What to Leave Behind When You Sell Real Estate in Portsmouth
So you are planning to sell your residential real estate in Portsmouth, moving to another location can be a fun and exciting time. However, since it is nearly impossible to take all your belongings with you, you will definitely leave some items behind. Maybe that sofa in the living room is too large for your new home. In that case, leaving it behind is definitely a better option than taking it with you. If it is a nice piece, the new owner of the home will be grateful for the gift. There are also certain items that you have to leave behind even if you don’t want to. When you sell residential real estate in Portsmouth, things that will be taken or left behind might become a matter of dispute between the buyer and the seller.
What to leave behind
Generally speaking, you are not supposed to take wall fixtures with you. These are the items that are attached to the home permanently. That means you cannot remove them without disfiguring or ruining the walls, ceiling, porch, fencing, and garden etc. Fixtures are part of the sale. Can’t decide whether an item is a fixture or not? See if you can remove it with your bare hands. Any item that cannot be removed without a tool is a fixture. Examples of fixtures include ceiling fans, light fixtures, pool, and lawn etc.
What to take
Items that can be easily disconnected, removed, or unhooked with your bare hands are considered as your personal property. Feel free to take them with you. Personal property is not part of the sale of real estate in Portsmouth. But sometimes there may be items that you want to leave behind even if they aren’t fixtures. In this case, you can gift them or negotiate a deal with the buyer. Furniture, potted plants, free-standing appliances, and photos are considered personal property.
Grey areas
While these distinctions sound obvious, problems may still arise. Of course, most sellers wouldn’t rip out kitchen cabinets, but at least some of them dig out full grown plants or pull down heirloom chandeliers, even though they are aware that these are fixtures and removing them violate the terms and conditions of the sale. Some homeowners simply can’t part with items they treasure in spite of the legalities involved.
Personal property converted into a fixture may also cause problems. The owner may have nailed or screwed items that are individually acquired to the home/yard. This attachment creates a fixture and often becomes the bone of contention between the buyer and the seller when it comes to real estate in Portsmouth.
Window treatment like curtain rods, shutters, blinds, and shades are usually considered fixtures. But other adornments like curtains, sheers, valances, and liners come off easily and fall within the definition of personal property.
If you are not sure whether you can take an item with you, ask your agent. Even if they can’t give a conclusive answer, they can discuss the object with the buyer’s agent and ensure that your interests are included in the purchase contract. If you are really keen on taking a fixture with you, remove it before showing the real estate in Portsmouth.