After a quarter century of successfully marketing real estate in the greater Pittsburgh area, Coldwell Banker’s Georgie Smigel knows a few things that keep driving her leading position in the market.
Maintaining a solid focus on obtaining listings through repeat and referral business, Smigel is dedicated to making sure every client is well taken care of during, and long after, their buying or selling experience has passed.
Thanks to her partnership with American Home Shield (AHS®) , Smigel can be sure her clients aren’t saddled with the expense and inconvenience of a major system breakdown in their new home.
“We’re blessed with a lot of industry like Westinghouse, a huge facility hiring a lot of engineers, in addition to PPG Industries relocating its headquarters within the area, which will bring in 800 employees,” says Smigel, who goes on to say that the Marcellus Shale drilling operation has created a lot of growth in energy-sector employment as well. And it doesn’t stop there. In fact, the Pittsburgh Penguins are completing a huge training facility just a couple miles from the company’s main office, which will bring a few dozen new jobs, as well as huge amounts of traffic into the region.
“I always try to get an AHS home warranty on every listing,” says Smigel. “It’s a big stress reliever for my seller. When we sell, and have the inspection, if one of the systems is failing, we have coverage.”
Smigel goes on to say that incorporating an AHS home warranty into the home-buying or -selling process has saved a lot of deals over the years. Whether it’s the furnace, HVAC system—or any other covered item—that fails during the listing period, her recommended AHS service has saved her clients significant money time and time again.
Although Smigel finds some clients don’t want to initially make the extra investment, she explains that the buyer is going to require it anyway. “I tell them they get coverage for the listing, which includes the time period when a home inspection is conducted, and they don’t have to pay until closing. At that point, almost everyone says go ahead,” says Smigel.
“I don’t see why a REALTOR® wouldn’t want to sell the product; it means fewer phone calls and peace of mind after the closing.
“Every time I meet a new associate, one of the first things I tell them is how American Home Shield is a great tool to make a REALTOR®’ s job easier. And in this business, we need every tool we can get!”
For more information, visit www.ahs.com/realestate.
