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Lack of Air Conditioning in a Home Can Be a Deal Breaker

By
Real Estate Agent with RI Real Estate Services ~ 401-529-7849~ RI Waterfront Real Estate

Air Conditioning Necessity in Home Buying

 

There is no doubt that home buyers know what they want when house hunting.  Sellers need to understand that certain fixes in a home prior to selling make all the blue moon buyerdifference.  In the summer season it is air conditioning in a home in the Northeast.  There is no way to adequately smile well without perspiring in an upstairs of a home that has no air conditioning and just a ceiling fan while showing homes!  Buy the air conditioning window units at least to make your home showable I say to sellers!

 

I was showing a great two story home that had an addition on it upstairs where, unfortunately, they decided not to add central air.  The lower level of the home had the central air.  So showing a non- air conditioned upstairs is a deal breaker for buyers in 88 degree heat and humidity.  This house in question had been seen by the home buyers on another cooler day when the upstairs level of the home was fine.  What a difference a day makes!!  Yes, these are the items that if they were not discovered early on after an accepted offer would come out during the home inspection process.  Better sooner than later.

 

Please home sellers heed your real estate agent and your gut feeling about what a difference air conditioning makes in a home.  Noone is asking sellers to automatically add central air, although that would be a great solution, but take steps to mitigate the temperatures to make your home livable and cooler to buyers.  Buyers smile well when it is cooler in the house on a hot summer day especially in RI real estate.

 

Guess what your real estate agent's possibility of selling the home goes up immeasurably when you deal with items like cooling systems the right way.

 

Air conditioning in a Home

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Waterfront, oceanfront, luxury and coastal Rhode Island real estate are my specialty but all of RI is my backyard.  When you are in need of a knowledgeable North Kingstown RI real estate specialist for your buying, selling or relocating needs and a savvy marketer who sells RI houses in this real estate market, call Ginny Gorman at 401.529.7849 or email her at RiByTheBay@gmail.com today.

 

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This blog © and its contents is original to Ginny Lacey Gorman

the RI waterfront Realtor of Choice

 

Ginny L. Gorman, a purveyor of Fine RI Waterfront Real Estate   

Specializing in waterfront, ocean front, vacation, coastal and luxury homes for sale in North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Narragansett, Jamestown, Charlestown, East Greenwich, Exeter, West Greenwich RI and beyond ...  I sell dreams!  Because there is no place like home...the RI Real Estate Agent in the Sparkly Red Shoes.

 

Looking for a knowledgeable Rhode Island Real Estate Agent?  Let me GOOGLE one for you!

            

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Comments (33)

Monique Ting
INET Realty Honolulu, HI - Honolulu, HI
Your agent under the sun

Ginny,

I guess we are very fortunate in Hawaii, not having to totally rely on AC to feel confortable in a home. Local people who know an area well will pay special attention to window placements in order to determine if the indoor temperature of a certain property can be kept confortable naturally... Aloha!

Aug 02, 2017 02:32 PM
Ginny Gorman

you are definitely lucky with your temps Monique Ting 

Aug 02, 2017 04:42 PM
Elyse Berman, PA
LoKation Real Estate - Boca Raton, FL
Boca Raton FL (561) 716-7824

Ginny,   This is a deal breaker in south Florida.  Our air runs 24/7 most of the time.  No a/c and I won't show the home because the only ones who keep it off are certain REOs.  In one week without a/c, you can have mold.  No, thank you!

Aug 02, 2017 03:32 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Ginny- that would not go over well here in South Florida. We rarely have our AC off!  Buyers will turn around and walk out the door to head back to the a/c in their car!

Aug 02, 2017 05:20 PM
Marte Cliff

Kathy Streib - I thought I would freeze solid the days I spent in Delray Beach at the copywriter's conference. Every time there was a break between speakers I'd run out and stand in the sun. 

Aug 02, 2017 08:53 PM
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

So well said, Ginny. I've had many many buyers who won't even look at a home without central air conditioning. I can't say I blame them.

Aug 02, 2017 05:59 PM
Lise Howe
Keller Williams Capital Properties - Washington, DC
Assoc. Broker in DC, MD, VA and attorney in DC

I remember that air conditioning was scarce when we moved to Boston in the early 60s - but it still got very hot on some days - we suffered! 

Aug 02, 2017 07:13 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Central air is pretty unusual here in North Idaho - where having a good heating system is what matters! However, since our heat wave has been going on for weeks now, there are many who wish they had it.

I'd personally rather be a little too warm than put up with AC, but I'm in a minority.

Aug 02, 2017 08:50 PM
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

Ginny Gorman though we have very short summer in New England, Air Conditioning is very important!

I know some of the buyers would say, it is okay if not there. When it comes to reality, they know what is good and what is not.

