Gourmet cooks covet their ovens and clean freaks dote on their front-loaders, but most Americans would probably agree there’s one appliance they love above all others: the TV.
And when the attachment not just emotional, but physical — like a big screen TV attached to a wall — the smart homeowner needs a plan for what happens when it comes time to put their home on the market.
Traditionally, any item attached to the home in a permanent fashion, with bolts, nails or screws, is considered part of a home and included in a sale. Think ovens, light fixtures, ceiling fans, towel and drapery rods. Typically not included in a sale: washers, dryers and refrigerators.
To avoid confusion and disputes, a wise seller will spell out upfront that they intend to keep a wall-mounted flat screen TV. “They must be specific in their property listing, indicating that the TV will not be included in the sale,” says David Offutt, Century 21 Equity Realty Plus, Boston.
A buyer’s expectation about whether a TV is part of the sale can depend on how deeply it has been integrated into the structure of the home.
Buyers often expect a television to be included in the sale when “the space for the TV has been custom built,” says Michael Linden, a Redfin Real Estate agent in Chicago.
A TV often stays with a home when owners have installed a drop down screen and projector, “since these are complex to install and move from one place to another,” Linden says.
But as with any aspect of a sale, there’s room for negotiation. And there are no hard-and-fast rules. Says Rano Khudayberdieva, a Redfin agent in north suburban Chicago. “I have two deals right now where sellers excluded the projectors but left the screens behind.”
A television is not factored into the appraised value of a home, notes Joe Parsons, senior loan officer, PFS Funding, Dublin, Calif.
Just as buyers can’t expect the pixel-packing 4K Ultra HD they admire to be left in the den, sellers can’t assume that they can leave behind a model they no longer love.
— Marilyn Kennedy Melia
© CTW Features