Are Window Treatments Included In A Home Sale?

What do NABOR & FARBAR Contracts Say?

Are you in the process of purchasing a home in Southwest Florida, and wonder if window treatments are included in the home purchase?
In Southwest Florida real estate agents use either a FARBAR contract (Florida Realtors/Florida Bar) or a NABOR contract (Naples Area Board of Realtors) to execute the sale of a home. The NABOR contract is mainly used in (but not excluded to) the Naples Area and the FARBAR contracts are used in (but not excluded to) the Bonita Springs and Forty Myers areas.

Window treatments are a necessity to protect your home from the heat and the beating sun rays when you live in Florida. Purchasing new window treatments can be costly, especially considering all the new expenses that come with moving into a new home. At SunCoast Blinds our average client spends $4000 on window treatments. So it can be important to know if the existing window treatments in a new home are included in the sale. What do the contracts say?

NABOR Contract

According to Line #12 in the NABOR contract window treatments are included in the sale of the property as a personal property existing during the effective date. The effective date refers to the time both buyer and seller agree to the contract (execute the contract). Window treatments are defined as “draperies, curtains, blinds, shades, and other window treatments”.

FARBAR Contract

Line #18 in the Standard Residential Contract as well as in the “As Is” contract includes “…drapery rods and draperies, blinds, window treatments…” to be included in the home sale as they’re existing on the date of the initial offer.

In other words, make note of what window treatments are in the homes you are viewing as they will pertain to the home. Buying a property with existing window treatments could save you thousands of dollars moving forward.

What should I do about window treatments when I’m selling my home?

If you’re on the other side of the transaction and are ready to sell your home, there are a couple of things to consider. Window treatments are proven to sell a home faster and sometimes for more money but unless you already have beautiful window fashions in your window we might offer you some surprising advice.

As window treatment specialists, this is our best advice to move forward:

If you have old window treatments that tend to break: Remove the window treatments and throw them in the garbage before you list your home. This will save you from any repair requests or need of replacements during the inspection period. A broken window treatment is not only useless but can also be a major eye sore. We want to make sure the home shows its best side when selling, so eliminate anything that can question the upkeep of the home.
Should I Install new window treatments before I sell? We do not recommend that you replace old window treatments before you go to sell your home. Simply cause window treatments are highly personal, and as one person values the view-through another person values their privacy. Instead, we recommend you leave your windows open. If you want to add the value of window treatments, you can offer a credit at closing.
If you want to bring your draperies: Remove them before listing your home or exclude them from the purchase in the contract as you negotiate with the buyer.

Are you buying a home without existing window treatments?

It’s common for us to access a home under contract to measure for new window treatments. This will allow us to have everything ready to order as soon as the new homeowner gives us the thumbs up. Some clients order their products to have them installed right after closing, while other clients aren’t comfortable proceeding with the order until the home is officially closed.

Either way, we are here to make the process as effortless as possible.

Schedule an in-home consultation or visit our studio today to learn more.