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What, that wasn't included in the sale of the home?

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Real Estate Agent with Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055 PA License - AB067198

Things vary from state to state, and it is never good to presume something is included if it is not in writing. You do not suddenly want to have to find the money for something you thought was included. As you can see in this photo below from a Pennsylvania agreement of sale, a lot of things are included, but some things are not. In the agreement below we added the refrigerator.

Agreement of sale inclusions

In some countries, especially in Europe, kitchens are not included and owners remove all the cabinets and reuse them in the next home. Can you imagine turning up to find the kitchen gone? I know with some short sales we discovered owners had removed appliances and copper piping.

Generally, in Pennsylvania, anything viewed as a fixture, attached to the wall is included. However this includes curtain rods and blinds but not curtains. It is always worth asking what is included and what is not.

I always tell owners who are selling, if they have a family heirloom, such as a chandelier that has been passed down through the family, to remove it and replace it ahead of listing the house, so that it does not become an issue with a buyer who falls in love with it.

With the advent of wall mounted TVs the mounting hardware has become a fixture that is expected to be included in the sale.

Going back to kitchens, refrigerators, freezers, are generally not considered included unless added as part of the agreement. However, stoves, stove tops and ovens are included. I believe that many mortgage providers will not give a mortgage without these in the house. Likewise, washers and dryers are generally not included unless made part of the agreement of sale.

If you read through the long list of items that are included you will see that shrubs, trees etc. are included, so before a seller removes that rare example of a certain color azalea they need to exclude it from the sale or agree to replace it before the listing. You do not want to arrive at the final walkthrough to find an empty yard when it was all flowering shrubs when you viewed the home.

In Pennsylvania, and especially where I work along the Main Line and Chester County, I always make sure we put everything in writing as required by the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission. If a homeowner mentions something we put it in writing so that there are no nasty surprises later.

Buying or selling along the Main Line and Chester County, contact Nick Vandekar with Realty ONE Group Advocates, office 484-237-2055, cell or text 610-203-4543, or email Nick@VandekarTeam.com, my goal is for you to have the confidence to make the right decisions throughout the transaction. So, contact me today and let's sit down and discuss your goals and make sure we are a good fit to work together.

Posted by

Nick Vandekar
Nick is a Tredyffrin Easttown Residential and Commercial REALTOR selling The Main Line, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties.

Giving you the confidence to make
the right decisions.

225 W Uwchlan Ave
Downingtown , PA 19335
Office 484-237-2055
SellingTheMainLine.com
Mobile: (610) 203-4543 [call or text me]
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If you are buying or selling on or around
Tredyffrin Easttown or along the Main Line, 
I can help you, contact me.

Comments(20)

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Lew Corcoran
Better Living Real Estate, LLC - East Bridgewater, MA
Expert guidance. Exceptional results.

Thank you, Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543, for illuminating the often-overlooked details about what is included in a home sale. Your expertise is invaluable in helping buyers and sellers navigate these complexities and avoid unexpected surprises.

Jan 06, 2025 10:10 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Real Estate Broker

HI Nick... this issue of what is or isn't a fixture became so contentious in North Carolina, our contracts now spell them out in great detail!

Jan 06, 2025 10:13 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

This is good information to share with prospective home buyers.

Have a productive week.

Jan 06, 2025 10:36 AM
Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543
Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055 - Downingtown, PA
Selling the Main Line & Chester County

Lew Corcoran people always seem surprised, as sellers that they were not allowed to remove something, it is ours...., or as buyers presuming it is staying. Putting everything in writing and going over this with both sellers and buyers makes sure there are no surprises.

Nina Hollander, Broker as you can see from our paragraph in the agreement of sale after multiple lawsuits lots of things are spelled out. But, you know, people still do not read, which is why I reiterate to both buyers and sellers ask and let's put it in writing so everyone knows.

Roy Kelley I want to avoid surprises, and make sure clients understand the process and make the right decisions.

Jan 06, 2025 10:49 AM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good afternoon Nick,

A good topic because with real estate differing from state to state you can't take for granted what stays and what doesn't. In Texas our contracts SPELL out everything so there is no excuse for not knowing. Just read the contract and you will know!

