By Tracy Dau, November 4, 2019
Every time you make a big-ish purchase — like a TV, home appliance, furnace, new windows, roof, sump pump etc, — you’re offered an extended warranty on the product you have purchased. The extended warranty covers repair beyond the manufacturer’s warranty expiration date, usually by a couple years, but it requires an additional fee. Most of us turn it down, unless a past experience reminds us that we ‘wish we would have purchased one’ when our dryer died on month 13.
If you’re moving into a house with existing appliances or newer systems, make sure you or your buyers agent looks into the warranties that the seller believes are set in place. Recently, my buyers were under contract on a home that had a sump pump installed by Terra Firma. The seller understood her warranty on the system to be 10 years from the time she had it installed, an added ‘perk’ to the sale that “clearly should add value to her home”. Unfortunately, when I called the company to get the paperwork on the unit and read the entire contract (two pages of small type), the unit was under warranty for ONE year (which is normal). The seller would have had to have paid an additional $3000 for a 10 year warranty. Something she opted not to do (but didn’t remember). As such it is important to have the contacts of repair shops where you can approach people to repair your dishwasher, fridge, pumps and everything in between. It is important to be independent in such matters because sellers cannot always be believed.
Had we not caught that fine detail, my clients would have purchased a home with only one month left of coverage on a unit that pumps water from a basement and we were heading into fall rain. There is nothing like feeling like a sucker if something goes on the fritz right after you move in.. Besides, you have plenty of other expenses when buying a new home. The last thing you need is to replace an appliance you thought was in good working condition.
We negotiated a 10 year warranty.
Now I can sleep better.
Check the paper work and warranties that you are offered. And if there is NO paperwork, then call the companies that did the install.
Tracy Dau
Broker | Earth Advantage | OR
She/Her
When you meet Tracy Dau, it doesn’t take long to realize where her true passions lie.
She loves houses and loves matching her clients with the place that’s perfect for them. Ask her clients and they’ll tell you she’s a whirlwind of energy, a juggler of projects, a creative force, a good listener and a tireless advocate. She comes to the job with a vision for what’s possible and the background to make that happen.
Maybe it’s because she grew up in the breathtaking town of Juneau Alaska, where it rains 250 days a year. It’s the kind of place where you either give into gloomy weather or dig deep and find the will to preserve. Maybe it’s because her folks instilled in her the drive to succeed.
For the past sixteen years she has gutted and restored many houses, using any opportunity to work with her hands. Blending her formal training as a fine artist and designer with her experience as a builder, these old-house remodels have become her creative canvas. Her time as a product developer and architectural consultant at Rejuvenation House Parts introduced her to a community of like-minded folks who encouraged her to become a REALTOR®.
She is drawn to vintage homes. The artist in her is drawn to their detail, the builder in her to their craftsmanship. Their charm and imperfections make them all the more fascinating and soulful.
That’s what drew her to her first home. Stripped of all her painted-lady features, she sat sadly on a corner lot in SE Portland waiting to be loved and cared for. She had a yard full of shopping carts, a tree that had grown through her facade, motor-oil soaked mattresses and a basement full of the neighbor’s missing car parts, and yet, in spite of this her husband Nate and Tracy bought and fixed her up. This renovation lead to the next house-love-affair, followed by another and another. It only made sense to apply this knowledge and the valuable lessons learned along the way to help others looking to buy or improve their own homes.
Which brings me to why she became a REALTOR®.
Tracy chose this job because she is passionate about houses and loves the chance to develop relationships with her clients. When you choose to work with Tracy, she will advocate for your best interests, guide you through the home buying process and protect you from the stressful moments as they inevitably arise. She will advise you every step of the way to enable you to make good decisions, stay centered and reach your goals. Even after your transaction has come to an end, Tracy is still available to
answer your questions and help with your home projects.
When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family and being outdoors. Her hobbies include teaching her children, Lander and Olivia, about nature, hunting for sea creatures, spotting birds, drinking bourbon in the winter and gin in the summer, eating chocolate and traveling to warm destinations.
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- T: 971-275-0387
- tdau@livingroomre.com
