Title: Buying a House FAQ | Nolo
Headings: Buying a House FAQ
Buying a House FAQ
Get answers to common questions about buying a house and the home purchase process.
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Questions
If I buy a house, will the seller leave behind things like the curtains and the refrigerator?
Should I line up a real estate agent first, or just start shopping for a house?
If I decide to buy a house, how much money will I need up front?
What's the "earnest money deposit" on a home purchase?
What are closing costs on a home purchase?
What exactly is the "closing" part of the home buying process?
If I find a house I like, should I bid under the list price?
I've heard that I should buy as much house as I can afford. Is that true?
After I offer to buy a house, how long before it becomes mine?
Can I afford to buy a house?

Content: I've heard that I should buy as much house as I can afford. Is that true? After I offer to buy a house, how long before it becomes mine? Can I afford to buy a house? If I buy a house, will the seller leave behind things like the curtains and the refrigerator? That depends. The seller is expected to leave behind all "fixtures"-- that is, all items that are permanently affixed and integral to the house and property. Classic examples of fixtures are ceiling lights, wall-to-wall carpeting, custom window shades and curtain rods (but not necessarily the curtains, depending on local tradition), built-in appliances, and any trees, plants, or shrubs with their roots in the ground as opposed to in pots. ( Picture moving into the house and discovering that any of these had been ripped out before the seller left, and you'll get the idea of why they're considered fixtures.) Within the disclosure or other documents prepared by the sellers, however, they may indicate plans to leave certain items -- and not others.