When the Furniture is Included in a Property Sale
Posted on May 16, 2012 12:00pm PDT
Sometimes, a family that is eager to move will sell their home with all the furniture included. This cuts on moving costs, and allows them to get rid of bulky items they don't want in their next home. According to the New York Times, this is often a sweet deal: the buyers get a home they don't need to furnish and the sellers don't need to move all of their property elsewhere. Many people look for houses with furniture included, so that they can move in and have all the comforts of home waiting for them. Yet in this economy, selling your home with furniture included isn't as simple as tacking extra dollars onto the purchasing price.
According to realtors, furniture is worth a whole lot less than it used to be, and it's not easy to add furniture onto a home purchase. Normally, the sale of the furniture is a separate financial transaction. This is because the bank will not offer a mortgage that covers the furniture. On most resale contracts where gear is included, the document will say something like "furniture is included at no additional costs and no warranty." That way when the home is purchased none of these assets are entangled in the document.
After the home has been acquired, the buyer and seller can negotiate a price for all of the assets left inside. One real estate associate says that most lenders in today's world are not going to loan for furniture. He explains that he offers furnished houses, and subtracts the $175,000 for the furnishings and subtracts that from the asking price. In some places, it is possible to get financing on the furniture, but this is not universal. In some markets the furniture is itemized in an appraisal. This makes it so that arrangement financing is limited to the few leaders who are working with the project.
A realtor is not involved in the furniture sale, because the items are personal property. Therefore, only the previous owner of the home can sell something like this. If you attempt to sell furniture and find that your buyers do not wish to purchase it, then you can always add the properties into a "broom swept" deal. At this point, the furniture will be left in the home without any charges added. In some states, the government may collect sales tax for the furniture transactions. When a buyer refuses to deal with the furniture, this can spark a debate. The best way to get rid of unwanted furniture is through garage sales or donations. Many times people will collect your pieces and they will not be a worry any more.
It is very important to determine the value of the furniture in the home, compared to what the buyer has asked for it. Sometimes people may try to cheat you out of money by tossing in "free" furniture and bolstering their asking price. Have an appraiser come inspect the home if you are concerned. Certain markets are more interested in furnished homes. For example, first-time homeowners are often looking for homes that they can put their decorating stamp on, and don't want to conform to someone else's furniture choices. Yet investors will use pre-furnished homes as rental units for a profit; it is convenient to choose a home that has all of the furnishings, because renters are able to benefit, and the landlord can heighten the rental asking price. People who are buying a second home or a vacation destination may also want to purchase their houses furnished. If you have more questions about furniture-included property sales, contact a real estate lawyer.