Hi, this is Kerri from the Bay Area Short Sale Angels, Bay Area’s number one short sale team. A lot of homeowners going through short sales have heard of people that are in foreclosure that end up selling all of their appliances and stripping the fixtures. These homeowners frequently ask us if this is something they can do.
The simple answer to this question is no, you can’t strip the fixtures and sell all of the appliances. There is a person that’s going to purchase the home in as good condition as you’ve been keeping it. Leave the home how you would want to find it if you are the buyer. They are actually your saving grace and without them there would be no short sale, so you want to be able to turnover a home that they can be proud of. Some people do elect to sell their appliances, but you have to make very sure that the purchase agreement matches that wish. If the appliances are not put into the purchase agreement by the buyer, then the option is there to sell them. However, if you are going through a HAFA short sale, which is the government program overseeing the short sale, you are not allowed to receive any money outside of escrow. If you sell your appliances you actually put yourself in jeopardy of being kicked out of the HAFA program which means you won’t get the $3000 in moving expenses and you are no longer protected from being foreclosed on.
If you are considering getting rid of everything and stripping down your house, please talk to your agent to ensure that you’re making the right decisions. Your decisions now could affect whether or not you are able to find a buyer for your short sale. If you have any further questions about this topic or would like more information on short selling your home, please contact us at the Bay Are short Sale Angels. We’d be happy to assist you with all of your short sale needs.