Aug 02, 2017 09:01 PM
Stavrula "Sam" Crafa, RNC,GRI, CDPE, PSA
Future Home Realty - Seminole, FL
Providing the integrity and service you deserve.

Yikes!! Who would put on an addition and not have central air installed when the rest of the house already had it ??? Big mistake. 

Aug 02, 2017 10:16 PM
Ginny Gorman
RI Real Estate Services ~ 401-529-7849~ RI Waterfront Real Estate - North Kingstown, RI
Homes for Sale in Southern RI and beyond

Many thanks all...it has been a lesson learned for these people and a shout out to all who are doing an addition to ensure central air in RI is an amazing and needed selling point...at least the mini splits can be a solution too!

Aug 03, 2017 03:42 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Comfort while touring a home is without a doubt crucial to a buyers first impression. This is something that would be discussed from a staging standpoint also!

Aug 03, 2017 05:32 AM
Ginny Gorman

You are a smart stager Sharon Tara 

Aug 03, 2017 10:09 AM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

To think that they once made cars without A/C units boggles the mind

Aug 03, 2017 06:22 AM
Ginny Gorman

It is funny Richie Alan Naggar to think back on those days!

Aug 03, 2017 10:09 AM
John Wiley
Fort Myers, FL
Lee County, FL, ECO Broker, GRI, SRES,GREEN,PSA

Ginny Gorman here in Florida, a home without A/C is called a sauna.

A/C is for sure a deal killer.

Thanks for the post.

Aug 03, 2017 10:28 AM
Steffy Hristova
HomeSmart Elite Group Tempe AZ Tel: 602.710.8161 - Tempe, AZ
Tempe AZ Realtor - Your Home Close to Your Work!

Yes, A/C is an important part of the comfort systems of a home! I agree, Ginny, and know it very well from experience.

Aug 03, 2017 11:26 AM
Dorte Engel
RE/MAX Leading Edge - Bowie, MD
ABC - Annapolis, Bowie, Crofton & rest of Maryland

Dear Ginny,

It always amazes me, when people spend tons on decorating, but hardly any on basic function. Being comfortable in a home is really important.

Aug 03, 2017 05:03 PM
Kimo Jarrett
Cyber Properties - Huntington Beach, CA
Pro Lifestyle Solutions

Some buyers might balk at buying a home without AC, yet if that was a deal breaker, they wouldn't look at any property without it, wouldn't they? If a buyer looks at a property and balks because of not having AC, it's not the lack of AC IMO, the property has other issues. A skilled agent would challenge the AC excuse and determine the real reason or reasons why a buyer rejects the opportunity. 

Aug 03, 2017 11:16 PM
Ginny Gorman

Kimo Jarrett there is always a way to be a/c in a home, who pays? & if it is priced right it is always a negotiable point...it just is interesting how some buyers will rule a house out even before looking at it!

Aug 04, 2017 03:24 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Ginny - I'm pretty sure that if you wait a while the air will be conditioned.

Really.

The follow-up question - was there heat?

Aug 04, 2017 02:56 AM
Ginny Gorman

Yes Jay Markanich actually there are two heating systems!! They put an addition on an added central air to the forced air system & left the hot water on the old...funny you asked!

Aug 04, 2017 03:25 AM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

 aking a shhowing uncomfortable....makes it short !

Aug 04, 2017 04:58 AM
Mary Hutchison, SRES, ABR
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate-Kansas City Homes - Kansas City, MO
Experienced Agent in Kansas City Metro area

Last month a new  listing in my neighborhood (not mine) did not have a/c on the second floor. The seller had moved to a senior living complex. The kids wanted to 'add it later'. Within two weeks the a/c guy was there putting in a/c.

It was so hot and humid--a real turn off for those early and motivated buyers. The house still isn't sold. 

Aug 04, 2017 08:31 AM
Melissa Spittel
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Westminster, MD
"Achieving Results Together "

Agreed! Here's another example: I listed a home last week that has central air. When I went to take pics, the upstairs was HOT and the ceiling fans were turned on prior to my arrival. When I questioned the seller, I was told "it always gets hot up there in the summer". Mr Seller, do you think buyers will want to buy your home when the upstairs bedrooms are so hot? Most people want their homes (and bedrooms) to be comfortable. Mr. Seller, fortunately, adjusted the thermostat for showings so the upstairs is much more comfortable. AC is certainly an important feature today's buyers want and expect.

Aug 04, 2017 05:15 PM
Ginny Gorman

You just can't make these occurrences up Melissa E. Spittel !

Aug 05, 2017 03:56 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Congratulations on your feature recognition. This is timely advice to share.

Aug 17, 2017 05:07 AM