Personal Property Not Included

Dear Phyllis,
I recently purchased a home, and my real estate agent assured me the washer, dryer and refrigerator were included in the sale. The Zillow listing clearly stated they were part of
the purchase. During the final walkthrough, I saw them in place.

When I moved in, I was shocked to find they had taken all three appliances with them. Confused, I contacted the seller’s agent, who informed me they were not left behind because my real estate agent failed to list these items in the purchase contract. If I had known these appliances weren’t included, I might have made a lower offer to account for my additional expense. Or, at the very least, I would have arranged to purchase replacements ahead of time. Instead, I moved in without these appliances and had to wait weeks for new ones to be
delivered, which made settling into my new home much harder than it should have been.

Do I have any leverage to address this with the seller or my agent?
JJ

Dear JJ,
I completely understand your frustration and disappointment. Finding yourself without key
appliances like a washer, dryer and especially a refrigerator can throw a wrench into that
experience, leaving you unsettled for weeks while you scramble to replace them.

Unfortunately, I’m not an attorney, so I can’t offer legal advice. However, I can share some general insights based on standard real estate practices. Your real estate agent likely should have ensured that the washer, dryer and refrigerator were explicitly included in the residential purchase agreement as they were represented as included in the sale.

What’s written in the contract typically governs, regardless of verbal assurances or even what’s stated in a listing like Zillow. Listings often serve as marketing tools and aren’t legally binding unless their details are incorporated into the signed agreement.

If your agent didn’t list those appliances as part of the transaction — despite being
advertised online, that oversight may have led the seller to believe you did not want them. You might want to reach out to your real estate agent and ask why this was overlooked.

I am sorry this happened and wish you many happy years in your new home.

Phyllis