Taking Advantage of Your Home Warranty | Your Questions Answered

Welcome, June! This week marks the fifth week of our Your Questions Answered blog series. Through this series, (which we affectionately like to think of as our own twist on ‘Dear Abby’) we hope to debunk some of the most perplexing questions about the real estate process.

Today, our agent Jess will be giving her tips on taking advantage of your Home Warranty. You most likely received a Home Warranty of some sort when you bought your house, but may not be utilizing it to its full advantage. Read on for Jess’ tips on how to maximize that warranty as best you can.

“What does my Home Warranty cover? How do I use it?”
Home warranty plans have become a popular request from buyers in the recent years.  Home warranty plans can provide the buyers peace of mind that if something breaks within days or months of their closing, it can be fixed at little to no charge to them.  We especially advise first time homebuyers who have no experience managing a home to include a home warranty plan in their contract.

Home warranty plans come in several different options that can vary in price/length/what’s covered.

Not sure what is covered?  All home warranty companies will have information on their website that explains what plans they offer along with a list of things covered by each plan. Most of the plans are going to cover those big ticket items such as the plumbing system, electrical system, hot water heater, HVAC, certain appliances, ductwork, roof leaks, etc.

How does it work?  Imagine this…. It’s a Saturday morning in August and you realize your AC seems to be loosing steam.  Your first call should be to the home warranty company.

1. Grab your phone, call the 1-800 number.
2. Speak to a representative who will ask you several questions about the issue.
3. The home warranty company will call a provider from their preferred vendor list and arrange for them to call you directly.
4. The preferred vendor will call you and set up a time to come out and look at the problem.
5. The repair provider will charge you a “service call” fee, which is usually 50 to 75 dollars.
6. The repair provider will fix the problem if it is repairable and depending on your coverage the home warranty company will give the green light for a full replacement to be installed.

We suggest keeping your home warranty company close–as in ‘create-a-contact-in-your-phone-titled-“Home-Warranty”’ close. Remember to include your individual contract number right in your phone so it’s always handy if you need it. You will receive a document at your closing that includes all pertinent information, but the last thing you are going to want to do when your water heater is spilling out water is look around your home for that piece of paper.  If you keep the information in your phone, it is easily accessible and allows you to make the call quickly in case the issue at hand be an urgent one.

As always, check out our current Nashville homes for sale here. Contact us today if you’re ready to sell or buy your home, or if you have any real estate questions you’d like debunked, including one about your home warranty plan.

Thanks for tuning in to our “Your (Real Estate) Questions Answered“ blog series! | Last week: Home Inspection: Friend or Foe? | Want to stay connected? Like us on Facebook +  follow us on Twitter and Instagram. And, as always, check out our current homes for sale in the Nashville area.