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May
21
21
What to Leave When You Sell Your Home
When the deal is nearly done, you're ready to move, and it's time to start packing, the last thing you want is a conflict with the buyer over what is included in the purchase of the home. Understanding what to keep and what to leave behind will make your life easier when it's time to move while helping to avoid last-minute conflicts with your buyer. Our real estate agents are here to help you prepare, with a guide to what says, what goes, and how to make sure the buyer knows exactly what they're getting.
Figuring Out What to Do with Your Stuff When Selling a Home
- Is It Built-In?
One general guideline for deciding what stays and goes is whether the item is "attached" to the home. So items like built-in bookshelves, wall mounts, alarm systems, hard-wired electronics, and custom home features will likely be staying with the home. In addition to being a positive for the buyer, leaving these items has the practical benefit of avoiding the often tricky process of uninstalling and moving them. - What About Appliances?
While not every appliance is technically built into the house, there are some appliances that buyers will typically expect you to leave behind. However, this is a matter of negotiation, so there is room to discuss the matter with your buyer. Refrigerators and microwaves that are built into the home will typically stay, while washers and dryers are often left to the seller's discretion. - Understanding Exclusions and Making a List
Exclusions are items in the home that you will not be leaving behind for the seller when they move in, so it's important to balance what you want to keep with what it will take to get the home sold. In other words, you can keep the important stuff, but too many exclusions may be enough to turn off the buyer. So consider carefully what you want to keep, what you're ready to give away, and which items will be open to negotiation. It's especially important to make sure you note any attached items that you'll be taking since those are often the items that the buyer expects you to leave behind. - Always Make Your Choices Clear to the Buyer
The two primary concerns when deciding what to bring with you are what you want, and what the buyer expects you to leave behind. In order to avoid any unpleasant surprises, it's a good idea to make your exclusions list available so that the buyer knows what they can expect to be in the house when they move in. Even if the buyer would rather keep some of the items on your exclusion list, letting them know what to expect ahead of time makes it much easier to negotiate. - Set Aside Emotional Attachments
While you'll naturally want to keep items with great personal and emotional significance, you don't want to be too attached to less important items just because they've been in your home for a long time. Try to take a step back, think about which items are truly important to you, and consider where you're willing to compromise in order to reach an agreement with the buyer.
Whether you're still searching for a buyer or you're working on deciding what comes with you when you make a sale, our knowledgeable real estate team is here to help. Contact Cressy & Everett Real Estate for all of your real estate needs from South Bend to Southwest Michigan.
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