“Does it have air‑conditioning?”

Different types of AC units and heat pumps

Remember when many of us in the Northwest would brag that “we don't need AC”? Those bragging rights melted away after the 2021 heat‑dome. Since then, during a tour of a home, buyers and renters will ask me if it has air conditioning.

Cooling curve, by the numbers

• Owner‑occupied homes with AC leapt from 39 % in 2013 to 62 % in 2021 in the Northwest.

• Rental units jumped from 18 % to 41 % over the same period as per a recent housing survey.

That’s a 20‑plus‑point surge in less than a decade—and the trend has only accelerated as heat‑pump prices fall and rebates stack up.

Why the question matters

1. Comfort is important. Even if buyers plan to add AC later, they’re mentally subtracting $10k‑$18k from the offer price for adding AC.

2. Rental competitiveness. Units with cooling fill faster and command $75‑$150/month more, reducing vacancy risk.

3. Resale magnet. Appraisers may not give full dollar credit, but listings that shout “central AC / heat pump” draw more showings—especially on 90°‑plus open‑house weekends.

Local carrots to offset the cost

Program	What you get	Who to call	Learn more
Seattle Clean Heat (City of Seattle HomeWise)	Up to $2,000 instant rebate on qualifying heat‑pump conversions, plus a bonus $4,000 for moderate‑income households (through May 2027 or until funds run out)	206‑256‑5158	seattle.gov/environment → “Clean Heat Program” Seattle
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) Rebates	$400–$2,400 for high‑efficiency ducted or ductless heat pumps	1‑888‑225‑5773 pse.com	pse.com/en/rebates/heating pse.com
Snohomish PUD Residential Rebates	Instant discounts on heat pumps, windows, insulation & more (amounts vary)	425‑783‑1000 Snohomish County PUD	snopud.com/save‑energy/residential/rebates Snohomish County PUD

(Tip: Most programs let you stack the federal credit on top of local rebates.)

What I’m advising clients

If you are…	Consider doing this
Selling in 1–3 yrs	Price out a ductless mini‑split or full heat‑pump system now; “new 2025 cooling” is marketing gold.
Holding a rental	Budget $4k‑$8k for a single‑zone mini‑split
Buying soon	Ask your inspector for HVAC model & SEER for the house you are buying
Staying put	Combine Seattle/PSE/PUD incentives; is it worth it to you or not.

Bottom line

Air‑conditioning has crossed from “luxury” to and almost “expected utility” in the Pacific Northwest. Whether you’re prepping for a sale, evaluating a rental, or hunting for your first house, put cooling on the same check list as roof age and electrical service.

Call/text me at 206‑601‑8945 if you have questions. We put Air Conditioning in our house in Kenmore in 2020 and couldn't be happier. Oh, and by the by, we used Bob's Heating after evaluating many different HVAC contractors.

— Chris Byler, Windermere Real Estate | Byler Real Estate#SeattleRealEstate #HeatPumpLife #HomeSellingTips #RentalROI #PNWHomes