Has anyone ever had someone leave all of their belongings in a home when you bought it?
We still have 1-2 weeks before closing (ideally) and in the appraisal report the pictures still show all of the previous owners items.
From what we are told they had no where to go, etc. They have medicine, razors, gross griddle on the stove, everything, but clothes. The home has been vacant for close to a year. They have 3 pints of expired ice cream in the fridge!
WTH do I do with all of this stuff?
I'm afraid they are going to show up after we move in and want it back or something.
I know I should give them benefit of the doubt and assume they will move it all out, but honestly..i'm not counting on it.
Plus side, I love the kitchen table & we don't have one.
Re: ALL items still in the home..
Hmm I don't know the specific rule that goes with home purchasing. Generally when you purchase you also become the owner of anything like appliances, lighting, window treatments etc that are left in the home. So I am not sure if you would become the 'owner' of any personal belongings they leave behind, I would ask your REA.
I know with being a landlord, if someone leaves belongings in the house I can't legally throw them out to clear space. I have to notify the person we have them and allow a certain amount of time before they can be declared abandoned. Hopefully your scenario would be the first case
Don't quote me, but I think I saw on a home buying show that on the final walk-through before you get keys you write up something for the sale where any and all left-behind belongings will be disposed of by the new buyers at their discretion. Then the sellers sign that before you close, but I don't know for sure.
Ug, sounds like you might be renting a dumpster for closing, huh?
Are you united with the CCOKCs?
lol yeah. I mean I can't imagine having to pack TWO houses! With 2 babies at that.
The only thing I would 'want' to keep is the table lol and they have a cute microwave cart & some nice pots/pans.
I mean I guess we could try to sell some of it but...yeah. I guess if it's been there for over a year it can't be too sentimental to them. I just don't know what to do with photo's & stuff.
It's a short sale but they vacated about a year ago. I assume because they couldn't afford things like food, electricity, etc.
The only thing missing from the house is clothes, otherwise it's FULLY furnished.
REA doesn't know she hasn't ran into this before. She said she assumes anything left is ours.
My Valentine Bookends (2~13~13, 2~15~09)
I know when DH buys a foreclosure and there is stuff left behind it is considered abandoned property. He will keep good stuff, usually to give away or donate, but then dumps the rest. Not sure how this would work for a short sale.
Maybe your REA should contact the selling agent and have them find out if seller is going to take stuff out before closing.
Wow, it is more complicated than I thought. I was just looking on the internet and even with short sales, you should get something in writing b/c it sounds like you or the bank allowing the short sale may have to consider storing it for a certain time period (30 days?) while you notify the previous owners and then if not claimed can be sold at auction with the money of posessions going to the county/state to hold in the previous owner's name.
It's a blurry line with a short-sale vs. a forecolsure, but it looks like every state is different. I hope this doesn't delay your closing? In most states, people have to be notified about 14-15 days before you can dispose of items left behind at the least. I hope they move stuff ASAP or at least you can just get them to sign at closing that they allow you to have everything.
Are you united with the CCOKCs?
Contact your agent, and I would get something in writing if the property is "abandoned" by previous owners and yours by buying the home.
If I was stuck with all the stuff, I would hold off on moving in for a week and have an "estate sale" to get rid of everything left behind-price it all cheap and get it out! We see that a lot in our neighborhood-mostly from homes that are sold as "furnished" after someone passes.
we have a closing attorney, I will do some googling this weekend & then give them a call Monday.
Thanks for all the info!
If you're a couple days out and no action has been taken, then it's time to be concerned.