When you find the house you love and want to purchase, if there is something you want included in the purchase, tell your agent. Be prepared to pay an additional amount for anything the seller did not include in the purchase price.
1) Appliances
Not all home purchases include major appliances. if you want the expensive stainless steel appliances you see in the home when you tour it, be sure to put it in writing. Name the appliance by brand and model in your offer, such as the Samsung French Door Refrigerator with the ‘Convertible Zone,’ or you may end up with no refrigerator.
2) Drapes, Curtains and Blinds
Although the custom in most markets is to leave all window coverings with the new owner, in some instances there are custom-made decorative drapes the home seller might exclude from the sale if nothing is said. If drapes are important to you, be sure to have your agent specify ‘existing window coverings’ in writing.
3) Personal Property
Seldom does personal property stay with the house. If there is a chair, mirror or table you believe fits the house perfectly, make a purchase offer to the seller. If your offer is accepted, have your real estate agent put it in writing.
4) Smart and Flat Screen Television Sets
The home you want to purchase may have a big-screen television mounted on the wall with no visible wires, but don’t expect it to be left for you to enjoy. The expensive mounting brackets also belong to the seller unless you are able to negotiate a deal. Any agreements to purchase items in a home must be put in writing. There are many stories of buyers not getting something they expected because it wasn’t in writing.
5) Buying a Foreclosure Home
Usually you are buying a home ‘as is’ when it is in foreclosure, and the previous owners may remove the bathroom and kitchen fixtures, lights, drapes and anything else they can take before vacating the home. Know what you are getting and how much you will have to replace.
Having all of the ‘wanted item’ inclusions detailed in writing can eliminate some of the headaches of buying a home, and you can go to your closing knowing you are getting everything you and the seller agreed upon.