Your partner and you are buying a home together and as you tour different properties, it begins to become clear that there are some things you really don’t like and other things that you absolutely love. This brings to the forefront the concern about what it is you are buying. You might have seen a home that has a few things which you simply can’t live without but certainly don’t want to buy individually. Whatever these items are, you start to question what actually comes with your purchase.

In general, most fixtures will come with the home you and your partner buy. That being stated, there are other items which might not be in the house when you move-in. Your purchase offer might stipulate many things, but what it omits, might well be an open invitation for the seller to take with him or her. Of course, not everything you see when you tour a home will still be there after closing day.

Things which Don’t Always Come with a Home Purchase

There are some items which sellers routinely take with them. Aside from personal effects, you might discover that other items don’t remain behind. These can include things such as major appliances, window treatments, decorative light fixtures, and even some landscaping items. Though these might be a perfect fit for the property, the seller may decide that these and other items will go with him or her.

“Buyers must diligently compare the listing agreement inclusions and exclusions at the initial home inspection and immediately raise an issue about any discrepancies. Buyers may, with the seller’s consent, wish to photograph the home inside and out on the date of contract to confirm what appliances, lighting fixtures and built-ins existed on that date.” —Washington Post

Of course, you should expect the furniture and personal items to be taken but in some instances, the seller intentionally leaves behind certain things which would normally not be left in a home. These include furniture and decor, which some sellers opt to leave behind to reduce their moving costs or because they plan on purchasing new items.

Items that Typically Remain with a Home Purchase

Items which are typically sold with a home are those which you and your partner would ordinarily and rightfully expect. Ideally, what you and your partner ought to do is to make a list of things you’d like to remain with the home in your purchase offer. The other items which aren’t specifically requested to be sold with the home are as follows:

• Appliances. In general, appliances stay in a home, but the seller doesn’t necessarily have an obligation to leave major appliances behind. To ensure that nifty range stays in the home when you move-in be sure to get it all in writing. Though sellers do routinely leave some appliances behind, particularly in the kitchen, that wall mounted flat screen television isn’t necessarily among the items the seller will leave in the home.
• Fixtures. As a general rule, whatever is fixed to the home stays with it after it sells. This includes things such as built-in bookcases and shelves, bathroom vanities, windows, doors, and even landscaping. However, a seller might just take with him or here those wonderful window treatments or those beautiful rose bushes.
• Landscaping. Most landscaping features will likely remain with the home when you and your partner move-in. However, don’t expect the tools and materials the seller used to create such a lovely outdoor space to be waiting for you when you take possession.

There are other items which can be taken or left behind, such as a storage shed, spa, and other things. Creature comforts that aren’t affixed the property are all able to be taken by the seller. The best thing you and your partner can do is to explicitly put in writing what stays and what can go.