When you sell your home, some things are clearly part of the home and going to the new owner. Like the doors. But there are other things that really aren’t as obvious. Can you keep your light fixtures? Is it okay to take your wall-mounted mirror? What should you do when selling your home when it comes to household stuff? Here’s some guidance on what transfers hands at a home sale:
It’s fairly standard that the new owner gets anything built-in, like shelves or benches that are part of the room. Also anything that’s custom-made to fit the home, like custom curtains, shutters, or blinds. Any landscaping or plants on the property should stay. Also smoke detectors and sprinkler systems.
Don’t take with you anything that you have to damage the home to remove, like some TV mounts. Leave your built-in alarm system, but be sure to cancel the service or transfer it into the new owner’s name.
The things that are yours to keep generally fall into the category of “your belongings” and are things that don’t seem to be part of the house. This includes patio furniture, kitchen tools, rugs, basic window coverings, and items that are considered decor. Taking these things along to your new residence is the standard thing to do when selling your home.
Really, anything can be negotiable- if the seller and the buyer agree, that’s all that matters. You can offer to include or choose to exclude things while trying to strike a deal if you like. Some things don’t have strong defaults for who gets them in a home sale. This includes light fixtures, which people can be pretty flexible about. Also appliances are something that new buyers often want or expect, but you’re not required to leave with the home. Make sure you’re on the same page about these things.
