Should A Seller Offer A Home Warranty With Purchase Of The Home?

The question always comes up when I do a listing presentation on whether they should offer a home warranty with the house up front. My answer is always YES... i feel there are many benefits to offering a home warranty when you sell a home. Most buyers in this market are struggling to come up with the necessary down payment to purchase a house and cover part or all of the closing costs if they are not negotiated into the sale. A home warranty gives the buyer an extra value with the house and peace of mind. One thing everyone is always afraid of is that when you move into a house what if something breaks? how do I pay for it? I just spent my last of savings on my down payment on this house. That is where a home warranty acts a security blanket for prospective home buyers. it gives the home buyer the peace of mind knowing that if something does go wrong with the house they are covered for a minimal co pay (usually $50 to $60) per issue. I have had closings occur where the buyer's agent has told me the fact that we offered a home warranty up front gave their buyer's peace of mind when purchasing a home and made them want to look at the house more than some of the comparable in the area..... For a minimal cost the seller protects the buyer and enhances the value to their house at the same time. If I was looking for a house and found a few that were comparable and only one was offering a home warranty.... I probably would be more inclined to go view that house over the other ones. I want that security blanket. I correlate ti to buying a car. you look at a used car you are looking to see what is covered by the warranty and how long the warranty. The warranty on a car makes a large impact on whether you purchase that car or not most times.... Well the same can be said with a house. A buyer purchasing a house is making the largest purchase of their lifetime..... They are looking for that peace of mind as well...So, if you are selling a home consider offering a home warranty. it could make the difference between your home getting sold and not. Dave diCecco Realtor/Broker www.davedicecco.com