For Lisa Harris, a residential real estate agent with Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate, educating clients about the benefits associated with a home warranty is a no-brainer.
“It’s easy for me to help buyers appreciate why I recommend home warranties on every qualified property,” says Harris, who maintains an American Home Shield (AHS®) home warranty on each of the four properties she owns.
Successfully incorporating home warranty plans into nearly eight out of every 10 contracts, Harris points to a unique and innovative relationship between AHS and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate as a key piece of the puzzle when it comes to helping protect clients who are listing or selling their properties.
In a market where existing properties make up a majority of the area’s housing availability—some already incurring decades of use—Harris believes that each and every property should be covered by a home warranty.
“We have similar inventory as most other metropolitan areas. The closer to downtown they are, the older the homes are,” says Harris. “But it’s a thriving market for us.”
With five years of experience as a REALTOR® under her belt, and more than two dozen sales closed in 2022, Harris loves nothing more than helping homeowners in both Omaha and Lincoln buy and sell properties.
“I always wanted to work in real estate, so once I had the opportunity, I took it,” she says. “I moved around quite a bit, so I already had some knowledge about buying and selling houses and doing cross-country and international moves.”
That anecdotal knowledge continues to serve Harris well as she assists clients who are relocating to the region.
In situations where clients are permitting inspections, Harris notes that having a home warranty in place helps a lot when possible or likely issues are identified. In one recent case, the home inspection flagged an aging furnace, setting the stage for a conversation in which Harris was able to explain to the buyers that when the covered system may ultimately break down, the amount saved on their claim could offset the cost of maintaining the warranty.
“What I appreciate most about AHS is that they cover what’s outlined in their agreement.”
Having never been contacted by a client expressing dissatisfaction over an AHS claim, Harris wholeheartedly believes that agents like her who have their own home warranty in place are in a good position to help buyers and sellers understand the value in protecting their most valued asset.
“Agents who have their own home warranty plan in place can enthusiastically share their experiences with their clients to help them make a decision,” she says.
“Home warranties provide a significant level of comfort to every buyer. It provides a higher degree of trust in every recommendation because I have four of them on my own properties,” concludes Harris. “Transactions are very transparent, and it makes a homeowner’s life so much easier knowing that a company like AHS is taking care of them should a covered failure occur.”
For more information, please visit https://www.ahs.com/realestate.
