Buying or selling property in Spain, is very different to that of the U.K., and sometimes what a seller may think is standard procedure there, is not so, here. When selling a resale home, it is customary to leave all white goods, i.e. fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, etc. together with all light fittings and ceiling fans, even if you are selling as “unfurnished.”
When your home comes to the market for sale, you should always have an inventory list filled out ready to hand over to the buyer. It is much easier on everyone if the items you are including in your sale, are clearly written down. You will be grateful you did this later, as there is a fine line between, what are classed as personal effects, to the regular items.
Even if you have taken a dislike to your buyer, you can’t replace the fixtures with something else, “No likey, no lighty” will not work here!
If you have the intention of removing any fixtures, you should change them BEFORE you list your property for sale. That way the buyer won’t have any unpleasant surprises, on the day of completion. And instead of it being a stressful day, it will go through quite pleasantly.
Selling furnished? What you describe as personal effects, and what your buyer classes as personal items, can be two different things entirely. I’ve been to houses where the homeowners have stated that they will leave the property fully furnished, with the exception of personal effects. This sounds straight forward, but it can be messy if not written down and explained exactly which items they are categorizing as “personal.” When it came down to the crunch, they said the “dining table and chairs were gifts, meaning they are personal!” Well that may be so, but no buyer will automatically assume that a dining table would be something “personal” to the homeowner, unless it has been agreed in writing first.
If you have sold your property fully furnished, unless specifically agreed that the buyer would prefer the house to be empty at the time of reservation, you have no obligation to remove the furnishings that were to be included in the sale. If your buyer changes their mind between reservation and completion, and no longer wish to have the furniture, then your Real Estate Agent will make the buyer aware that they must be the ones to remove any unwanted items, AFTER they take possession.
Statistics show that selling a property furnished will always achieve a quicker sale than one that is unfurnished. Even if the buyer doesn’t have the same taste in home furnishings, they will be grateful they have something to sit on and somewhere to sleep, when they move in.
So, as long as you have your inventory list ready, there will be no hard feelings when your completion day arrives. Everyone will be much happier knowing what will be included in their purchase. And remind them, if it’s not on the list, it won’t be staying!
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