Purchase Agreement: Should It Stay or Should It Go?

The age old question of "Should it stay or should it go?" comes up time and time again in most real estate transactions.  If you are selling an Anchorage home, is it customary to leave the washer and dryer with the home or does it go with you?  If you are buying an Anchorage property, are you expecting to bring your own refrigerator with you when you move in or do you think the refrigerator should be left by the previous owner as part of the purchase price of the property?  However, just because a refrigerator may traditionally be left with the home and considered part of the purchased property, that doesn't mean that this always happens.  That is why you need to be very specific about your expectations when filling our your purhase offer.  For buyers, this means specifying exactly what you expect to be included in the purchase price: washer, dryer, refrigerator, light fixtures, microwave, portable hot tub, even the stove.  If you are selling your home, go over the purchase agreement to make sure something isn't being included that you expect to take with you.  By clearly stating what is to be included in your Anchorage real estate purchase, both buyers and sellers will be happy with the transaction and not run into unexpected "surprises" at closing.  Make sure to talk to your real estate agent about what should stay and what should go with your Anchorage real estate transaction.

Pauline Hofseth, your Anchorage real estate expert