Novice Realtors Rush In Where Pro’s Fear to Tread “Never negotiate furniture.” “Never negotiate furniture.” “Never negotiate furniture.” “Never negotiate furniture.” Realtors who don’t know the above rule — or forget it — soon get the opportunity to (re)learn it. That’s because negotiating the sale of personal property, particularly furniture, can be more challenging than dealing...Read More
In the Middle Without Being In the Middle Most listing agents, myself included, take pains to avoid negotiating the sale of personal property. See, “And Repeat: ‘Never Negotiate Furniture.'” But that doesn’t mean I sidestep the issue altogether. When asked, I’m happy to provide Sellers with the names of reputable, local estate sale companies (yes,...Read More
Bottle Openers & Grand Pianos If fixtures were a function of size, the grand piano would stay with the home while the wall-mounted bottle opener would go. But they’re not (a function of size). Rather, whether or not something’s a fixture depends on whether it’s permanently attached to the home. Even then, Buyers’ and Sellers’...Read More
Avoiding Personal Property “Tug of War” The general rule in residential real estate is that fixtures stay, personal property goes. Which, I suppose, just begs the question: ‘what’s a fixture?’ (See, “How to Tell if Something is a Fixture“). But a good corollary is, “when in doubt, better to be explicit.” So, the Sellers in...Read More
No, this probably isn’t what people have in mind when they hear the term, “mobile home.” But what else would you call this Land Rover specially equipped with a roof-mounted tent? Intended for rougher environs, it keeps the mountains lions — and other wildlife — safely at bay. P.S.: Unbeknownst to most people, mobile homes...Read More
“The Moving Van Test” One of the friction points in a house sale can be what does — and doesn’t — come with the home. The general rule is that fixtures come with, personal property doesn’t. Which begs the question: what’s a fixture? Definition The standard definition is that a fixture is something that’s permanently...Read More
