New Oven:  $500.  New Wall:  $3,000

One of the stealth issues for prospective home Buyers is the old-but-still functioning wall oven — often times, two of them.

wall ovenThe risk, which rises with the oven’s age:  that the model has been discontinued, and there’s not a same-size replacement.

When that’s the case, the fix isn’t just a new wall oven eventually, but frequently, expensive demo(lition) and new, custom cabinetry as well.

Buyer Strategy

Buyers looking at a home with such a Kitchen should make sure that the current oven is in good working condition.

Assuming it checks out, they’d be wise to get a home warranty that covers not just repair but replacement as well.

P.S.:  Of course, there’s seldom just one very dated appliance in a Kitchen.

When the entire Kitchen is dated and priced accordingly (presumably, in anticipation of remodeling), the issue goes away.

About the author

Ross Kaplan has 19+ years experience selling real estate all over the Twin Cities. He is also a 12-time consecutive "Super Real Estate Agent," as determined by Mpls. - St. Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business Magazine. Prior to becoming a Realtor, Ross was an attorney (corporate law), CPA, and entrepreneur. He holds an economics degree from Stanford.

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