Selling a house can be a tricky business, but we at JW Wood Estate Agents are here to help clarify things. When you move out, it's essential to know what can come with you and what needs to stay behind.

What Must Stay with a House When It’s Sold?

Deciding what stays with your home after it’s sold can be tricky. Some items are obvious, like your furniture, but what about the mailbox with your children’s handprints or the fancy showerhead in the master bath? As a general rule, if it’s attached and requires a tool to remove, it stays. This includes major kitchen appliances, washers and dryers, cabinets, bathroom vanities, built-in bookshelves, and even window treatments like blinds and shutters. For items you want to take, such as a special chandelier, either replace them before listing your home or specify in the sale contract.

Here are some general guidelines:

• Anything bolted down: Includes major kitchen appliances, cabinets, and built-in bookshelves.
• Light fixtures: If you plan to take a chandelier, replace it before showing the home or state it in the sale agreement. There must be a working fixture in place.
• Window treatments: Blinds, shutters, and curtain rods should stay. Curtains can usually be taken if they just slide off the rod, but check with your agent.
• Landscaping: Your peach tree, raised garden bed, and tulip bulbs must stay unless specified otherwise. Even outdoor fixtures anchored into the ground, like a gazebo or swing set, need to stay.

Buyers might be forgiving about sentimental items, but it's best not to rely on that. Always clarify with your real estate agent to avoid headaches later.

What Happens if You Take Something That Was Supposed to Stay?

Taking something that should have stayed can surprise buyers during their final walk-through. Ideally, the item can be returned, or an agreement can be reached where the seller compensates the buyer. However, it could delay closing or even lead to a lawsuit. It's not worth risking the biggest transaction of your life for something easily replaced.

What Else Can You Leave?

When you hand over your keys, the home should be empty. Leaving items you think might be useful, like appliance manuals, extra light bulbs, extra pieces of tile, cans of paint, or HVAC filters, can be helpful, but always check with your agent first. It might also be a nice gesture to leave some toilet paper and soap in one bathroom.

Bottom Line

When in doubt about what you can take when you sell your home, always ask your agent. We can communicate with the buyer’s agent and work out an agreement. If there’s something you desperately want to take, get it excluded from the sale as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the buyer’s final walk-through to sort these details out.

For any questions or further guidance, please just give us a shout, we're here to ensure a smooth and successful sale for you.

Adapted from Bankrate