The Real Estate Browser Volume 8, Issue 8 | Page 8

8 — Say you saw it in The Real Estate Browser of Lynchburg — Volume 8 Number 8 www.LynchburgRealEstateBrowser.com But What About All This Stuff? by Dan Vollmer, Associate Broker, ReMax 1st Olympic When you buy a house, you are truly buying REAL ESTATE - which is different from personal property. Personal property is the ‘stuff ’ contained in (or in some instances ON) the real property. So in a traditional transaction, anything ‘attached to’ the real property conveys with the sale - unless other- wise stated in the listing or the contract. And folks will exclude everything from a chande- lier that has been in the family for decades, to antique rose bushes or other prized plantings. It runs the gamut. In the majority of cases, the main items of concern are the appliances, specifically those in the kitchen. And most sellers will offer (in the MLS) to convey the stove, microwave (if its attached) and the dishwasher. The refrigerator, since its moveable - and also the most expen- sive - is often kept by the sellers and taken to their new home. In some cases, they do offer to convey it as well. Then there’s the washer and dryer. Most folks take those too, although some offer them as an incentive to buyers. This is especially helpful if the likely buyer of the home is a first time home buyer. They are usually putting all their available cash into the closing costs and down payment, so if they can save on having to buy a washer and dryer, that does sweeten the deal. The next thing buyers will specify are the blinds, drapes and curtain rods. Since blinds are physically attached to the property, they are considered to convey. Same thing with curtain rods - although if they are custom or expen- sive, sometimes sellers will try to make off with them. Drapes are a gray area. Technically, they aren’t literally attached, so they can be removed. But often times if the drapes are cus- tom designed to fit the specific windows of a particular home, they won’t be of any use to the sellers in a new home, so they’ll stay too. Ultimately its best to be as specific as pos- sible to avoid confusion. One other thing to keep in mind: the information in the MLS, including what stays and what goes, is essen- tially an ‘offer’ from the person selling the home. But it is NOT a contract between the seller and buyer, so don’t simply rely on the MLS listing for what conveys. Spell it out in the contract to be certain everyone is in agree- ment. So if you are selling a home, make sure any- thing you want to keep for yourself is specifi- cally noted in your listing agreement and the MLS listings. And if you are buying a home in the near future, make sure anything you want left with the house is similarly itemized. Questions, comments, or have an idea for a future article? Email me at dan@DanVollmer. com.