Do Condos Come With Appliances?


When you are moving to a new home, it’s important not to make assumptions about what your new place does and does not include. That’s why Do Condos Come With Appliances? is such a fabulous question. It shows the person who asks the question considers the essential details.

So, Do Condos Come With Appliances? The answer is not a simple yes or know. If a condo comes with appliances will depend on:

  • Whether you are buying or renting, 
  • If you are purchasing a new or used condo,
  • The details of your purchase agreement,
  • What your landlord provides,
  • The standard practices where you live,
  • Other variables

As you can see, there are no cut and dry rules about whether or not a condo comes with appliances. If this is the case, what can you do to avoid the shock of moving into an appliance free condo or moving with your appliances only to find their spots in your home are already occupied?

Do Condos Come With Appliances?

There are many things to consider when you move into a new home, and whether or not your condo comes with appliances is one of them. However, this question not high on the “list of things to ask about my new home,” or it doesn’t make the list at all.

The reason for this is simple.

Familiarity.

We Expect What We’re Used Too

We are so used to walking into our kitchens and having the fridge, freezer, oven, etc. there, that we do not give them a second thought. When we think of a kitchen we, subconsciously, think of it with the appliances in place. The appliances are not seen as separate but as an integral part of the room.

The same principle is in place for laundries. For those who already live in a building where there is a communal laundry, there is often an assumption that the next condo will be set up in the same way. Likewise, if your laundry appliances are in your current home, you’ll probably assume they’ll be there in your next home.

All of this leads us to one point.

Neve assume.

Now, wipe your experience slate clean and carry on reading to discover the most likely scenarios for specific situations, as well as how to ensure you don’t get a nasty appliance surprise on your move-in day.

Preconstruction & New Build Condos

If you are considering the purchase of a pre-construction condo, then you are likely to have made your decision to buy after viewing the show home. These days the majority of new builds include at least a stove, fridge, and dishwasher with many offering microwaves and, if space permits, washer dryers. All of which will come with a warranty so you will not need to worry about buying or replacing any appliances for a few years.

However, a word of caution. Well, several words actually.

Standard practice for builders and developers is to fit the show home not with standard fixtures and fittings, but with the highest spec’ed fixtures and fittings available for the development. As a result, many unsuspecting condo buyers have found themselves either with the cheapest, standard specification items or with no appliances at all.

You see, the devil is, as always, in the details. Before you even consider signing on the dotted line and buying a pre-construction condo, be sure you are extremely clear about what’s included in the price. Not only that, but you must also get those details in writing before you sign a purchase agreement or make an offer to purchase.

Appliances In A New Build Condo

If a new condo building, or complex, has been built and you are purchasing a condo that is already complete but has never been lived in, things are slightly different. Do not settle for looking at the show home, choosing a unit on the plans, and being told: “Your’s is the same as this.”

If the unit is complete and move-in ready, insist on viewing it before you go any further. If you are unfortunate enough to be dealing with a less than honest real estate agent or developer, you may hear things such as “It’s exactly the same” or “There’s no need to waste your time. We’ll just be looking at an empty version of the showroom.”

If this happens to you, don’t be pressured into signing without viewing. There may be no nefarious reason for the agent not wanting to take you to look at the unit. Perhaps they just want to have you sign asap so they can go grab a much-needed coffee. 

However, there is the same danger here as with a pre-construction condo. Consequently, always ensure the brand and model number of the appliances in your condo are detailed in the sales contract.

Negotiating With The Developers

If you are purchasing a pre-construction or new build condo without appliances, or with the lowest grade alternatives, and you are in a buyers market, you may have a little wiggle room. If you are unable to negotiate any concessions on the price, you may be able to haggle with the developers or real estate agents to have better finishes and upgraded appliances in your condo.

Appliances In A “Pre-Enjoyed” Condo

When it comes to purchasing any condo in which someone else has lived, things become a little more straightforward and, at the same time, a bit more complicated.

It all comes down to what you get when you buy a home.

You see, many buyers, and not just first time buyers, make the mistake of believing that all appliances that are in place when they view a home, will be left behind when the sellers move out.

Not so.

“Real Property”

When you buy any home, you purchase all “real property,” which refers to any items fixed to the structure in such a way that they cannot be removed with ease. So, for example, a fridge that can be unplugged and moved is not affixed. Therefore the appliance is not “real property,” and the current owner can legally take it with them.

On the other hand, imagine a fridge that part of, say, a custom unit with a door that matches the rest of the kitchen making the fridge blend into the room, it is likely going to be classed as “real property” and must be left behind.

How To Establish If The Appliances Stay Or If They Go

Usually, before you go to view a potential new home, you will see the listing. The listing is like a highlights reel for the home and, as such, will not necessarily cover all of the details you need to make a purchasing decision.

If you are fortunate, the seller of the condo you are viewing will decide ahead of time what they would like to leave behind and what they plan to take with them. Then their real estate agent will compile this information and share it with prospective buyers.

Other sellers put their condos on the market without giving any thought to what stays and what goes. In this case, you can ask the sellers agent to pin down this information before you make an offer to purchase.

Get It In Writing

At the risk of getting repetitive, whatever your seller says they are taking with them or leaving behind, ensure you get that information in writing and that it is included in the sales contract. Check that the makes and models of the appliances are listed because it is not unknown for sellers to swap out those fabulous top of the range appliances for bland old budget alternatives.

Lenders Requirements

Some lenders have a specific requirement that a home must have a working stove in place before the condo sale is complete. If your lender has this requirement, it is your responsibility to ensure that either an existing stove is left behind or you install a stove as soon as you move in.

Rented Condos

In the same way, as some condos for sale have appliances while others do not, there are no hard and fast rules over whether or not your rental condo comes with appliances. Having said that, the majority of rentals do come with appliances.

This is something you should establish with the landlord before you sign your lease. 

Final Thoughts

Never assume that what you see in the way of appliances when you view a condo will be what you get on the day you move in. To ensure there are no nasty surprises when you excitedly cross the threshold of your new home, pin down the details of exactly what the sale includes and get all information in writing.

About The Author

Geoff Southworth is the creator of RealEstateInfoGuide.com, the site that helps new homeowners, investors, and homeowners-to-be successfully navigate the complex world of property ownership. Geoff is a real estate investor of 8 years has had experience as a manager of a debt-free, private real estate equity fund, as well as a Registered Nurse in Emergency Trauma and Cardiac Cath Lab Care. As a result, he has developed a unique “people first, business second” approach to real estate.

Check out the Full Author Biography here.

 

This article has been reviewed by our editorial board and has been approved for publication in accordance with our editorial policy.

Geoff

Geoff Southworth is the creator of RealEstateInfoGuide.com, the site that helps new homeowners, investors, and homeowners-to-be successfully navigate the complex world of property ownership. Geoff is a real estate investor of 8 years has had experience as a manager of a debt-free, private real estate equity fund, as well as a Registered Nurse in Emergency Trauma and Cardiac Cath Lab Care. As a result, he has developed a unique “people first, business second” approach to real estate.

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