What Stays / What Goes?

July 21, 2021

We all know that when you sell a house, you’re selling the structure and the land that it sits on. If it’s a condo, then you’re selling your divided interest in the land. When you get down into the micro level things like light fixtures, mirrors, plants, and televisions come in to question. The residential purchase agreement paints a very clear picture for these items. it also gives space to include / not include certain items.

Technically, real estate sales include things that are affixed to a the property. This includes light fixtures, television brackets, curtain rods, pool cleaning equipment, mirrors, and attached shelving. In over 825 real estate transactions I’ve seen a lot of real estate disappear at closing. If a seller intends to keep things that are affixed they need to make it known in the negotiations. The most common items is a light fixture.

One should assume that all bathroom mirrors come with a house, unless otherwise excluded in the contract or listing. Mirrors tend to hang instead of being screwed in. Televisions are not included, but the mounts are because they’re screwed in. The contract has a place where a buyer can ask a seller to remove brackets and fill in holes.

The purchase contract has a place to request ALL washers, dryers, refrigerators, and range / ovens. Notice I said all. Most people don’t include their garage beer refrigerator, but that needs to be identified so not to cause confusion.

Potted plants are not real estate, but the plants in the ground certainly are real estate. The fruit on the tree is also real estate so it wouldn’t be very nice of a seller to strip the trees before they leave their home.

Some items are leased, like water softeners, propane tanks, r/o systems, and even solar. Make sure to understand if you’re buying a home that includes leased property.

As always, Market Real Estate has you covered. There isn’t much we haven’t seen. We’ll make sure there is no gray area in your real estate transaction.