Metro Atlanta home buyers are becoming more and more savvy, and when it comes to a home warranty, most are asking the seller to provide one. A home warranty puts your buyer at ease, so you can focus on selling the aesthetics of your house instead of the technical or structural integrity of it.

An extended warranty for appliances will cover manufacturing defects, but what about if something major breaks – and it isn't covered by the manufacturer's warranty? That's where home warranties kick in and take up the slack.

Offer a Home Warranty When Selling Your Home

A home warranty will also cover things insurance won't even begin to think about covering, like plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems. Let's look at these a little closer, and why you should consider offering a home warranty when selling your home:

Plumbing

When pipes leak, or burst, many homeowner's insurance policies exclude the cost of a plumber and the cost of replacing the pipe. It may cover water damage, but this varies by location. A home warranty fills in the gaps of a homeowner's insurance policy – providing coverage for a plumber to come out and fix what needs to be fixed, along with other costs associated with fixing the pipes.

As much as we want PVC piping to last forever, it doesn't. Joints are usually what fail, but the piping itself can fail if the water freezes or there's some other structural damage caused by external forces.

Electrical

Electrical wiring isn't something that's covered by homeowner's insurance, so you're pretty much on your own when it comes to wiring. However, a home warranty will cover this, and will provide you with enough money to fix electrical problems other than just fraying wires.

Usually, wiring is the last thing on your mind in a home. It's hidden in the walls, and you never think about it until or unless lights start acting funny, and electrical appliances stop functioning properly in your home, or worse — there's an electrical fire.

HVAC Units

There are fewer things more frustrating than an air conditioning unit blowing warm air in the middle of summer. The blistering heat makes it hard to think about anything other than getting it fixed. With a home warranty, you don't need to think. All you need to do is make a phone call. Same goes for your central heat in the winter.

Because HVAC units typically come with warranties, you probably won't need to use a home warranty for a while – however, it will come in handy when the manufacturer's warranty expires.

Appliances

You have a limited warranty on your appliances. The problem is the limited warranty often only covers manufacturing defects. Even when it's more comprehensive, the warranty eventually runs out. Home warranties fill in the gaps here, since you can continually renew your home warranty beyond the manufacturer's warranty – thereby providing coverage if your expensive refrigerator, dishwasher, or stove breaks down.

We have other Metro Atlanta Home Selling Tips in the column to your right under the Atlanta Real Estate Categories.