Jan 06, 2025 02:07 PM
Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff. Cell: 631-805-4400
The Top Team @ Charles Rutenberg Realty 255 Executive Dr, Plainview NY 11803 - Plainview, NY
Long Island Condo and Home Specialists

Very surprised to read about some European homes do not include the kitchen cabinets Nick. I've heard appliances not being included, but kitchen cabinets?

Jan 06, 2025 02:08 PM
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Nick, those chandeliers can be a sticky point, and best to remove them before photos if a homeowner wants to keep them.   Included and excluded does need to be spelled out very clearly to ensure all parties are on the same page.

Jan 06, 2025 02:38 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Nick, you can't assume, can you?!  I staged a bank-owned property (a 2 million dollar property) that was missing all bathroom mirrors and light fixtures. The seating in the theatre room and the bars in the closets had been removed.  I love the suggestion of removing special light fixtures, etc that you want to take before you list it. 

Jan 06, 2025 06:53 PM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Nick - there are plentiful reasons why one does not assume in real estate or in everyday life.  Ass-u-me.   

Jan 07, 2025 04:00 AM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

Our contract template has similar verbiage and the rule of thumb is that if it is attached to the home, it conveys with the home, but if it is not attached, it does not convey.

Jan 07, 2025 04:54 AM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

What is or isn't included in a sale really needs to be spelled out in black and white. Otherwise there are bound to be issues!

Jan 07, 2025 05:09 AM
Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543
Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055 - Downingtown, PA
Selling the Main Line & Chester County

Dorie Dillard Austin TX that is the problem for most people they do not read what they are signing.

Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff. Cell: 631-805-4400 I also was surprised to hear that when I learnt about it. But, it seems quite common in southern Europe.

Joan Cox exactly, and everyone reading the notes and understanding what is and is not included.

Kathy Streib that does not surprise me, bank owned properties often have items removed by previous owners and the bank has no interest in refitting the house.

Jan 07, 2025 05:42 AM
Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543
Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055 - Downingtown, PA
Selling the Main Line & Chester County

Michael Jacobs exactly.

Brian England that rule of thumb is what I generally tell clients, but then reiterate if there is something that is special to them remove it before hand or if a buyer let's add it to the contract.

Kat Palmiotti there are still issues as people do not read even when spelled out.

Jan 07, 2025 05:44 AM
Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543  here in California, like your part of the world everything that is attached to the wall stays. Appliances need to be itemized as to what stays and what goes. Needless to say when I represent a buyer we make the list and include it with the offer. Nevertheless, I also remind the listing side that not to glance over, if you do not want then counter it out with a counter offer .... then at the end five or six days before closing we inspect and make sure everything is staying per contract.... generally continuous nagging assures what supposed to stay stays and what is supposed to go goes....Endre

Jan 08, 2025 08:49 PM
Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543
Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055 - Downingtown, PA
Selling the Main Line & Chester County

Endre Barath, Jr. I learnt to nag as well once I got into real estate, it makes sure everything gets done on time and things are as you expect them to be.

Jan 09, 2025 06:35 AM
Patricia Feager
Flower Mound, TX

Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543 - it is good you published what is and what isn't included in the purchase of residential property. I had to be very specific in details and it had to be written out on a form called "Non-Realty Items." For example, refrigerators were always interesting. To be sure it wasn't switched out by an older one or an appliance that the buyer wasn't expecting, if I could get the serial numbers, I had to include that too. 

Jan 09, 2025 07:04 AM
Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543
Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055 - Downingtown, PA
Selling the Main Line & Chester County

I have never recorded serial numbers, that is being very specific and I have never thought sellers would do something like that, but obviously there are some out there who are unscrupulous.

Jan 09, 2025 07:08 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Jan 11, 2025 06:51 PM
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Oswego, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Good morning Nick. Best if all that is desired is in writing. Litigation looks only to the four corners of the contract. Enjoy your day.

Jan 12, 2025 08:11 AM
June Piper-Brandon
Coldwell Banker Realty - Baltimore, MD
Creating Generational Wealth Through Homeownership

It's so important to take note of what is and isn't included in the sale, and as a listing agent, it's so important to make sure the seller discloses what is staying and that the crystal chandalier in the dining room that belonged to the sellers grandmother is not included in the sale - better still, if it isn't included replace it before a buyer falls in love with it.

Jan 12, 2025 06:46 PM