What Conveys With a House in Virginia? Fixtures, Appliances and Items to Put in Writing

In Virginia, what conveys with a house is decided by the purchase contract, and where the contract is silent, by a basic rule: fixtures stay and personal property goes. A fixture is generally something attached to the home or adapted to it in a way that shows it was meant to stay, like a built-in dishwasher, a ceiling light or a furnace. Because so many items fall in between, the most reliable approach for both buyers and sellers is to list anything of value in writing. Here’s how I handle it with my clients.

Fixtures vs. personal property: the basic test

Virginia courts generally look at three questions to decide whether an item is a fixture:

1. Attachment: Is it physically attached to the house or land? Bolted, wired, plumbed or built in leans toward fixture.
2. Adaptation: Is it adapted to the use of the home? A custom-fit range hood or built-in shelving is designed for that space.
3. Intention: Did the owner intend it to be permanent? This is often the deciding factor, and it’s judged from the circumstances, not just what the seller says later.

You don’t want to be relying on that test at closing. It’s a legal standard for resolving disputes. The contract is where you avoid them. For a legal question about a specific item, a Virginia real estate attorney is the right call.

What usually conveys, what usually doesn’t, and the gray zone

Item	Usually	Why or what to do
Built-in appliances (dishwasher, wall oven, cooktop, built-in microwave)	Conveys	Attached and adapted to the kitchen
Freestanding range and refrigerator	Varies	Commonly included but list them in the contract
Washer and dryer	Varies	List them; sellers often take them
HVAC, water heater, sump pump	Conveys	Part of the house systems
Light fixtures and ceiling fans	Conveys	Sellers who want a chandelier should exclude it before listing
Window blinds, shades, curtain rods	Usually conveys	Curtains and drapes are often personal property; specify
Wall-mounted TVs	Varies	Mounts often stay; the TV usually doesn’t. Specify both
Smart thermostats, doorbells, locks	Usually conveys	Ask sellers to reset accounts and transfer access
Garage door openers and remotes	Conveys	Get all remotes and codes
Built-in shelving and closet systems	Conveys	Attached and adapted
Sheds	Varies	Permanent foundations lean toward conveying; prefab sheds should be listed
Playsets, hot tubs, generators	Varies	Write it down either way
Window AC units, freestanding freezers, furniture	Doesn’t convey	Personal property unless included
Landscaping plants	Conveys	Sellers who want to dig up a plant must exclude it

These are common outcomes, not guarantees. If an item matters to you, the answer is the same: put it in the contract.

How Northern Virginia contracts handle it

The standard regional sales contracts used in Northern Virginia, such as the forms published by the Northern Virginia Association of REALTORS, include a personal property and fixtures section with checkboxes for common items such as the range, refrigerator, dishwasher, disposal, washer, dryer, window treatments, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and garage door openers. There’s also space to add or exclude items.

• Buyers: check the boxes for every appliance you expect, and add anything not listed, such as a particular mounted TV, a basement refrigerator or a backyard playset.
• Sellers: remove or exclude anything you plan to take before you list, or state it clearly in the listing and the contract. Swapping a dining room chandelier after buyers have seen it invites a dispute.
• Both: describe items specifically (“two-door stainless refrigerator in kitchen” rather than “fridge”) and include quantities for remotes, keys and fobs.

It also helps to understand what the seller is and isn’t required to disclose. Virginia’s Residential Property Disclosure Act (Va. Code Title 55.1, Chapter 7) is narrower than many buyers expect, which I explain in my post on Virginia seller disclosures.

Leased, financed and subscription items

Some equipment in a home isn’t fully owned by the seller. These need their own paperwork:

• Solar panels: owned, financed or leased systems are handled very differently. Leases and power purchase agreements usually must be assumed by the buyer or paid off, and some financed systems have a recorded fixture filing. See my guide to buying a home with solar panels.
• Propane tanks: often owned by the gas supplier. Clarify ownership and how the remaining fuel is handled.
• Water softeners and filtration systems: sometimes rented.
• Security systems and cameras: equipment may convey, but monitoring contracts typically don’t transfer automatically.
• Home warranties: a seller-paid warranty can transfer if the contract says so.

A worked example: putting a dollar value on the details (illustrative)

Here’s a hypothetical to show why the list matters. Prices are illustrative estimates, not quotes.

Item the buyer assumed was staying	Illustrative replacement cost
Basement second refrigerator	$900
Washer and dryer	$1,800
Wall-mounted 65-inch TV and mount	$900
Custom living room drapes	$1,200
Backyard playset	$1,500
Total	$6,300

In this example, a buyer who assumed everything would stay could face more than $6,000 in surprise costs after closing, or a stressful dispute at the walk-through. Writing five lines into the contract avoids it, and a seller who intends to take some of these items can simply exclude them up front and price accordingly.

Common mistakes buyers and sellers make

• Relying on what the listing photos showed instead of what the contract says.
• Sellers replacing an expensive light fixture with a cheap one after ratification without agreement.
• Forgetting remotes, keys, mailbox keys, pool passes and HOA fobs.
• Not asking whether solar panels, propane tanks or water systems are leased.
• Leaving behind junk the buyer didn’t agree to take. Unwanted furniture, paint cans and debris can be a problem at the walk-through.
• Skipping a careful final walk-through. That’s your chance to confirm promised items are there and working.

For the bigger picture, see my guide to contingencies and the home buyer’s guide. This article is general information, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

Does the refrigerator convey with a house in Virginia?

Only if the contract says so. Built-in refrigerators are usually treated as fixtures, but freestanding ones are often listed separately, so check the box or write it in.

Do curtains and blinds stay with a house?

Blinds, shades and curtain rods are usually treated as fixtures and stay. Curtains and drapes are often considered personal property, so list them if you want them.

Can a seller take a light fixture?

Not if it’s attached and the contract doesn’t exclude it. A seller who wants to keep a chandelier should remove it and replace it before listing, or exclude it in the contract.

What happens if the seller removes an item that was supposed to convey?

Raise it before settlement, ideally at the final walk-through. The parties often resolve it with a credit, a holdback or the item’s return, and an attorney can advise if they can’t agree.