7 Items To Leave Behind On Moving Day

It’s moving day! All the things have been packed and the moving truck is ready to go. Did you pack everything from the house? I hope not as there are items that you can and can’t take with you on your move.

While furniture and other personal items are sure to go with you, there are things that are part of the sale, unless they were excluded and agreed upon by both parties when the contract has been signed and accepted.

Appliances

You just recently bought top-of-the-line appliances a few weeks ago in anticipation on bringing them to the new home that you will buy after the sale of your home. Should you take them? Definitely NOT. This is part of the sale unless it was excluded at the time of listing. If you really like your appliances, remove and replace them PRIOR to putting them on MLS and before the pictures are taken for the brochures. Thinking of excluding them? Think again — homes without appliances tend to not go well with buyers as this is another major expense they have to think of that they might not have budgeted for.

Window Treatments

Contemplating on taking the custom window treatment that you just spent a fortune on? Good for you – it helped sell your home and has to be left to the new homeowners to enjoy. Items that needs tools to detach from the house are called fixtures and has to stay, such as blinds, shutters, curtain rods, etc. If you decide to exclude them on the sale, you have to ensure that the damage to the wall has been repaired, patched and painted to match the current décor and it is stated in the contract.

Landscaping

Flowers, shrubs, trees and plants that are on your plant beds stay with the house including that beautiful water fountain that you cherished through the years. Potted plants can be taken with you. Rule of thumb is that if you have to dig it to take it, it is staying, unless it was previously agreed on to be removed. And yes, it happened!

Light Fixtures.

As the name suggests, it is a fixture and MUST stay in the house. This goes with the light bulbs, although it can be easily removed.

Attached Furniture and Mirrors

This refers to the mirrors, vanity cabinets and over-the-toilet furniture if it is affixed to the wall by nails or screws. Yes, attached walk-in closet wardrobe furniture has to stay as well.

Wall-mounted Bracket for TV

While this can be negotiated to be excluded from the sale, if you decided to remove it, it is your responsibility to repair the damage to the wall.

Outdoor Fixtures Attached to the Yard

This refers to the tool shed, greenhouse, clubhouse, gazebo, light pole, bird house, basketball hoops, above-ground pool and accessories if it is attached by screws, nails or cemented to the ground.

Rule of thumb is that if you need tools to remove it, it is most likely a fixture and should stay in the house. If it is something precious, remove it PRIOR to listing as sometimes, the smallest detail is what makes or breaks the sale of the house. especially if the buyer has fallen in love with it too.
Be clear about the things you will keep and exclude, in other words, put it in writing. The safest thing to do is NEVER put it out in the open in the first place.

Some items like extra freezer, BBQ, electric fireplace, etc, although removable should be explicitly excluded for the same reason as above, unless you want to leave it for the new homeowner to enjoy. If you decided to leave it, ensure that the buyer knows in case the buyer has other plans already.

Do you have other questions that were not answered by this post? Please comment it below. If you have moving experience that you want to share, please write it here and I will be glad to share it on another post.