I didn’t leave a gift basket type of thing, but I did leave toilet paper in all of the bathrooms, a roll of paper towels in the kitchen, a binder with all of the appliance booklets, the original floor plans and a list of web sites for local utilities, including the trash pick-up day. My buyers weren’t moving in right away either, so I didn’t want to leave any food or drink that might go bad. Oh, and I left a box with extra fittings for various things around the house and extra light bulbs.

Lovely idea! The prior owners of our home left champagne with glasses, along with a welcome letter and a list of their favorite restaurants, service providers (dry cleaner, tailor tailor...) and name/number of the gardener and pool service used at the home. We loved it. If you have time, I say do it, a very nice welcome.

I have left gifts for homebuyers, as well as a document with all of the vendors/support people. I think it's good karma.

I left a bottle of champagne for the buyers of my mom’s house (they were empty nesters). I also left a package of toilet paper in case they needed it - although they were also making extensive renovations (husband was a retired contractor). I was happy that they purchased the house and were going to renovate vs. terar down and rebuild.

I lost my mom unexpectedly a few years ago - we (my three sisters and I) waited several months before we were able to go over there and pack things up - it would have been very difficult to see it torn down.

However, if you don’t have time, don’t feel bad - when I bought my first house with my ex, the prior owners didn’t leave anything. In fact, they took the fridge that was supposed to be left in the kitchen - and replaced it with their old one that they used as a spare in the garage! Obviously, I called the real estate agent immediately - and the other fridge was delivered a couple days later.

She told me it was an accident - hmmmmm. . . how do the movers “accidentally” take the one in the kitchen - AND replace it with the older one in the garage??!?!?

I left the original plans, the list of service providers, extra filters and replacement parts, and the safe and the combination. Months later I found the key to one of the little compartments in the safe, meant to mail it, and promptly lost it again. No gift.

I am leaving a number of things for them free of charge, which we agreed on in advance. One is the baby grand piano, also the sectional sofa with cabinet and a nice uline fridge. The other appliances were included in the agreement of sale.

They are doing me a favor by taking all of it since it would have been a big headache and expense to get rid of it.

I’ll definitely leave afolder with a note and helpful information. That may have to be enough.

Oh yes, tp and paper towels everywhere.

Only once has anyone left anything for us and that was a bottle of wine. I thought it was a nice gesture.

We left flowers and a note to our buyers, welcoming them to their new home and wishing the continuation of shelter, love and family bonds that we had. We made a pack of blueprints from the addition we built, notes about updates to all mechanicals, owners manuals for all appliances and other house/neighborhood info. We have kept in touch and visited to see all the ways they updated and personalized the house for their needs. Two months ago I rec'd a text telling me they were listing the house, had already moved into a rental and would be building a mile away. When they closed, she texted a picture of the flowers and note they left for their buyers - in the same place we left it almost 10 years ago. What goes around comes around. Anything you do for the buyers of your mom's house will be lovely

Like so many others have written: we left owners manuals, blueprints, warranty information, the township calendar with all of the departments and contact information, schedules for trash and leaf pickup, a list of contractors and service providers and the names of the next door neighbors (I checked with them first).

I debated about leaving them a gift but ran out of time since they moved settlement up 2 days at the last minute. It wasn't a big deal since the house was empty and we only moved 8 miles away. But we had been at our other place and had to return home earlier than we had planned.

i ended up mailing them a GC for one of the local restaurants.

I had to go to the grocery store so I picked up a bottle of Prosecco and a bottle of sparkling apple cider, along with some plastic cups. I wasnt going shopping for fancy glasses and wouldnt you know i just sent all the wine glasses to the thrift shop. I also will leave a cheap little bottle opener i happened to have, to open the cider.

Anyway, it seems like a nice thing to do.

The sellers of my house left us a surprise $15K HOA fine they managed to keep off the estoppel somehow that we had to fight when we moved in. Does that count ?!

Beagles, i had to google that. Well, that was a dirty trick and certainly not a welcome gift.

Oh, wow, @beaglesdoitbetter, that sounds like fraud!

They were a real delight, TBH. We also closed four months late (not because we weren't ready!). Super fun..

Our PO left some old ketchup packets in the fridge.

ded....that was a VERY nice thing to do. I'm sure they'll appreciate it!

I remember at my last house...there was an artists studio that sold down the street ...they left a small oil painting for the new owner. Word spread quickly about the gift...

Although we had left notes or gifts to buyers of previous homes we left nothing for the buyers of our last house. We did have the lightbulbs changed in a chandelier that hangs in a 20 ft tall back stairway, assuming it would take them awhile to find a person with the right ladder. In hindsight I wish we had not gone to the trouble; they delayed the closing multiple times due to financing problems and tried to get the key from our agent a week early claiming they had already closed! They didn’t really have the resources to buy the house and bc of that I knew they couldn’t afford the upkeep and indeed they haven’t. ☹️

Realtors often come bearing gifts.

