Sellers: You Can't Take These Things With You

When selling a home, you often have a lot of decisions to make. One of those decisions has to do with what you leave behind and what you take with you to your new home. Many things, you can either take or leave depending on your own needs. However, there are a few things you cannot legally take with you when selling a home. Our REALTORS® would like to present you with a list of these items below.

• The Landscaping
  You may be tempted to dig up a prized rose bush or a specific hosta you really love, but if a plant was there when you listed the home, you have to leave it behind. The same goes for any hardscaping elements, such as built-in stairs, fountains, and handrails.
  
  
• Anything Anchored in the Ground
  You can generally take patio furniture, grills, and any other freestanding outdoor equipment with you. But if something is anchored to the ground, it has to stay. This means that you have to leave behind swingsets that are anchored into the ground, "permanent" fireplaces or fire pits, and fences.
  
  
• Light Fixtures
  Light fixtures, both interior and exterior, need to be left behind. If you have a favorite chandelier or a family heirloom light fixture that you want to take with you, then switch it out for a different fixture before you list the home for sale. Don't remove all the light bulbs from your home before moving, either. 
  
  
• Window Treatments
  Permanent window treatments, like blinds and shades, should always be left behind. The same goes for exterior window treatments, like shutters. The only window treatments you can take with you are fabric curtains, and even then, you are required to leave the curtain rods behind for the new owners.
  
  
• Cabinets and Storage Containers Anchored to the Walls or Floor
  It can sometimes be hard to determine which storage elements you can take with you and which you need to leave behind. Here's a good guiding principle: If it's anchored to the home, you need to leave it behind. This means most kitchen and bathroom cabinets and most mounted shelves should be left in the home. Freestanding units, like carts on wheels and chests of drawers, can be taken with you.
  
  
• Plumbing Add-Ons
  Any addition to your plumbing system, such as a water softener or a whole-house water filter, needs to be left behind unless your contract specifies that you'll take that equipment with you. When buyers look at a home, the fact that it has these systems in place can be the feature that convinces them to make an offer, which makes taking these items with you unfair.
  
  
• Anything Else That's Mounted or Bolted Down
  If there are any other items in your home that are bolted down or permanently mounted, you can generally assume they need to stay with the home. This applies to both interior and exterior items. For example, a basketball net that is bolted to your driveway should be left behind. A pegboard that is nailed to your garage wall generally needs to stay too.

Keep the information above in mind as you prepare to sell your home. If there are items on this list that you know you want to keep, ask your real estate agent about writing that into your sales contract, or consider removing the items before you list the home for sale.

Are you looking for Mansfield and Ashland homes for sale? Feel free to contact us. Our real estate agents would be happy to guide you through the buying or selling process.