By Scott Swick, General Sales Manager, First Weber Group Fond du Lac
We work so hard to help sellers learn to think like buyers instead of like sellers. We help them price their home so buyers will see it as the best deal on the market, assist them in preparing their home for sale so they get the highest price. And we help them get those buyers’ attention. And one of the smartest things a seller can do to get their home sold, especially if they have an older home, is to offer a home warranty.
A home warranty is like putting an insurance policy on your home. It covers many of the things that homebuyers are most worried about: will the furnace fail right after I buy this home? What do I do if the plumbing springs a leak? What happens when the dishwasher stops working?
First-time homebuyers are even more fearful. Because it’s their first home, they worry about getting taken advantage of because of their inexperience. And if you think about it, the first time homebuyers are often buying older homes that might have issues with their electrical system, the roofing might need to be replaced, or some other nightmare.
The basic home warranty policy covers all the mechanical issues: the heating and cooling system, the plumbing system, the electrical system, and the appliances. If they want to upgrade the warranty further, they can get coverage for roof leaks, for additional mechanical items such as hot water heaters or hot tubs, etc.
But the best part of it all is that a home warranty doesn’t just protect the buyer, it protects the seller in two ways. First, the home warranty covers the home as soon as it is listed for sale. If any of the covered items fail during the listing period, the home warranty pays for the repairs.
The second way is that after you sell your home, you have a wonderful peace of mind. You don’t have to worry that something is going to go wrong with your previous home and the buyer is going to get upset and start calling you demanding you fix it, or harassing you if you are reluctant to do so. You know that it is covered with the home warranty.
At First Weber Realtors, our home warranty company, Universal Home Protection, has the basic coverage for around $500. Additional coverage for other items are available. That may sound like a lot, but it is nothing compared to the peace of mind it offers. The best part is though that it really helps buyers feel confident about buying your home. If you had a choice between two fairly equal homes, and one had a home warranty and the other didn’t, which one would you choose?
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