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Original poster

Second viewing. Etiquette on asking vendor if he'd leave any of his furniture behind?

52 replies

clubnail · 04/12/2013 19:27

Going for a second viewing soon of a property we will make an offer on. The vendor will show us round again. Is it rude to ask when we are there if he will include anything in the sale, or is this done at negotiation stage via agent? Or not at all? Stuff like chest of drawers, piano. It's old lovely-looking stuff, big things that are an effort to get out of the house, I am hoping he will want to save himself the hassle! :)

OP posts:
Nyancat · 04/12/2013 23:23

I'd ask. when I sold my first house to move in with dh the buyer asked if I would consider selling it furnished because she loved everything in it. I did as dh house was already furnished. made the move very easy!!

beaglesaresweet · 04/12/2013 23:41

absolutely fine if you are offering extra cash, but ask me what he would like for it, don't name the price which may be too low. But to be included fo free - no.
I'm a seller and I actually offered some furniture as part of the deal, buyers agreed to some but not others - all fine. If they asked after this to add a few smaller things for extra money, I wouldn't be in slightest 'offended', why would I Hmm, it's a yes or a no.

beaglesaresweet · 04/12/2013 23:42

ask HIM

echt · 05/12/2013 06:23

Ask away. I would. DH had I the reverse when vendors had a house full of furniture after renting for some years. None of the furniture was in the price of the house, but they offered it for free, and took away anything we didn't want.

What nice people.

greenfolder · 05/12/2013 09:39

I would offer on the house first,then ask after. Similarly we left our buyers all our appliances for free_ they were first time buyers,had paid the asking price and it was more hassle removing them. Estate agent was stunned when we said we didn't want anything for them!

Original poster
clubnail · 05/12/2013 10:16

Thanks for the responses.
green We have sold and I also left the appliances even though the price on the property had been agreed and hadn't included them. Just felt mean to move such things when the buyer had just paid hundreds of thousands to us. That said, every penny helps, so perhaps I should not have signed them over so easily. Hope karma comes back to me with the property we are hoping to buy. :)

beagle, maybe offended wasn't quite the right word, I just meant as someone else said downthread that they'd find it weird.

Bellissima, that's just it, I don't know if it's a buyers' market - it's an odd property and currently I don't know if anyone else is interested.

Nyan, that's what I am hoping. He is retired and maybe doesn't want all the stuff he's built up after so long, will make his move easier.

echt, that's the kind of thing I am hoping he does!!! :)

Will have a good think and try to gauge things when we are there.

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lighthousesea · 05/12/2013 10:26

I think get an offer accepted first. If you ask about furniture it might sound like you are over keen which may affect your negotiating power.

Then once you have had an offer accepted you can express an interest in the furniture through the wastage agent. Like others have said expect to pay a fair price though. Moving house clearly costs a lot of money. I'm sure most people acknowledge removal costs.

beaglesaresweet · 05/12/2013 11:52

the only thing is, he's very unlikey to sell the piano. They aer expensive and people get attached to their old pianos.

greenfolder · 05/12/2013 14:06

Loving wastage agent !

lighthousesea · 05/12/2013 20:07

You have to love autocorrect!

higgle · 06/12/2013 06:45

My mother has been trying to get rid of her piano for years - a good one needs specialist removal and that is expensive - I'd certainly ask.

Norudeshitrequired · 06/12/2013 06:59

Ask him. As it is a second viewing he will already know that you are serious about possibly buying his house and is less likely to be offended.
I wouldn't be offended if a potential purchaser asked me if I would consider selling certain items, I would be quite flattered that they like my style (even if I had no intention of selling the items).
He might also be relieved that he doesn't have to go to the expense of removing the piano from the house.
I would just say something like "I love that piano and chest of drawers, if there isn't space at your new house for them would you consider selling them to me". Worst he can say is that he is taking them / has promised them to a friend. Best case is that he says you can have the chest of drawers for a small price and the piano for free because it's an old thing and needs tuning.
You have nothing to lose by asking.

poocatcherchampion · 06/12/2013 10:07

definitely ask and specify the piano. sometimes they are too much hassle to move and the vendor has nowhere to put them anyway.

kitsmummy · 06/12/2013 10:35

Definitely wait until you agree a price on the house before asking.

If you ask now, it's like stating straight out that you definitely will be purchasing the property so he may try to get more money out of you.

