What Stays With the House When You Sell

It's difficult enough negotiating a home sale without adding controversy over my stuff/your stuff. While you know ahead of time that you plan to remove your vintage chandelier and double-door refrigerator, the person falling in love with your home isn't considering what it will look like without those features.

A University of Pennsylvania study, "Emotions in Real Estate Negotiations, " concluded that there's often an emotional component to home sale negotiations. The process of sorting out what goes and what stays can be one of the emotional triggers. When it occurs, it can slow down the negotiation process.

Our REALTORS® understand that possessions can complicate your negotiations, but there are ways to avoid it. Here are a few ideas to consider before you butt heads with a buyer over the things you refuse to leave behind.

Remove your stuff before you list

Take everything you want before you take listing photos and open your home to potential buyers. This will work only if you fill the obviously empty spaces and don't leave damage behind. A buyer can't miss, stress over, or argue about items they didn't know existed.

Get it straight ahead of time

If your photos show a fabulous chandelier, it may be the one thing that brought a buyer to your home in the first place. If you intend to keep it or any other attached item, make sure your REALTOR® knows. They can minimize the chance of controversy by explaining it in your listing.

Include it in your negotiations

The above UP study described an instance where a buyer refused to settle at closing because the seller removed two mirrors from the high-end condo he'd purchased. They finally resolved the issue by negotiating a price for the missing mirrors.

Understand what's reasonable and customary

In general, you should leave permanently attached items behind. That's anything that takes effort and sometimes tools to remove and may leave damage behind.

• Hard-Wired Items
  If you have an alarm system, security cameras, smoke detectors or other items wired into your electrical system, you should consider these items permanently attached and leave them behind.
  
  This standard can seem unclear when considering a wall-mounted TV. In general, if removing the TV or any other item damages the wall, it's "permanently attached." You should leave it behind unless the buyer doesn't want it. Of course, this doesn't apply to satellite dishes, antennas, or other equipment owned by a service provider.
  
  
• Fixtures
  A fixture is an item such as permanently installed or mounted curtain rods, coat racks, lights, decor, or other items. Fixture removal will likely diminish a room's appearance and leave behind damage, a discolored area, or a noticeably empty space. If a buyer sees it as part of the house, be prepared to negotiate or leave it behind.
  
  
• Built-in items
  Permanently attached bookshelves, appliances, or any other built-in items are deemed a part of the house. Unless you negotiate their removal, it's reasonable for a buyer to expect these items to remain in place.
  
  
• Landscaping
  No, you can't take the trees or any of those other fabulous flowers and shrubs, even if you only planted them to add curb appeal so you could sell your home.
  
  

Let Us Help

Marketing your home can be a complicated process. It's important to have a real estate professional to help you sort with the details from listing to closing. Contact us and our real estate experts will provide additional information about buying or selling a home.