5 Things That Don't Stay With the Home You Are Buying

5 THINGS THAT DON'T STAY WITH THE HOME YOU ARE BUYING

Article Source: https://www.thebalance.com/5things-not-included-in-yourhome-purchase-offer-4083212

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5 Things Not Necessarily Included in a Buyer's Purchase Offer

The five things that don't stay with the home you are buying are items most people take for granted and assume they will remain. This is the stuff that is the cause of much unhappiness after closing when home buyers discover the seller removed things that buyers believed were fixtures.

Refrigerator, Stove or Washer and Dryer: While it might be customary for a seller to leave a refrigerator or stove in the kitchen, it is not required. Even though the appliances are large, heavy and difficult to move, if they are not permanently affixed to the property, they are not a fixture and can be removed.

Refrigerators can be unplugged and removed. If there is an automatic icemaker, it is easily detached, and the water system can be turned off by a shut-off valve.

Fish in the Koi Pond: While the pond itself or water feature is typically a fixture and nonremovable, the fish are personal property. Many people who raise koi consider the fish as pets. Some of the fish will have names, and the sellers will insist the fish have a personality, too.

Asking the seller to leave a fish could be like asking the seller to give away a child.

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Above Ground Spa or Swimming Pool: Pundits will argue that a spa is typically attached to an electrical source, which generates heat and pumps the jets, but a free-standing spa can be easily disconnected and removed. If it is located in the yard and not inside the house, it is most likely not a fixture and personal property. In some instances, sellers might want to leave a spa for the buyer, but if the buyer doesn't want it, the seller may need to remove it.

If you don't want a spa in the yard and expect the seller to take it, you should specify in the purchase offer that the spa needs to go by closing. Ditto for an above ground swimming pool.

Window Treatments: Blinds and shades attached to the window are typically considered fixtures. However, drapes or curtains that can easily slide off a rod are generally considered personal property. The confusion often begins in the master suite when a seller has a bedspread or duvet cover that matches the window treatments. Understandably, the seller might want to take the window treatments.

The truth is the window treatments probably will not fit any of the windows in the new home. If window coverings are not specified in the purchase contract, and the seller plans to take them, it's a good idea to include the window coverings as an excluded item in the purchase contract.

Home Theater Systems: In most states, a home theater system—its exterior speakers and television—are considered personal property. The brackets, however, could be considered fixtures unless excluded from the purchase contract.

The Bottom Line

If you are a buyer and want to make sure any of these items are included in the purchase offer, make sure they are specifically addressed in the offer. If you do not want any of the items, again, make sure to exclude these things from the offer. These two simple steps remove any doubt or confusion at closing.