Should You Include a Homeowner’s Warranty When Selling Your House?

In the hot seller’s market over the past year or so, many of those who have real estate to offer have reaped a long list of benefits – including cashing in on above asking sale prices. With that in mind, does it make sense for sellers to offer added incentives (and costs) like a homeowner’s warranty when putting their house on the market?

The answer is – it depends.

For sellers, there has been no real need to provide added benefits like a homeowner’s warranty – and in many instances, properties are even selling fast when they are listed “as is,” with a long list of items that the new buyer must take care of on their own.

But, there are some scenarios where it could still provide an incentive. For instance, sellers may purchase a “sellers home warranty” that provides financial protection in the event that a home system (like the furnace or water heater) or a major appliance breaks while the property is on the market or under contract.

In addition, there are some homeowner’s warranty carriers that are now providing free sellers’ warranties if the seller then agrees to buy a home warranty contract for the buyer. So, depending on your particular circumstances, home warranties can actually be used as “tools” for the seller.

In addition to whether or not protection from a homeowner’s warranty is offered in the sale of your home, there are many other items to consider that can make your property more appealing than the competition.

For instance, prior to officially listing your home for sale, you should determine what the best initial listing price should be so that it doesn’t come off as too high – and in turn, scaring away potential buyers – or too low, and selling quickly, but with the knowledge that you could likely have received more for it.

An experienced real estate professional can help you with sorting out all of these issues. So, if you’re considering selling your home – even during the upcoming holiday season – give us a call and we can help you with determining the right list price, as well as creating a customized marketing plan that works best for you.