Wednesday, November 3, 2021
Supply Chain Hell
Posted By Babs De Lay on November 3, 2021, 4:00 AM
Raise your hand if you're about ready to slap the next person who says the words "supply chain issues." Snow tires are stuck on container ships and may not arrive until after the Easter Bunny comes in 2022. Rumors abound week-to-week that we're running out of toilet paper again, or that paper towels and yeast will be hard to find next month. Turkeys will cost 25 cents more per pound, and we may not have enough cranberry jelly to go around come Thanksgiving. Right now, you can walk into about any grocery store and see the spice shelves decimated and limits on bottled water purchases.
Related to shortages is the scary news that U.S. households will pay more to heat homes this winter. Federal officials from the Energy Information Administration report that fuel prices are rising, and demand will increase for at least half of the country's natural gas users by an average of 30% more, adding that electric bills will go up 6%.
I've been selling some new-construction homes in Daybreak as of late. Builders are having trouble getting things like roofing shingles, sheet rock and faucets. One of the builders, Oakwood Homes, has a swell showroom by Fashion Place Mall. Once you pick out your lot and style of home at Daybreak, you get to the fun part of choosing flooring, paint colors, bathroom tile and kitchen backsplashes. They have one wall of a dozen kitchen faucets in a variety of colors and finishes. Sadly, only two of the choices are available now, and the others might not arrive for 6 to 12 months.
Looking for a washer/dryer or refrigerator? Be prepared to wait up to a year for the model you want, as there are fewer options and no deals to be had. You really need to hunt around. If the big box store doesn't have your make and model, check for smaller, local appliance stores. The more bells and whistles an appliance has, the more chips are needed.
Chips are in short supply for everything! Consider scratched or used-model appliances, but make sure the warranty passes on to you. When you buy a home, you might be able to negotiate for the seller to buy you a home warranty on the appliances in the home for a year. When something busts, you call the 1-800 number, and they send you a repair person who will fix your issue or get you a new item. Small note: if the washer is from the 1960s, the warranty company might only give you a few hundred bucks for a replacement—but it's still better than getting nothing for a repair. If the seller doesn't want to buy you a warranty, you can always buy one yourself. Home warranty companies are numerous.
More wisdom with appliances: If you must forgo getting new ones, take care of the ones you've got. Clean your dryer vents, dishwasher filters and refrigerator coils a few times each year. Then when the supply chain gets better links and the ports start operating normally, you can go out shopping for your dream freezer or top-loader washer.
About The Author
Babs De Lay
A full-time broker/owner of Urban Utah Homes and Estates, Babs De Lay serves on the Salt Lake City Historic Landmark Commission. A writer and golfer, you'll find them working as a staff guardian at the Temple at Burning Man each year.
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