Attached and Unattached Goods – A Clarification

Understanding the difference between attached and unattached goods is an important distinction to understand when buying or selling a home. A clear definition and some examples is a good place to start.

Unattached goods are movable items like wall art, drapes placed on curtain rods, movable kitchen appliances, movable kitchen islands or furniture, or appliances that are not physically attached to the home i.e. counter top microwaves, portable dishwashers, built -in vacuum power heads or attachments, garage door openers, fireplace tools, screens or area rugs. Sellers usually take unattached items when they sell a house. Buyers therefore must include them in their offers. Sellers would then have to approve of these inclusions if the goods are to be left behind. It is always best to review this item with your Realtor, he/she is there to help you.

Attached goods are defined as items that you cannot remove without causing some damage. these would include garburators, water softeners, chandeliers, curtain rods, and brackets, built in appliances, kitchen cabinets, garage door openers, carpet glued or stretched on, and built in vacuum canisters. All attached goods must stay with the property unless there is a specific exclusion identified in the sales contract or agreement.

if upon possession of the home the buyer identifies that there is a difference in the attached or unattached goods as per the contract, then the buyer must inform their Realtor of this difference and he/she will address the issue with the selling realtor. If no agreement can be reached then buyer or seller may have to sue to get compensation.