HSASM Home Warranty goes above and beyond for today’s buyers and sellers
When he’s not making music himself or directing young musicians at the Minnesota Youth Jazz Ensemble, Edina Realty Broker/Manager Phil Holm is helping clients navigate the ins and outs associated with the home-buying and -selling process.
After 17 years in the real estate industry, Holm understands that virtually any house that has experienced some length of occupancy can also generate an occasional sour note in the form of an appliance or system breakdown. That’s why Holm has always advocated that his buyer and seller clients incorporate a home warranty as part of their contract before closing.
“In one house I was showing, I saw a water heater with no labeling at all,” says Holm, who goes on to explain that the home inspector discovered that it was a Montgomery Ward product that had lasted over 40 years. “While that was certainly evidence of the quality materials of its day, I knew it could go any time, so it was a no-brainer for that seller to add a one-year home warranty to their contract,” adds Holm.
“Back when I started, I was writing in the home warranty option by hand on a case-by-case basis, but now there’s a whole home warranty section included in our purchase agreements, which puts sellers in a position of power,” says Holm.
“Those warranties have helped countless sellers avoid angry phone calls when something serious went wrong with a furnace, home appliance or other critical element within a home’s infrastructure,” he explains.
Given the older housing stock around Chanhassen, Minn., while the structures themselves have great potential, their appliances, heating and cooling systems have high potential for breakdowns.
Today, with Edina Realty capturing nearly 25 percent of the local marketshare, Holm says that more than a quarter of his clients are using HSA home warranties—and HSA is a pleasure for his clients to work with.
“I like that HSA notifies me every time a client of mine has a service call, because it provides me a chance to touch base with them,” says Holm.
“And on the occasion when a client is caught off guard by a major breakdown, dealing with the HSA team has been a positive experience. They are willing to talk with a buyer or seller to get their covered issue resolved quickly. The warranty is pretty inclusive, and the communication and response time are great.”
Most of the time, his clients choose to include a home warranty. “Once a client sees the potential of what could go wrong, they want to negotiate it right into the contract,” concludes Holm. “It’s all about explaining the benefit so that when they see the value, adding a home warranty is a no-brainer.”
For more information, please visit www.onlinehsa.com.
John Voket is a contributing editor to RISMedia.
