Avoiding the Dreaded Fridge Swap

I do a lot of open houses and aside from eating a lot of cookies and playing a lot of Scrabble on my cell phone, I also occasionally have buyers come through. Now, it may just be because I always hang out in the kitchen during open houses - easy access to aforementioned cookies is important - but it seems like these potential buyers always inevitably ask the same question: does the refrigerator come with the house?

The quick answer can always be found on the listing sheet. It either is or it isn't. But this is real estate folks, and everything's negotiable.

If, for example, you're making a really good offer on a house, I don't think for a minute that most sellers, the same ones at least, would mind parting company with that Kenmoore or Whirlpool in order to get their house sold. Lowballers usually don't get fridges. Sorry. But if you're making that really good offer, whether or not the fridge is listed in the MLS as being included in the sale of the home, then I say ask for it, already. Just make sure you get it in writing. You can do this by:

1. Asking for it in the contract.


2. Asking for it very specifically in the contract. Like make and model number specific. If your agent is worth his or her salt, he or she will not mind making an extra trip to your future dream home to get this information for you. I know I would do it for my clients (wink, wink).

With your make and model number right there in black and white on the contract, you will hopefully be able to avoid the seller taking the nice, new, expensive, stainless steel fridge and replacing it with the old, nasty, yucky, avocado green beer fridge from the garage -- also known as the dreaded Fridge Swap.

Happy House - and Fridge -Hunting!