Kswl - have you driven past your last home? It is indeed sad to see the home that you loved and cared for with new owners who just don't seem to have the same interest in maintaining the place. We lived in our previous house for 35 years and since we only moved 15 minutes away I drive down my old street every few months.

The new owners had lived in S. Philly (think rowhomes, small yards, few driveways) their entire lives and either don't have a clue about landscaping or just don't care. I drove past last week to see if the wisteria my DD had planted 25 years ago was blooming. She had spent many hours training a vine into an upright tree. Well it's in full bloom but also in full weeds! When we lived there her tree had been featured in several local papers. I don't dare send her this photo - it'd break her heart.

I ran into my old next door neighbors and they're dismayed at how the yard looks with overgrown shrubs and weeds. I can't imagine what the pool looks like.

The Wisteria tree is stunning! Too bad about the weeds. The house we lived in for 20+ yrs had too many azaleas to count, Magnolia trees and more. The next owners said their landscape company could keep it up. Not. They cut down the Magnolias, removed all the azaleas, all the other shrubs and even the foundation plantings. WTH. They sold a year or so ago, and the new owners have added a lot of swings, play toys, jungle gyms outside.

DH and I have never been drinkers, so leaving anything alcohol related would not have been consumed. As a non-drinker, I would have to ask if those of you who do partake ever consider someone might be a recovering alcholic and not welcome such a gift. We do not fit in either of these categories, so just asking. We don't assume everyone partakes, but those that do seem to assume everyone does.

In additon to paperwork (booklets, manuels, etc) for appliances and equipment, paper products, air filters, etc we also leave any remaining materials from remodeling. In our last two houses, I also left all the paperwork and extra parts to the new light fixtures left behind (they both replaced everything). Already had a typed list of each room's paint color and drapery fabric info (also sold). Since the last buyer left me her 7-page typed To Do list, I did not feel the need to leave her a special gift. Going ahead with the closing was enough of a gift from me.

When DD2 sold her 2nd home, she gifted a hummingbird feeder and food to the new buyer (older woman) so they would keep being fed.

When we purchased our current home, since we were out of state buyers, the previous owners left us a small gift basket with nice paper plates, etc and several different cleaning products in the kitchen. That was nice since we've never had quartz counters before. I still use the same brand of cleaner.

Maire Cate, yes I have driven by the house twice since we moved. They have let the front entrance go to he!l, not weeding the banks or even cutting the grass! The electric gates are open, I assume because they didn’t keep the regular maintenance visits schedule up and now it’s malfunctioned. You can see the woods haven’t been weeded or the privet cut. trees have fallen and not been removed. It looks abandoned, I can’t drive by it again.

Your poor wisteria… it must hurt to see it choked with weeds.

I left a welcome note, wine and cheese for our buyers along with all the owners/appliance/heat pump manuals and a list of service people I'd used successfully. Did so a couple of days before closing when we were there to move our little bit of staging out.

We actually met them that evening, living a little ways out of town, they were negotiating purchase of a rental property at the same time they were buying my house in which to live. Their real estate agent didn't realize the realtor's lockbox had been removed and she could not have met or let them in if we hadn't been there.

As it turned out, I didn't like them very much. A middle aged downsizing couple, he was gushing all over me about the house and slowing me down. She wanted to know who to call to 'do the yard' when I had always done it myself and had extensive perennial and shrub beds (I'd potted and removed my favs before listing).

We found the home for sale again one year later. They were divorcing. I got a one line email from my own realtor who had become a friend that read only 'WTH' when the sign went up 😊

I often drive by the house where my family lived for ten years. It looks very much the same and is well cared for.

I also have to drive by a place we rented for a couple years. It looks awful. The occupants are the kind who use the front porch for junk storage.

I plan to stay away from mom’s house after settlement. Ive had enough of it to last a long time and Im ready to move on. I would like to see the improvements when they’re done.

Our previous owners left some steaks in the freezer.

They also left a huge can of grease in the oven drawer. LOL I'm sure that was an oversight.

Speaking of what home buyers do or don't do to care for the home....

This was the house I lived in till I was 6 - my parents moved to the suburbs with my 3 siblings from their small house in Chicago before I was born. It's a 1926 sideways facing traditional, center entrance colonial with the standard layout. It ,and the one it faces which is similar but a slightly different colonial, was built by a man for his 2 daughters so they could walk out their front doors to visit each other easily.

It stayed like that for another 6 decades after we moved. And then this happened, which I know some people might like but I find just weird to say nothing of what it did to the layout. To each his own. You really can't - or shouldn't! - go home again! My parents built the house we moved to and that has barely changed at all, thankfully.

We moved to a new area and the night before the closing, the sellers gave us a very detailed tour (we took tons of notes) on the maintenance of our soon-to-be home. Afterwards, the four of us went out to their favorite italian restaurant. We hit it off really well and they have become our closest friends in our new town. In fact, I just went to lunch with the wife a few days ago. Oh, and they did leave a bottle of champagne but more importantly, a professionally cleaned house!

