When you’re house searching, it can be easy to focus on the home’s design scheme — whether it’s your taste or not. However, many items that lend to the home’s overall look and feel are its fixtures. These items are physically attached to the house but can also be swapped out. The home’s fixtures typically stay with the property during the buying and selling process. However, there can sometimes be confusion about what stays and what does not. Read on to learn more about what qualifies in a fixture and if it will remain with the home.
Items that are attached to the house
Items that are nailed, mounted, or bolted to the house, typically stay in the property post-sale unless the contract indicates that these items will leave with the seller. These items include built-in furniture, TV mounts, exterior fences and storage sheds, among other things. So, as a buyer, if there is an item you want, it’s important to negotiate this in the contract.
Exterior landscaping
All exterior landscaping must stay on the property, and the seller can’t dig up any trees, shrubbery, or flowers before moving. In addition, if a particular plant has sentimental value for its sellers, they must indicate that this is coming with them in the contract.
Exterior recreational accessories
Items secured to the ground, such as a basketball hoop, pergola, or putting green, are all part of the house and can’t be removed by the seller without the buyer’s consent. For example, a swing set attached to the ground is also part of the house, and free-standing swing sets are an item that the buyer and seller must negotiate as part of the offer process.
Light fixtures
Light fixtures are either a practical necessity or an integral decorative element. Unless it’s specifically indicated in the contract, all light fixtures must stay in the house. This also means the seller can’t swap light fixtures before moving out. The light fixtures in the property when the offer was made are the light fixtures that need to remain in the house through closing.
Window treatments
Custom window treatments are a significant investment. However, regardless of how much they cost, they are a fixture of the house and must remain. Likewise, curtain rods, blinds, shutters, or shades must stay in the home. An exception is curtains that hang on a rod and can easily slide off.
Appliances
Not all appliances are included in the home sale. The appliances that are physically attached to the property, such as HVAC units and other appliances that require tools to remove, are included. Appliances that are not physically secured, such as refrigerators, washers, and dryers, may go with the seller. However, negotiating these fixtures is always an option.
