Selling Your Tampa Bay Home? Pros and Cons of Replacing Your AC System
If you are in the market to sell your Clearwater home (or home in the Tampa Bay metro area), a working HVAC system is a must for homebuyers across Florida, where heat and humidity reign over the summer months.
In preparation for your home sale, you may be questioning the benefits of replacing your AC before you put it on the market. The answer isn’t black and white – instead, there are a lot of things to consider first.
Here, we’ll help you break down the perks to make the best decision for both you and the future homebuyer.
Pros of Replacing Your AC in Your Florida Home
If your current HVAC system is dated, replacing your central heating and cooling equipment can look good on your listing and offer benefits to both you and potential homebuyers. This includes a:
- Competitive advantage: Want a leg up on other homes for sale in your area? Although a new central AC system is a big-ticket item, it can influence many home buying decisions – especially in the current real estate market across Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties1.
“A few years ago, Florida began experiencing an influx of Baby Boomers and retiree relocations, creating an increasingly competitive market,” says Charles Rountree, Founder and Licensed Real Estate Broker for Insta Real Estate Solutions. “Now with the COVID-19 hot spots and lockdowns across the Northeast and Midwest, we’re experiencing even greater demand throughout the Greater Tampa Bay Area.”
- Positive home inspection: Mortgage companies and insurance providers require a passing home inspection to ensure the buyer has coverage on their purchase. A brand-new HVAC system will pass with flying colors, helping contribute to the sale of the home and security of the buyer’s mortgage.
“We always recommend a pre-listing home inspection before the property goes to market,” says Rountree. “The HVAC becomes a very critical component. It’s not just about mechanically cooling and heating your home. It can be a game changer on whether or not a buyer is able to obtain insurance and subsequently whether or not the loan gets approved.”
- Reduction on energy and utility bills: Central AC technology and design improves over time, and AC manufacturers continue to develop cutting-edge systems every year that reduce energy bills for homeowners. Lower bills and energy efficiency are both attractive characteristics to a buyer.
- Mortgage savings: If your home also has insulated, thermal-rated windows, the AC replacement may qualify the future buyer for an energy efficient mortgage (EEM), which allows borrowers to qualify for a larger loan amount and a better, more energy-efficient home2.
- Reliable system and service: Everyone loves something that’s “new” because it offers dependability and peace of mind. Not only will your AC unit be a new product in your home, but it will make your home feel new and more reliable to buyers, too. Plus, your homebuyers can continue to use the same trusted AC installation company, like Air Care, to service their system over the course of its lifetime.
- Warranty: Most AC manufacturers offer warranties up to 10 years on a HVAC system, which can usually be transferred to a new homeowner after closing.
Contact Air Care to learn more about AC replacement options.
Cons of Replacing Your AC in Your Florida Home
When you purchase a new AC system, you probably won’t recoup the financial costs entirely. Instead, your return on investment comes in the form of buyer influence, since your home will likely sell faster and guarantee a positive HVAC inspection for you and the buyer.
“If the system is beyond 7-10 years old and still working properly, we usually coach and counsel our clients to either replace the HVAC unit or be mentally prepared to give the buyer a discount on the price when it comes up in the home inspection,” says Rountree.
While there are few negatives to replacing a dated system, a total AC replacement depends on the condition and age of your system. Just because a “New HVAC System” looks good on a listing doesn’t mean it’s the best decision for you.
Consider consulting with your real estate agent or broker on other AC unit conditions for properties on the market with similar asking prices in your area.
To get an expert opinion on the state of your AC system, contact Air Care today.
An Alternative: AC Repair and Maintenance
If your HVAC system is greater than 10 years old, there’s a chance you may need to replace your AC unit, even if it seems to be running okay. However, if your system is less than a decade in age, you might want to consider AC repair and maintenance as an alternative.
“Regardless if the HVAC system is replaced or not,” adds Rountree, “a general rule of thumb is to have a licensed HVAC company perform regular maintenance.”
At Air Care, we recommend bi-annual maintenance for $69.50. During a service tune-up, our technicians will:
- Check the health of your system
- Check the motor oil
- Drain pans
- Inspect indoor and outdoor coils
- Sanitize the air duct system to kill mold and mildew
- Remove loose debris from the outdoor unit
- Check all electrical components
Call us today to schedule an appointment and discover the best option for you.
Our AC Replacement Recommendation: Rheem® HVAC Systems
If you decide to replace your AC system, we recommend Rheem® heating and cooling equipment.
Air Care is an authorized dealer for Rheem HVAC products in Pinellas, southern Pasco and western Hillsborough counties. Learn how our professionals can help you service, repair or replace your Rheem AC system.
Your Premier Clearwater AC Replacement Company
Turn to your Clearwater air and heating experts at Air Care for all of your AC system maintenance, repair and replacement needs. We’re here to guide you through the process and help you decide the best options for you.
“You and your staff delivered on all you promised, from the quality of the installation right down to resolving the damage that occurred to our bathroom ceiling. Everyone I encountered was a pleasure to deal with. I routinely work with different trades in my profession and have been frustrated as a recent resident in the Clearwater area by how difficult it’s been to find reliable and honest trades who take pride in their work and actually fulfill the work they promise. Thank you and be assured that I will highly recommend you and your company to my friends and neighbors.”- Carol Anne Barnes
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APPENDIX:
[1] Smartasset.com: Where are retirees moving?
[2] EnergyStar.gov: Energy Efficient Mortgages
