Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
Buying a new home? Replacing your old appliances? You probably haven't given it much thought, but a home warranty might be a good investment for you and your family. Sure, the extended warranty for your appliances will cover manufacturing defects, but what about if something major breaks - and it isn't covered by your manufacturer's warranty?
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Home warranties cover most major appliances, and systems, in your house - stuff that your insurer won't touch with a 10 foot pole.
Plumbing
It's a fact of life. Plumbing leaks. As much as we want PVC piping to be immortal, it isn't. Joints are usually what fail, but the piping itself can fail if the water freezes or there's some other structural damage caused by external forces.
When piping leaks, or bursts, many homeowner's insurance policies exclude the cost of a plumber and the cost of replacing the pipe. It may cover water damage, but this varies by state. A home warranty fills in the gaps of a homeowner's insurance policy - providing coverage for a plumber to come out and fix what needs to be fixed, along with other costs associated with fixing the pipes.
Electrical
Electrical wiring frays. It's not something that's covered by homeowner's insurance, so you're pretty much on your own there. However, a home warranty will cover this, and will provide you with enough money to fix electrical problems other than just fraying wires.
Usually, wiring is the last thing on your mind in a home. It's sealed up in the walls, and you never think about it until or unless lights start acting funny, and electrical appliances stop functioning properly in your home, or there's an electrical fire.
Appliances
You have a limited warranty on your appliances. The problem is that the limited warranty often only covers manufacturing defects. Even when it's more comprehensive, the warranty eventually runs out. Home warranties fill int he gaps here, too, since you can continually renew your home warranty beyond the manufacturer's warranty - thus providing coverage if your expensive refrigerator, dishwasher, or stove breaks.
HVAC Units
There are fewer frustrating things that a non-functioning air conditioning unit in the middle of summer. The blistering heat makes it hard to think about anything other than getting it fixed. With a home warranty, you don't need to think. All you need to do is make a phone call. Ditto with central heat.
Because HVAC units typically come with warranties, you probably won't need to use a home warranty for a while - however, it's going to come in handy when that manufacturer's warranty expires.
How To Entice Buyers
Home buyers are skittish folk. Think about when you first bought your home. You probably scrutinized anything that looked even remotely suspicious. After all, you would be the one repairing any defective part of the home after the seller had your money.
A home warranty puts your buyer at ease, so you can focus on selling the aesthetics of your house instead of the technical or structural integrity of it.
About the author: Jonathan Crawford is a home improvement consultant. He enjoys sharing his knowledge on home improvement blogs. Visit the HomeWarrantyService.net website for more ideas.
