“What do I have to leave when I sell my house?”
We’ve seen home buyers ranting on social media about missing doorknobs, toilet paper holders, and even trees from the front yard.
But it can be far beyond merely annoying for the buyer. If you take something you haven’t negotiated to keep, you could tank the sale—or even face a lawsuit.
Not sure what you’re allowed to take with you when you move? Here are some rules to keep in mind before—and after—closing the deal.
1. If it’s nailed down, bolted, or mounted, it probably stays behind
Probably the No. 1 gray area that I’ve found is the mounting mechanism for big-screen TVs,” Gassett shares. “Obviously, it’s attached, so it’s supposed to stay with the house. But commonsense says, ‘Well, if somebody has a $3,000 TV hanging on the wall, unless they’re including [the TV] with the house, [the mounting mechanism] doesn’t stay. It becomes a real battling point with buyers and sellers if it’s not specifically referenced
2. Leave Mother Nature alone
Unless the property listing specifically mentions that you intend to take the prized rose patch your Aunt Zelda gave you, sellers cannot remove any landscaping
3. Hands off anything anchored in the ground
Other backyard items are also potential sources of misunderstanding between buyers and sellers.
Technically, if a basketball hoop is cemented into the ground, then it’s considered to go with the house. Freestanding ones sitting on the lawn, however, would be something buyers could take with them.
Ditto for swing sets: If it’s anchored in the ground, it stays.
4. Let go of your lighting fixtures
Even if you’re attached to your show-stopping dining room chandelier, don’t pack it up and leave electrical wires hanging when you leave. And if you’re thinking about swapping out that chandelier right before closing—and hoping the buyer won’t notice? Forget about it
5. Do you leave curtains when you move? Yep, window treatments stay, too
Curtains are always considered personal property, because they just slide off, Rods and blinds, on the other hand, are considered part of the house because they’re affixed and attached.
Don’t be petty—or you might tank the sale
Often, the littlest things cause the most heated debates, or even the derailment of the sale itself.
Source: www.realtor.com/
