Are Blinds Included When You Buy a Home?
When you buy a home, you know you’re not going to get all of the furniture inside of it, but some things may be more ambiguous, such as curtains, curtain rods, blinds, and shades. Some of these, such as the rods and installations, are seen as fixtures and are usually included in the home unless otherwise stated. However, the blinds, shades, and curtains may not be. So when are curtains included in the sale of a home?
Curtains are a bit of a grey area when it comes to buying a house, so it's always best to ask for clarification. The curtains themselves are usually seen as personal property because they can be slid off the rod. Some buyers assume that custom drapes are included in the sale because they were made for the room, but this is not always the case.
Be sure to verify whether curtains and rods are included in the sale and record any answers in writing as part of your contract. It's always safer to over-communicate early and avoid conflict over small details when negotiations are underway.
Before you fight tooth and nail for your window treatments, be aware that there's no standard window size, and your current blinds probably won't fit the windows in your new home.
One exception to making window treatments fit different windows is curtains, which can sometimes be hemmed or hung at a different height.
If You're Selling, Make Sure to Do The Following
If you want to take your window treatments with you when you move, the best course of action is to remove them and/or replace them with a cheaper version before you list your house. These will help with staging the home. We don’t recommend going with bare windows, as this could make or break a sale entirely — buyers tend to see places they need to fix and how much that will cost them, instead of the entire home’s potential.
If you're not able to do this, be sure to clearly outline what stays and what goes in the seller disclosure and all marketing materials. This way, buyers will be clear about what's included when they make an offer.
If you decide you want to keep your treatments when you're further along in the selling process, discuss your options with your realtor and the buyer. Some homeowners may want to buy their own window treatments. However, if they are interested in keeping the existing window treatments, you may have to leave them behind or negotiate this into your sale. Whatever you work out, be sure to get it in writing as part of your contract.
The worst thing you can do is take all the blinds when you move out and hope the buyer doesn't notice or swap them after the sale is complete. This can be considered fraud.
How to Check if Curtains Are Included in the Sale
Picture this, you walk into a staged home and see grand windows letting in plenty of natural light. They’re framed with a perfectly manicured valence and luxurious drapes that you simply fall in love with. Even if you don’t get this home, you know that you want that window design. So, what do you do?
If you want to make sure that window treatments are included in your home purchase, look over your contract to see if they're specifically mentioned. If they’re not mentioned, ask your real estate agent to negotiate them into the contract. It’s best to do this early so the seller knows exactly what you’re asking and it doesn’t hinder your offer.
Before you negotiate to keep window treatments, especially curtains, be sure that they match your furniture. You don't want to fight for something and find out later that it doesn't work. You also don’t want to be buying new furniture just to match the window coverings.
If you end up without any window treatments, it's not the end of the world. This gives you an opportunity to customize your windows to your style, rather than settling for what was already there. You can give us a call at Budget Blinds of Tempe and Central Phoenix. We’ll get you set up with your dream curtains, shutters, shades, blinds, and more. Request a free design consultation today!