Are you getting ready to sell your home?
Putting your home on the market is undoubtedly stressful. You want to make sure everything is in tip-top shape so you can get the most bang for your buck. But just how much should you invest in upgrades before listing your home?
Perhaps you’ve considered replacing the carpet and the roof, but what about the air conditioner? If you’re wondering if you should replace your air conditioning system before selling your home, Colman Air has the answers and insight you need to make the best decision.
5 Things to Consider Before Replacing Your Home’s AC
Before you weigh the pros and cons of purchasing a new air conditioning system for your home before selling, consider these factors:
1. How old is your air conditioning system?
If your AC is more than 10 years old, you may want to replace it as a selling point. At this age, the system will no longer be under warranty and will likely need to be replaced within a few years – something prospective buyers won’t find attractive.
2. Does it work?
This is one of the most important factors to consider. Does the system even work? If so, does it work well? While it may look good to have “New HVAC system” on your home’s listing, if you’ve maintained your system well or recently had a major repair done, there may be no additional benefit to you in replacing your current system.
3. Does it use R-22 refrigerant?
AC systems that use outdated refrigerant (like Freon) should typically be replaced if possible. This type of refrigerant is bad for the ozone layer and is no longer in production.
4. What’s your budget?
Sometimes replacing your AC just simply isn’t in the budget. This isn’t always bad – you just may have to be realistic about accepting a slightly lower offer.
5. Have prospective buyers looked elsewhere because of your AC?
If within a simple visit prospective buyers have walked away from your home because of the air conditioner, it’s probably a good indication that you should consider replacing it in order to get the best possible deal for your home.
4 Reasons to Replace Your AC Before Selling Your Home
1. It can boost your home’s energy efficiency
It’s no mystery that investing a new AC can boost a home’s energy efficiency. While upgrading is no small expense, you can tell prospective buyers that you just installed a new energy-efficient air conditioner. They’ll definitely see this a significant bonus.
2. It can keep your home modern
If your home’s air conditioner is old, prospective buyers can start to wonder about other appliances in your home that they may need to replace. If you’ve already put in the effort to ensure the other appliances in your home are modern, it might make sense to do so with your AC too. This way, you can tell prospective buyers that all appliances have been updated within the last X years.
3. It can help you keep up with other sellers
If other homeowners in your area are selling and have updated air conditioning systems in their homes, it can quickly make your listing look less appealing to prospective buyers.
4. It can help you close the sale
All of the above helps you reach your main goal – closing the sale. With so many options available to prospective buyers, anything you can do to instill confidence in them that your home is right and ready for them can help you close the deal!
4 Reasons to NOT Replace Your AC Before Selling Your Home
1. It’s not in your budget
If your current AC works and you don’t have room in your budget to replace it, it’s probably not worth the effort and potential stress to do so.
2. You can get away with a repair instead
If your air conditioner isn’t more than 15 years old and runs relatively well, you can get away with having a repair or two done instead of replacing the entire system. We recommend going this route because it will likely save you more money in the long run.
3. You will have to remodel your home to have a new system installed
Sometimes installing a new AC isn’t straightforward. Bigger upgrades may require slight remodeling, which can get expensive fast. If you encounter this issue, we typically recommend not replacing. If you do replace your AC and have to remodel your home, it’s going to be a large expense. Plus, there’s always the chance the prospective buyers won’t be happy with the remodel.
4. Your buyer doesn’t care
Some buyers simply don’t care about having a new HVAC system. Perhaps they are looking to move into a home ASAP or maybe they love your home so much that the HVAC system just doesn’t matter to them either way.
Should I Replace the Air Conditioner if I’m About to Sell My Home?
There’s a lot to consider before selling your home. But if you’re still on the fence about whether or not to replace your AC before selling your home, we can help. The professional team at Colman Air is here to help you decide if a repair, replacement, or a simple tuneup is all you need you to get the most ROI for your property.
Call Colman Heating & Air Conditioning at (321) 269-4565 or contact us online to schedule service!
