Seller Step 12 – Approaching closing date
Packing and what must be done to the house; what to leave, and what can stay.
Do Leave
- Shelving in a garage or storage area
- Cleaning supplies (maybe not the toilet brush)
- Finishing trim, and paint
- Curtains, blinds, rods
- Logs or wood for fireplace
- Warranties for appliances etc
- Light bulbs
- Gardening tools
Don’t Leave
- Trash inside or out
- Any food in the fridge, freezer, or pantry
- The oven dirty
- Dishes in the dishwasher
- Christmas décor in the crawl space
- A dog in the closet (don’t laugh, this happened!)
- Explosive materials (again, this happened!)
- Junky tree house or kids fort
There of course, could be other things too, and your contract may have specifics in it where it asks to have the tree house left, or asks that you remove everything including the “do’s” on this list. These are basic guidelines to keep in mind. If there are things that you want to leave with the house, and you just aren’t sure about it, ask us….we will get you the right answer.
The home should also be in broom-clean condition before recording, unless the contract stated the home would be professionally cleaned. If no mention is made in the additional comments of the contract in regards to cleaning then you should plan to remove all personal property (see above), remove all debris and trash, and vacuum the carpets and/or sweep the floors, and wipe down countertops. Think of this as a courtesy to the buyer, but the expectation is that there may still be additional cleaning needed by the new owner. If the contract states that the home will be professionally cleaned, then you have agreed to hire cleaners to come in and do the job. If the contract reads that the home should be cleaned in a professional manner then you can do the cleaning, but here is the expectation: The walls, surfaces, floors, appliances, and furnishings should be dust and dirt free, bathrooms and kitchens should be scrubbed with cleaning products, and there should be no substantial additional cleaning necessary following transfer of title.
Click herefor a list of Cleaners we recommend.