On Tue, 31 May 2011 11:07:15 -0400, Art Todesco
wrote:

On 5/31/2011 5:52 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

wrote
If the new owner wants new air it's HIS problem to fix it, as long as
you disclose that the central air is "there and functional for the
time being". (Assuming) You are selling the house at the price it
would sell for with no AC so if it works it's a bonus.

That is true, but. . . . . .

How does it really affect the selling price? Let's say the new unit
is $6000. What is the difference in selling price of the house with
the old unit versus a brand new energy efficient unit? Can you get
your money back? Many people seem to want to just move in and have
everything perfect, not have to lift a finger. I've watched a couple
of TV shows where people rejected a house because of ugly paint in a
room. For $15 and an hour labor, you get the color of your choice.

Personally, I'd low ball the bid by $10,000 and choose the brand and
installer of my choice but some non-mechanical types just want to
set the thermostat and be cool. That 20 year old unit can die
tomorrow, but it may go another 20 years too. Bit of a crap shoot.

Any realtors here have a comment?

Yeah, I sold my house in the Chicago suburbs 3 years ago. The
buyers put on a nicey nicey attitude. They finally signed the
contract and started demanding. I thought a contract was binding,
but apparently in the bad housing market they can demand anything
they want. They, through their lawyer, said the furnace was "beyond
useful life" so they wanted us to give them a new one. That
probably meant new AC as it was older than the furnace
(furnace=18yo, AC compressor=1978, A coil=5yo). The system worked
quiet well. The AC unit was the highest efficiency unit in 1978.
By today's standards, 8.5 is just average. So, I refused, but
eventually gave a little. The furnace's secondary heat exchanger
still was under the original 25 year warranty, so I offered to buy
them 1 additional year home buyer's policy. When they demanded the
carpets be completely cleaned (they were installed brand new for the
house selling), I dug in and said NO, ENOUGH!. The buyers kept
complaining. I kept saying NO. Finally, my real estate agent and
my lawyer split the cost just to get it closed .... believe it or
not. And, even at the closing (I was on the road to my new
location/state) they caused more problems, but finally signed. So,
anything is apparently negotiable. My advice, spend as little as
possible, as a seller .... but dig in. BTW, the buyer's lawyer said
his client was "nuts", but we all knew that.

Once he makes a legal offer on a home, the buyer has tipped his hand
that he wants the house.
Everything after that is common haggling.
Some buyers haggle hard, some don't.
You did fine holding firm.
Condos may work differently, but homes have a "personality" beyond
condition. Not just location, but room layout, yard layout, view from
windows, garage, etc.
If the home doesn't need expensive repairs and the personality matches
the buyer's, that's it.
I know realtors say different. To them every damn house fits their
client.
I've bought 2 houses and never paid attention to the realtor except
getting me to houses I might want, paperwork and advice on a counter
offer.
First one was priced fair and my wife loved it. I really liked it.
Cat hair all over, cat smell, clutter, needing rooms painted - didn't
matter.
Other lookers were coming in as we went out and I asked the realtor if
we paid asking price was it ours, and she said "yes."
That's what I did.
Second house had non-working window units for A/C, a 60 amp service,
and a 1959 kitchen. Wife loved it, I really liked it.
I was willing to pay asking, but my realtor saved me $8500 on the
offering part.
I had a 200 amp service and new furnace/central air put in a year
later.
The OP should note to buyers the A/C is marginal, or just get it fixed
or replaced so it's not an issue.
But there's no way of knowing if it will affect selling price of the
home. That will depend entirely on the market.
If I was a buyer, I would haggle on that one, since it's a main
mechanical system.
If I was the owner, I'd get it replaced due to age/functionality, even
if I was planning on selling the house.

--Vic