There are many things to think about when you are selling your home. You need to declutter, paint, do minor fixes, etc. However, you also need to make a list of what you want to take with you from your present home.
There is a difference between fixtures and chattels. Fixtures are a permanent part of your property that you require tools to remove, while chattels can be easily picked up and moved. Normally fixtures are the property of the buyer and chattels are the property of the seller. Some examples of chattels are furniture, lamps, small appliances that you plug in. As a buyer, you can always negotiate with the seller as part of your real estate deal. Fixtures on the other hand are affixed to the property like lighting fixtures, water heaters, etc.
There are some grey areas, for example, a wall-mounted TV. The TV is moveable but the bracket is affixed to the wall. Never assume you can take certain things from the home. You should always discuss with your real estate team to make sure you understand what can stay and what can go.
Our Anne Winch Real Estate Team has made it a bit easier for you if you do the following steps:
- Take a walk around your home and make a list of everything you want to take with you. You may want to replace any lighting fixtures that you want to take with you and replace them with another fixture before your home is open to the public.
- Appliances: Let your real estate team know when you are getting the listing ready by announcing whether appliances will be part of the deal when you are selling your home.
- Built-ins: For example, vanities, bookcases, and customized cabinets (such as refrigerator doors that match your kitchen cabinets) must stay with the sale of the property.
- Special items: Special hardwood flooring, clawfoot tubs and the like will have to stay with the sale of the home. You may have items you feel strongly about, but remember if you take items that are fixtures you have to replace them before you have viewings.
Make sure you have everything written up in your agreement to sell if you are taking specific curtains, outdoor furniture, wall-mounted TVs, and the like so there won’t be any confusion when you sell. Always have inclusions and exclusions listed in all your selling documents so everyone will be on the same page.
Your real estate team is your best ally when deciding how you write up your selling documents so that you decide what you want to keep. Sometimes it is not clearly written in a document about what goes with the house can cause undue stress on both the buyer and the seller. Many a real estate deal has been escalated by a feature in the home that both parties want and can also lead to the loss of a sale.
Our Anne Winch Real Estate Team is here with you every step of the way to negotiate on your behalf when you are selling or buying a home. Leave the art of negotiation to your real estate team. We are here to work for you and understand your maximum price range, what’s important to you, and what isn’t. We will then present you with an offer to purchase that you feel comfortable with and will also help you purchase the home you want.
Our Team would be proud to answer any of these questions or other questions you may have. It is very important for both parties to understand the wants and needs of the buyer/seller and also how the team can help you. We also offer free home staging which is included for every home we sell. Give us a call and find out how we are a different real estate team when it comes to buying or selling your home.