How this 51-year-old makes six figures as an antiques appraiser on JustAnswer

Nora Curl, a 51-year-old antique appraiser, has built a successful career on the advice website JustAnswer, earning over $124,000 last year alone. Curl, who had been working in the world of antiques in New York for a decade, moved back to Pennsylvania to care for her mother and found herself wondering how she could make a living in the art antiques industry. She started a website for appraising antiques and sold items on eBay before stumbling upon an online antique valuation role on job site Jobrapido, which led her to JustAnswer.

JustAnswer is an online platform that connects users with experts in various fields, including law, electrical work, and veterinary medicine. Users pay a sign-up fee and a monthly fee to gain access to the site’s experts and can ask questions at any time to receive answers either on the platform or through phone calls. Since joining JustAnswer in 2012, Curl has consistently earned a substantial income from her full-time work on the site.

Curl’s journey in the antiques industry began during her college years at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania, where she studied communication. Despite her initial career in managing restaurants and briefly working in the Hollywood film industry, Curl’s passion for antiques and her knowledge of the field led her to pursue a postgraduate program at auction house Christie’s in 2001. She then worked in various roles related to antiques, including magazines and galleries, where she had the opportunity to handle original works by renowned artists such as Norman Rockwell.

When Curl first started on JustAnswer, she approached the platform with skepticism. However, as she began answering questions about paintings, figurines, and vases, she quickly realized the potential of the site. Within days, she earned nearly $1,000, and the following month, she received her first payment. At the peak of her involvement with JustAnswer, Curl worked around eight hours a day and earned between $5,000 and $8,000 per month. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, she dedicated even more time to the platform, working up to 14 to 16 hours a day and earning an average of $12,600 per month in 2021.

Curl’s advice for others interested in joining JustAnswer is to not quit their day jobs right away. Instead, she suggests giving the platform a try and seeing if it works for them. She also recommends selling items online, particularly on eBay, due to its international exposure and availability around the clock.

As for Curl’s work schedule, she primarily focuses on answering user questions from 4 p.m. to midnight, aligning with her clientele from different time zones worldwide. While Curl has found success on JustAnswer, she advises others to experiment and find their own rhythm on the platform.

Overall, Nora Curl’s story exemplifies how a passion for antiques, combined with the right platform, can lead to a lucrative career in the digital age.