When you sell your home in Macomb County, your buyers will expect certain things to remain behind – like the stove. But what else stays behind when you sell your home? This guide explains.
What Stays Behind When You Sell Your Home?
Generally, anything that is affixed to your home is officially a part of it. That means it stays with the home after you sell. As a general rule, if it’s bolted, nailed or otherwise attached, it’s considered a fixture. Fixtures are legally supposed to stay with the home when it changes owners. That’s true whether the item is:
- In the kitchen
- Part of the landscaping
- Anchored in the ground outdoors
- Mounted to your walls or hanging from your ceiling
On the other hand, personal property can go with you when you leave. Personal property is anything that’s not considered part of the home.
Here’s a closer look at common fixtures (and what has to stay in place when you sell).
Fixtures in the Kitchen
Usually, if an appliance is hard-wired to your home’s utilities or is bolted down in your kitchen, it’s considered a fixture. Think about how your oven is connected to your gas lines, your dishwasher is connected to your water lines, and your built in microwave is attached beneath your cabinets. These are all fixtures. However, your portable toaster oven, baby bottle washer and blender are not hard-wired to your home – so they’re personal property, and buyers shouldn’t expect to get them as part of the deal.
Related: Do you need to prepare for an appraisal?
Fixtures That Are Part of the Landscaping
generally speaking, things that are planted in the ground remain with the home. You can’t dig up a tree from the backyard and take it to your new home without prior agreement from the prospective buyer; likewise, you can’t take up all the flowerbeds or other landscaping components. Additionally, if you have a water feature, such as a fountain, that’s connected to your outdoor plumbing system, in most likely has to stay in place when you sell.
Fixtures Anchored in the Ground Outdoors
Fences, gazebos and basketball hoops embedded in concrete are fixtures. However, a portable children’s playhouse, a basketball hoop that isn’t stuck in the ground and a fire bowl are considered personal property. The key here is being anchored in the ground.
Related: 7 kitchen staging tips that make your home irresistible to buyers
Fixtures Mounted to Your Walls or Hanging From Your Ceiling
Light fixtures, mirrors, built in shelves and other items that are mounted to your walls or hanging from your ceiling are considered fixtures. (Mirrors that are hung from walls like photos, as well as shelves you nailed to the wall, are personal property.) There’s a bit of a gray area when it comes to television mounts, so if you have one, that’s something you should talk to your real estate agent about.
What if You Want to Take a Fixture With You?
Usually, when a buyer makes an offer on a home, they’re offering to purchase the home with all its fixtures. If there’s a fixture that you want to take with you, you should remove it before you list your home for sale. Replace it with something else so that the buyer doesn’t assume you’re leaving it behind. In some cases, it is possible to let prospective buyers know ahead of time that you’ll be keeping certain items – but you can avoid all the possible headaches by simply removing the fixtures you wish to take to your new home before anyone comes to see your current home.
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