| |
| |
|
Nationalrealtyresource.com
|
| Home | Find a topic | Links | Guest Book |
| Welcome |
|
|
|
Home Warranties: Are They Too Good To Be True?
What is a 'Home Warranty?' A home warranty is like an insurance policy. In fact, in some states the Insurance Commission may even regulate them. I know in Texas, the Real Estate Commission regulates these companies. Basically as a homeowner you pay a company a few hundred dollars a year to cover the major appliances and components of your home. If something should go wrong, you call them up and they send a technician out to size up the situation and tell you if you're covered or not. Is this too good to be true? Problems for some consumers usually arise when they have a claim. They may have paid their dues each and every year and believed everything in their home was covered. Then one day in August the A/C goes out and they call the Home Warranty Company who sends a tech out to look at the A/C. "Yep" he says "Your A/C equipment is shot, you're going need a new one." "Good thing I have this warranty" you think. You may soon find out that your warranty will not cover a new A/C because you failed to have it "serviced" each year or because the service tech says the reason it went out was because of a "Pre-existing" condition. I've seen claims denied for very questionable reasons. Stop and think about it, if they can deny a claim, then that's money in their pocket. Someplace in that fine print I keep telling you to read there is a whole bunch of "we won't warranty it 'if's'." The Technician who comes to your home may be the one who'll decide whether or not the work will be covered by the warranty. In some instances, these third party contractors who are hired by the warranty companies do not make as much on repairs and replacements on a claim as if you just called them up out of the phonebook. It pays to get several opinions before making a decision. Here are a few reasons I've seen Home Warranty Companies deny claims · Lack of regular maintenance The best way to protect yourself if you plan on purchasing one of these policies is to call the Company and ask them which service provider they use in your area. Then call that service provider and schedule an inspection with them to come out and look at the systems and components in your home to ensure the Home Warranty Policy will cover it. Get it in writing if they says everything will be covered. You also want to make sure what the Home Warranty will cover and what it doesn't. I've never seen a policy with blanket coverage so don't assume it will 'cover everything in the home' like some real estate agents tell you. Read the fine print! What are my options if my warranty company denies my claim? I'm betting that most states regulate these companies some how. Check with your states Attorney Generals Office. They should have all the information you need. You may even be able to file a complaint with the AG's office of your state if you've had a denial of a claim in which you feel is legitimate. Good Luck and read the fine print on those contracts! Donald Lawson is a Professional Real Estate Inspector licensed in Texas (#5824) and Oklahoma (#454). He currently owns and operates V.I.P. Home Inspections, a multi-inspector firm in Houston Texas. You can find out more about home warranty's on his website at http://www.best2inspect.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Real-Estate - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Property Investing Secrets 7 Property Investing Secrets:How Buying Real Estate Is Like Planning a Trip to the Greek IslandsOne you start property investing, one important tip is to press the flesh with the real estate agents in the areas where you plan to buy. Because property investing is a bit like buying a holiday package, you must separate yourself from the rest of the investors by giving the real estate agents the information they are looking for in your first face to face meeting. Title Insurance Protects Your Financial Investment You purchase homeowners insurance to protect yourself financially in case something happens to your property or its contents. However homeowners insurance won't protect your financial interests if a matter arises regarding past ownership of your property. How Do You Profit From O.P.P.? In a previous article we introduced you to the concept of O.P. OPM - The Art of Leveraging Equity lender, hard money lender, private investor or what ever term one uses can be a great source of funds to do real estate transactions and the question of how to find them comes up often!There are numerous ways to do this, and no two investors are exactly alike, so it's important to be innovative and customize your proposal to the specific "hot buttons" for each funding source.One of the greatest advantages of real estate investing is the power of leveraging other people's money. Crossing the Gap from this Home to the Next: Bridge Loan So you're thinking of getting into a bigger house. You call up the real estate agent and make an appointment to go see what the market has to offer. Old House? New House? Weighing Your Options Maybe it has something to do with a childhood home we fondly remember. Many of us long for old homes built with solid construction, quality craftsmanship and beautiful details. For Sale By Owner - Use This Tip To Sell Your Home Quicker and At a Better Price Your house is for sale by owner (fsbo), Along with columns of countless other FSBO's in the Sunday paper. This one little trick will enable you to have your Ad Noticed by more potential buyers. Master Builders Ask, Do You Know What Design/Build or Design/Construct Means? You Should These real questions are answered by me and US Master Builders after receiving them from readers of my e-book, "Residential Development Made Easy."Question 1. Moving On: Powerful Tips For Selling Your Home Maybe you're moving to a larger home to accommodate a growing family, relocating for a new career opportunity, or purchasing a townhouse for retirement. Whatever the reason for the move, you'll need to take the necessary steps to sell your home for the best possible price, within a reasonable amount of time. Business Credit Card Dirty Tricks My system teaches people that the proper use of credit is the fastest way to speed up your profits in real estate investing.And you can use this system no matter what your own credit score is. Home Selling: Making It Easy On Yourself! It's a dream for many to buy and take ownership of a home. It's something one aspires for in their lifetime. Home Inspectors: 5 Tips to Choosing the Right One Choosing the wrong Home Inspector can cost you a lot more than the fee you paid. If you choose a home inspector solely on price alone, your headed down a dangerous highway. Why Use a Property Manager? Most experienced property investors use property managers. Why? Because they make you money. Cant Rent a Work Zone So you've picked up your first (or third, or tenth) income property, and it's a real fixer-upper. You've got a great team of contractors, and you know what they need to do and how much time and money it's going to cost to make it happen. Home Equity - Don't Spend It on Risky Investments The housing market has exploded in the last five years, and homeowners are finding that the equity in their homes is greater than it has ever been. The equity in a home is the difference between the market value of the home and the amount still owed on it. Selling Your Home - Alone or with a Broker? How do you decide whether to sell your home (or land, farm, ranch, etc.) on your own or use a real estate broker? There are pluses and minuses to each approach. Buying a House in Scotland Buying a house in Scotland is slightly different from buying a house in other parts of the UK. It's not particularly complicated, and buying north of the border can often be quicker, but for those relocating from England and Wales there are a number of points you need to bear in mind. What Makes Fractional Shares Different from Owning Other Kinds of Vacation Properties? Fractional shares ("fractionals") are sometimes confused with other vacation property options, such as time shares and condo hotels. While there are similarities, there are a number of things that make fractional shares unique, and thus suited for a certain type of vacation property buyer. Setting Goals for Real Estate Success The power of goal setting has been well documented and communicated so before you skip over this point because you've heard it all before I'd like you to consider how well you are doing it. I'm a firm believer that you don't truly understand something until you are doing it. Why Move to the Poconos? Awaken to the sounds of softly rustling trees and tranquil gurgling streams. Stroll along quiet lush wooded mountain trails.
|
| |
| |
|
Home | Guest Book |Site Map | Recommended Resources | Search Powered By: TJTMEDIA |
| © 2006 |