DLM, what a sweet story! I love that Such of a shame.

A side entry is always a little awkward esp when on a very symmetrical lot. But the before was soooo much better. They added such a large entry for the scale of the home, one wonder where the rest is ...it needs something left and right!

DH and I's first house, a brick colonial c 1904, is pristine and looks ~ the same as when we sold in 2010. (We have still visit friends there.) And the same as in 1904, largely. It was a very well designed house and the only change that involved walls over its entire history was turning one of the hall baths into a captive, and turning a closet into a bathroom. It is also very large so it would be hard to imagine needing to add on, which is probably why it is remarkably intact. Amazing testament to the architect also, who designed a few famous buildings including Saks Fifth Avenue.

I've not driven by the split level I grew up in. I should! On Google maps it is all trees now, the big sloping front lawn I remember playing Mother May I on with the neighborhood kids. Note, the yard is actually not big and not really sloping much. LOL

For our current home, the previous owners left us a welcome letter, a bottle of wine, and the big bell by the front door that we had admired (as a surprise welcome gift). After the movers unloaded all of our stuff (a very long day), we went to a restaurant for dinner and then some anonymous person paid for our dinner. That was confusing, but much appreciated and a great start to a new life in a new town.

I kind of wish we had left something nice for the buyers of our previous home. We did leave detailed instructions on how to use everything. We were moving across country, closing earlier than we planned to accomodate the buyers, and it was just a chaotic few weeks.

My childhood home was a very small 3 bed/1 bath ranch. Living room + kitchen. That was the whole house. My dad had always dreamed of adding on a second story, but never had the $$ to do so. Some owner along the way did just that and it's now a 2 story home. Still a small home, but bedrooms upstairs. Both my brother and I have driven by it. Brother was showing it to his kids. Owners saw him parked outside and looking so they came out to see what he was doing. He explained he grew up there and they invited him in for a tour. I was not so lucky! I would have loved to see it.

Why not? It's a nice idea Dedtired.

I think instruction manuals, both written and printed, are the best things to leave for buyers. We plan to do this, and I wish the previous owners had done this for us.

How about paying their realtor's commission if it's still required in your state? :) OK changed it in March.

Not sure about wine for many reasons I won't list. I don't like the taste of alcohol for some reason except I do love strawberries in champagne or an ice cold Michelob in the summer.

I think a bottle of sparkling cider along with enough (pretty) disposable stemware would be nice.

My DS closes on his first house today. My DH and I tagged along for the final wallk thru. The only thing remaining was the garage door opener. All of the responses here made me think of appliance manuals. There were none 😕

@ratherbesewing at least they can be looked up online now.

We met with the owner of the one story house next door yesterday. We approached him about buying when we heard through the grapevine he was going to list. I asked about appliance manuals, etc and he was going to put them in one place. The house has always been a STR, and it will stay that way. We don't need a guest house or a second pool. It needs work, so now I have a new project. DH isn't as excited about it as I am. LOL

I took some treats for his dog yesterday. I don't expect him to leave us a gift, and it won't bother me one bit.

My son and I spent yesterday doing lots of last minute clearing out. I brought the final bag of trash to my house to put out on my trash day. We made a trip to the dump with a few things.

My son even went so far as to give the kitchen floor a last cleaning. We ended up leaving a couple things behind including a card table that wouldnt fit in the car and some throw pillows that were on the sofa we agreed to leave for them.

As he was leaving, my son spotted some junk that had been left on top of some pipes near the ceiling in the basement. Oops. I guess the cleanout company missed that. I dont think it will be a burden to them since they will most likely have a dumpster on site for their planned renovations.

I left a folder with a welcome note, a list of maintenance people, some ( hopefully) helpful info, a piece of mail addressed to them and the manual for the fridge. Also a slew of keys that had accumulated over the years!

So strange to think of someone else in that house, not us. Glad that it will have new life breathed into it after so many years of my mother’s decline and death. Settlement is happening as I write this!

Onward.

My DS is in the process of buying a house from a woman in her mid-80s whose husband died fairly recently. They lived in this house for 50+ years and I already kinda feel sad for her because she clearly loved the house and maintained it so well. The listing agent said she literally cleans the house every day. Every window is covered in multiple layers of drapes and all the furniture screams 1960, and not in a cool MCM way. More like Italian Grandma. But it has a sweet vibe. Too bad none of the wallpaper is as cute as your closet paper! They have wallpaper in every bedroom and bathroom and hallway.

I am guessing the homeowner may not leave anything behind, but the house will be immaculately clean!

Speaking of keys — I have these that were hung on a hook in my parents’ garage. Late family dogs’ tags! Why I kept them, I’m not sure but they hang in our mudroom, usually covered by coats.