Buying or selling a home involves a lot of things, it also raises questions. In this column ‘Ask Bob’, real estate expert/broker Bob Bartikoski of RE/MAX Paradise Homes Bonaire answers a real estate question from a reader. This time:
Question: Are most houses on Bonaire sold furnished? If I don’t want the furniture, can I offer a lower sales price?
Most homes on Bonaire are sold with at least some furnishings, especially if the owners do not live on the island and do not want to ship furniture off the island. Used furniture does not have high value, so generally sellers are just including it with the sale of the home and are not willing to significantly reduce the selling price in order to sell it unfurnished.
If you buy a furnished home and do not plan to use the furnishings, you can donate them to a Bonaire charity such as the Animal Shelter, or sell them.
When making an offer on a furnished property, you will receive an inventory list that shows what items are included. Look at the list carefully, since the owners may exclude some furnishings in addition to their personal items. At the final walkthrough prior to closing, this list is used to verify that the items listed remain with the home.
Please email me directly if you need more information on a specific property at [email protected]. Bonaire: +599-717-7362. Call for free from the US: 1-866-611-7362. See all our listings here.