Whether you’re selling a home and buying another, have a rental property, or are a first-time buyer, you’ll probably be thinking about new home appliances. Major appliances are now tech heavy, state-of-the-art, with all kinds of bells and whistles. But, with all those functions, prices aren’t exactly cheap. So, if you’re looking for a new washer-dryer set, refrigerator, dishwasher, oven, and microwave, you might think you’re inextricably resigned to paying a small fortune. Well, you don’t have to empty your bank account if you score real home appliance deals.

Ways to Score Real Home Appliance Deals

If you are going to sell and want to make a great impression, you might consider buying new appliances as a staging technique. It’s a savvy way to pique buyer interest and you can always take the appliances with you. It’s also one of the ways to sell your home for top dollar. Or, if it’s a rental you’re buying and you want to attract as much interest as possible, new (or gently used) appliances will certainly do the trick.

“Buying a new major appliance isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time. Often, life events prompt these purchases. Your aging washer-dryer stack doesn’t look like it will be up to the demands that are about to be placed on it. When your refrigerator struggles to keep foods cold, it’s time to start searching before it gives out completely and leaves you with a week’s worth of ruined food.” —Mint Life Blog

For homebuyers, new appliances are often part of the experience. You want to move into a house that’s equipped with aesthetically pleasing, fully functional, appliances. You’ll probably even get into a few DIY budget-friendly home improvements sooner or later. But, there’s still the matter of laying out the money to get what you want. Fortunately, you don’t have to pay a high price. Here are some ways to score real home appliance deals:

• Negotiate. A big misconception about big-ticket retail is that the price isn’t negotiable. But like with any major item, those sticker prices are negotiable. However, only about a third of consumers negotiate the price, or 33 percent, according to data compiled by Consumer Reports. Of them, 75 percent report haggling earned a discount of $100. And, cash purchases can also score a discount.
• Shop pre-owned. There are plenty of places to find pre-owned appliances. This is a great option if you are furnishing an investment rental property or just need a quick solution. From local consignment retailers, to Craigslist, to appliance repair stores, there’s no shortage of places to find deals on home appliances. While this might require a little mixing and matching, it’s a good way to save money.
• Go for scratch-and-dent. Practically every big-box retailer sells scratch-and-dent items at a considerable discount. Get in touch with the store manager or department manager and ask to be notified when scratch-and-dent appliances go on sale. You’ll certainly pay less as little imperfections bring big savings.
• Be sure to claim your rebate. Although the Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit expired in 2013, there are still rebate programs you can take advantage of when buying appliances. You’ll have to check what’s available, as these programs come and go. Manufacturers are another source of rebates, so look into this possibility.
• Don’t buy extended warranties. Another way to save money on home appliances is to skip those extended warranties. In fact, big-box retailers make more selling extended warranties than on the actual appliances. (The margins are quite narrow for appliance sales but the returns are huge for warranties.)

If you’re going to sell your home in the near future and buy a new house or in the market to buy a home, please don’t hesitate to phone me at 407-616-7286, I’ll be happy to speak with you.