What's the Deal with A Home Warranty? Does it Cover My Whole House? 
No, no it does not cover your whole house. Blog post done! Ha! Kidding! It really doesn't cover the whole house, but this post is going to touch on some of the things it does cover. Most of these are for all of Florida, but especially my areas in the Northeast Florida area. I love bullet points, they tend to let you get down to business. So, here's the list:
- There are multiple Home Warranty Companies. I'll provide the ones I've worked with in the past below.
- There are different plans and upgrades for most companies.
- Plumbing
- HVAC Systems-This is the biggie, which can be a very expensive item to repair or replace.
- Duct work
- Electrical
- Hot Water Heater
- Kitchen Appliances
- Garage Door Openers
- Central Vac Systems
- Attic Fans
- Ceiling Fans
Mainly Optional Items:
- Washer and Dryers
- Pool Equipment
- Septic Tank
- Well Pump
- Additional Refrigeration
There is a service fee for each occurrence. Usually it's around $75, but it can vary. How it works, let's say your HVAC stopped working. You call your home warranty company FIRST!! If you call another company before you call the home warranty company, you may be stuck with the whole bill. They will contact their preferred HVAC company, who will contact you to make the appointment. You pay the service fee. The issue gets fixed. Sometimes, the HVAC has to be replaced and you just pay the service fee. Always look into the fine print to make sure. You can purchase this for a house that you're buying or you can purchase it for your existing home. A seller can also purchase it when they list their home, as a little incentive to the buyer. It's good for a year, which can renew at that point or you can cancel it. Here are the companies I've had experience with in the past: First American Home Warranty This is their brochure listing what is covered, how much and all the fine print: First American
Old Republic Home Protection They have two Plans: Standard Protection Exclusive Coverage
American Home Shield They don't have a pdf brochure, but they have their plans easily to spot: Home warranty plans
2-10 Home Buyers Warranty No pdf brochure, but you can request a quote and see a list of items covered: Systems and appliances
I'm sure there are more companies, but these are the 4 used the most here in the Northeast Florida area. If you do choose a different one, not on the list, make sure you read the fine print and check what's included.
If you're a seller thinking about selling your home in the Northeast Florida area which includes Jacksonville, St Johns County, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs and Fleming Island and want to know what you could sell your home you in today's market, check out What's My Northeast Home Worth.
If you're a buyer, check out my home search portal, that is updated every 15 minutes directly from the Northeast Florida Multiple Listing Service:
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