I'm in negotiation on a property this weekend on a Rio Rancho Home. When I showed my buyer clients the house we noticed that there were for "For Sale" tags on many of the pieces of furniture. I didn't think much of this until later, when we were starting to negotiate, when my buyers wanted to ask for some of the furniture to be included in the offer to purchase.
The sellers do have some nice furniture, and for whatever reason they don't want to take it with them where they are going, but I insisted that we needed to keep it out of the contract.
In fact, I wanted to keep it out of negotiations entirely, and we did until the final counteroffer (#3). Then, at my clients insistance, we asked verbally if they would please consider leaving the patio set behind. It turns out the seller was fine with doing so.
Why shouldn't you include the patio furniture or other personal items on an offer to purchase? Well, lenders and underwriters hate to see that on purchase agreements. Why? They don't like the idea of you financing a washer and dryer for thirty years!
Another good reason is that it muddies the waters. Keep your focus and negoiate on the things that really matter-the purchase price, the closing date, who pays which closing costs, etc. (Of course if you are a cash poor first time home buyer maybe a fridge, washer or dryer does make a big difference).
Lastly, I've seen this really irritate sellers before especially in a market like we currently have here in Albuquerque. "They're going to low-ball us and ask for the bedroom set???"
Keep your offer simple, don't clutter it up with personal property, unless you absolutely have to have it!
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