and antique furniture, and you must read a lot and go to as many shows as possible.”

Landor has studied interior design and the arts at the Fashion Institute of Technology and plans on taking a course in fine art appraisal at Queens College.

She keeps a list of more than 200 antiques dealers and collectors she notifies a few days prior to a sale. She also advertises the tag sales open to the public in Newsday.

“I only deal with Michal,” said Queens antiques dealer Gloria Bushansky, who’s been in the business for 18 years. “She’s the best because she’s fair in her prices so that everyone can do business after they buy from her.”

Landor conducts tag sales throughout Queens once or twice a week, with her strongest areas being Jamaica Estates and Fresh Meadows. She’ll usually arrive 20 minutes prior the sale’s commencement, and is almost always greeted by a large throng outside the home or apartment. Some people camp out for hours to get a good spot in line.

“It’s usually pretty orderly, but there can be physical altercations,” said Pete Ciccone, 44, a graphic designer from Astoria. “Most of these guys are dealers, so they’re all kind of wheeling and dealing to be the first in line.”

Ciccone’s wife, Neala, is an assistant designer for Martha Stewart. Though the couple attends two-to-five tag sales per week for their personal collection, Landor says that many in the fashion and industrial design industries browse sales for inspiration.

“Some people work for designers at Ann Taylor, Anne Klein or Ralph Lauren, and they’ll buy vintage clothing and draw from that,” she explained.

Other items can range from highly valuable works of art to eclectic memorabilia to jewelry and antique furniture. The Flushing sale had everything from a Purple Heart medal to vintage records and bicycles.

Crowds at tag sales are extremely diverse, encompassing a broad range of age, race and socioeconomic status. There are professional dealers, private collectors and those looking for a quick buck.

According to Bushansky, “Antiques Roadshow” and auction sites like eBay, in part, have led to a decline in the integrity of the industry.

“Now everyone thinks they have gold in their house,” she explained, “but surely they do not.”

“People are not willing to spend as much,” echoed Landor. “Dealers have trouble re-selling because of the pricing competition.”

What remains from tag sales is donated to various charities and thrift shops such as the Vintage Thrift Shop in Manhattan where Landor’s beloved assistant Eugenio “Patitas” Loja works during the week. Loja dispenses flyers announcing the tag sales and helps at the event by carrying bulky items to customers’ cars and providing security.

It’s easy to see that Landor truly enjoys what she does and appreciates what the estate-selling industry can provide for families.

“Everybody benefits from these sales,” she said. “I like interacting with people. I help the elderly, and instead of this stuff going into the garbage, it sells.”