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Becky Boston Brings You Homeowner Tips
Becky Boston REALTOR®
As your neighborhood Realtor, I like to share helpful information should you be planning to buy or sell a home.
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5 Things to Leave Behind When You’re Selling
When you are a homeowner, you own everything inside that home and outside of it, within the confines of your property lines. You can change out light fixtures, remove carpeting, cut down trees and uproot plants and shrubs whenever the mood strikes you. However, if you’re selling, things change to some degree, and some of those belongings are considered fittings and fixtures, which means they are part of the property to be transferred to the new owner. So what are some of the things that typically must be left for your buyer? Here are five things to leave behind when you’re selling your home:
1. Wired-in fittings/fixtures – This may include ceiling fans, light fixtures, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, sprinkler systems, home security systems and pretty much anything else that is hard-wired into the home’s electrical system. Basically, if taking something would leave wires hanging, and that something was there when your buyer did the walk-through and made an offer, it needs to stay.
2. Built-ins – Items that are built in or custom made for the home are generally considered as part of the property. Built-in bookshelves or benches and fold-down furniture are good examples of this type of item, as is fixed flooring, like laminate floors or wall-to-wall carpeting.
3. Certain appliances – Appliances that are wired or plumbed into the home, rather than free-standing, usually must be left for the new owners. This may include built-in dishwashers, ovens, cooktops, and range hoods. Additionally, if you have warranty papers, maintenance records, manuals and other paperwork on appliances that will be left in place, leave them for the new homeowners as well.
4. Some window treatments and hardware – Custom shutters generally must be left behind, as well as blinds, since they are mounted to window frames. Curtain rods and the brackets that hold them are also generally considered fixtures of the home.
5. Fixed landscaping/outdoor features – Your buyer is also purchasing the property your home sits on, and that means that he or she has a right to take possession of it pretty much as it was when the purchase agreement was signed. This means that must leave behind and plants, trees or shrubs that have been planted in the ground. Fixed features, such as storage sheds, swing sets or basketball hoops that have been anchored into the ground must also be left behind, as must underground lawn/garden sprinkler systems and pool or spa filtration systems.
Other things are usually left behind when you’re selling, including wall brackets, cabinet hardware or wall-mounted air conditioning units, for just a few examples. If you wish to take certain items on the “leave it behind” list, your intention to remove these should be disclosed to the buyer before a purchase contract is signed. Your other option is to remove and replace the fixtures you want to keep before your home is listed for sale.
If you are in doubt about whether or not you are obligated to leave certain items or need advice about making the proper disclosures to buyers about keeping them, contact a real estate professional for help. Getting solid advice from an experienced professional is your best course of action to ensure a friendly, hassle-free transaction between yourself and your buyer.
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