Are Appliances Always Included When You Buy a House?

When you're buying a house, you need to know exactly what comes with the property. While you might assume you'll always get appliances with the house, that's not necessarily the case in every situation.

Here's what you need to know about the rules for appliances changing hands before you get a mortgage, buy a house, and find yourself caught unprepared without the equipment you expected to have in your new home.

Some appliances should be included

When you buy a home, typically all of the fixtures in the house are included by default. This includes things that are physically attached to or built into the home and that would require tools or special equipment to remove.

Some examples of fixtures that would typically be included when a home is purchased include the following:

• Wall ovens
• Dishwashers
• Built-in microwaves
• HVAC units
• Light fixtures
• Ceiling fans
• Built-in ranges or stoves
• Range hoods

You may still want to specify in your offer that these items should come with the house, just so there's no confusion. But even if you don't, it would be very unlikely that these semi-permanently attached appliances wouldn't be included in a standard home sale.

Other appliances you may have to negotiate for

While built-in or fixed appliances are assumed to be included when a home is sold, this isn't necessarily the case for other more moveable gear. For example, there are some kinds of household appliances that the current homeowner can generally take with them if they choose to do so. Examples could include:

• Refrigerators
• Non-built-in microwaves
• Washers
• Dryers
• Above-ground swimming pools or hot tubs
• Mounted televisions

If you want any of these items to be included with your home purchase, you need to talk with the sellers about whether they are willing to part with them as part of the sale. If the seller agrees to allow you to keep any of these appliances, that should be written in your offer so there is no confusion about what stays and what goes when the home closes.

READ MORE: The Ascent's Complete Guide to Mortgages

If you are negotiating for appliances, pay attention to factors such as their age and whether an inspector has assessed that they work well or not. There's little use spending time and energy negotiating for a washer and dryer that are on their last legs -- especially if you would have to pay extra money to convince the current homeowner to allow you to keep them.

You should also be aware of what appliances won't come with the house when you buy it, as you will need to budget for those. If you aren't going to get a washer or dryer or both, for example, you may need a few hundred dollars set aside to buy one of each once you move in.

By working with your real estate agent to understand exactly what is included, and by negotiating with the sellers to include appliances or other things that are important to you, you can maximize the chances you'll end up with a successful home purchase that includes everything you desire.