BunnyMama · 06/12/2013 11:01

I consider myself to have good etiquette :) and on balance, in this situation, I don't think it's offensive to ask politely if he would consider selling items X and Y for a mutually agreeable price. At first I thought it was a bit weird but then you have explained he is going to a new build and they are hard to fit things like pianos and older furniture in. You generally end up selecting furniture primarily based on dimensions and "does it fit?" for new builds!

Pianos are extremely hard to move, especially down stairs, and he would have to pay extra to the removers to get such an item out of the house - it would definitely add ££ onto his removal fees. It might not have any sentimental value for all we know, he might be fed up of it and/or be planning to sell it anyway.

All he has to do is decline if he doesn't want to sell any items - no harm done by politely asking!

Original poster
clubnail · 06/12/2013 13:22

Lol at wastage agent! I wondered what that was - someone who comes and clears your house of waste and junk, and then I clicked, darn autocorrect.

Thanks for the latest responses, I forgot to check MN this morning though as we raced out and we have just done the second viewing. I didn't ask. He seems a very nice man (I will change my mind if he doesn't accept our offer :)) but it didn't feel right to ask there and then. He knows we are keen as I do not have a good poker face! Xmas Grin. Plus we told him we would be making an offer. I don't like to play games anyway, and it felt right to tell him we loved the place. He seemed delighted, not just because someone wanted to buy his house, but because I think as he has been there so long (35yrs) he wants a new family in it who will love it.
Anyway, re getting more money by showing our hand, we only have so much money so if it isn't enough, it isn't enough (asking price is £xx offers over).
I do think the piano will be a huge chore to move for him, but I have absolutely zero clue if it is a valuable antique, or just an average piano. We can afford a fair offer on an average piano, but not on a proper antique. Anyway. Will make an offer on the house soon and then take it from there.
The chest of drawers are in the loft room, and the staircase up is narrower than normal. I don't even know how they got it up there. So, here's hoping he sells us the house, and the few items I like!

Thanks for all the advice.

Oh and Bunny, how does one know if one has good etiquette? I would like to have it! :)

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greenfolder · 06/12/2013 13:57

one final piece of advice- if you know nothing of pianos,get someone to have a look before agreeing a price. even the nicest looking ones can age and get damaged and are impossible to tune without major money being spent on them and are therefore practically worthless.

Original poster
clubnail · 06/12/2013 19:11

Thanks, will do - we don't even know if it works at all!

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NotCitrus · 06/12/2013 19:19

Our sellers offered to leave their piano and a couple other bits of furniture - we said we couldn't afford any more money so they offered just the upright piano and a cupboard that hides the gas meter.

When we looked closely at the piano and confirmed it would never be tuneable, we declined the kind offer. They were miffed as it cost a couple hundred to get it into a skip!

Original poster
clubnail · 06/12/2013 19:39

:) I can play, so if we do get the house, I'll ask about the piano and see what he is thinking, and do some quick scales before we offer. But getting ahead of ourselves, not even offered on the house yet!

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SunnyUpNorth · 07/12/2013 14:58

Definitely worth an ask, once you've had your offer accepted.

My parents have just sold their house and were hoping the buyers would want some furniture as my parents are downsizing and the buyers are first time buyers and said they own no furniture. So even if my parents stuff wasnt quite to their taste it helps both parties out in the short term.

My parents gave them a list of everything they would be happy to leave with a price for each item so there was no embarrassment over what sort of offer to make etc. they put reasonable prices eg £200 for two nice sofas simply as they want to buy one smaller sofa for their new place. They also left some things for free that the buyers expressed interest in but couldn't afford, as they knew they were too big for their new house and that the buyers would appreciate it. Some sellers and buyers are actually nice people!!

If he is a pleasant guy there is no harm at all in asking.

Original poster
clubnail · 07/12/2013 21:32

Thanks, Sunny, that is nice to hear! Here's hoping!

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marssparklesdownonme · 08/12/2013 21:28

Last time we sold, our buyers wanted so much of our stuff it was unbelievable.They had already been a right PITA and so DH told estate agents to tell them to stop making ridiculous demands or the sale was off. They backed off straight away.

Hawkmoth · 08/12/2013 21:31

You might strike it lucky and the vendor will leave their backbrush in the shower. People are kind like that. not the worst thing left in my new house

Leons · 12/12/2013 22:54

So did you ask??
I would always ask. When I sold my flat, the estate agent rang to say was I was interested in selling any of my furniture as the buyers loved it and thought it really suited the flat, I wasnt offended in the slightest, slightly flattered and I think the ea handled it nicely. Your vendors maybe downsizing/moving abroad/moving in with partner/family and maybe paying house clearers to come in.