How to Negotiate for Furniture When You’re Involved in the Sale of a House

To effectively negotiate furniture into the sales agreement for a house, you should identify in advance any furniture that you are interested in selling or buying, let the realtor know your terms and expectations, don’t be afraid to receive or make a counteroffer, and closely examine the sales contract.

You can expect to do a lot of negotiating and bargaining when buying or selling a house. Common points of discussion between sellers and buyers can include the price of the homes for sale as well as what items are included in the sales agreement such as furniture. Here are several suggestions for negotiating furniture effectively when purchasing or selling a home:

Earmark early on any furniture you might be interested in selling or purchasing

A list of which pieces of furniture that you wish to either leave behind or include in the sale of the house should be made Furniture is included in the contract mostly when the buyer and seller can't come to a deal. You must have a good preparation to face buyers who come with a topic of including additional items in the package. If you are a buyer, you should make sure to identify any items in the house that you might be interested in when you are allowed to see inside. Adequate attention must be paid on expensive furniture pieces that decorate your home as their replacement would be difficult.

Explain to the realtor what you want and how you plan to go about it

Make a note of which things you want to purchase or sell and give the list of items to your realtor. The realtor will be responsible for presenting the terms and handling the negotiation between the buyer and seller. For buyers, it is important that you let the realtor know what your expectations of the deal are. If you are selling, make sure not to let go of a large amount of furniture quickly. Be sure to let the realtor know your terms, but early in the negotiation it may be wise to hold off on offering high-cost pieces. You can offer your more expensive furniture items only if you see that the potential homebuyer needs some encouragement to pursue the deal.

Try not to be intimidated by accepting or proposing a counteroffer

If you are a seller, you should be prepared for your initial offer to be rejected and for the possibility that you will receive a counter proposal. If you are presented with a counteroffer, look over it to see if the terms and conditions are consistent with your needs and then make a decision about whether you want to add furniture to the agreement. For purchasers, don't be scared to speak up with an alternative if you notice the seller's proposal still has negotiation room.

Closely examine the sales contract

Sellers should already have written a contract with clearly defined terms. Take care to check carefully to decide if it is suitable and not going to place you at a disadvantage. In the case of buyers, make sure that you have examined the contract to determine if the seller included any furniture pieces in the deal. In case you're worried about missing any minor details, feel free to have your lawyer take a look at the documents.

Buyers and sellers need not be nervous about negotiating all the possible issues as the purchase and sale of a property is a major event for both.