Over the summer of 2009 many people found themselves in financial distress as the American economy faltered. However thanks to some creative thinking on the part of businesses and the government alike many consumers were able to take advantage of special offers by a variety of high-price product manufacturers ranging from homes to cars. New home sales may be rebounding now but earlier this year people could not sell their houses no matter how low they went on the price. The City of Detroit even offered repossessed houses for $100 each — with about the only requirement being that new owners had to live in the houses.
Fixer-upper deals are almost always available in large real estate markets and some people take advantage of competitive pressures to negotiate really sweet deals on houses that need work. But when you’re done negotiating for the house, don’t forget to negotiate for the repairs and upgrades you think it may need. For example, many older homes have windows and doors that leak energy. They are too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. A number of companies offer custom window replacement to help manage energy costs.
Although these companies may not offer the cure for global warming, some of them have made sure people know that their high end window products may help reduce energy costs. One such company is Penguin Windows, which is based in the northwestern United States. Like several of its competitors, Penguin Windows sells direct to consumers rather than through hardware and home improvement stores. The direct sales model has been used for decades in many industries.
Some people struggled to meet home repair and improvement costs during the Great Recession of 2008-2009 (and there was nothing great about it at all). A few companies, like Penguin Windows, offered incentives to help consumers make purchase decisions. Penguin celebrated its 25th year in business with a sweepstakes. Maybe other companies will offer similar opportunities.
The custom window replacement market is large enough that you should be able to speak with several companies. Whether you talk with Penguin Windows or not, try to seek out 2-3 companies and negotiate the best deals available. Get the manufacturers to work with you because once you install your custom windows you’ll want to keep them for many years to come. But the sooner they pay for themselves, the better.
