Mike Koperna, a successful REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty in West Chester, Penn., is a huge proponent of home warranties. An absolute believer in the home warranty packages offered through American Home Shield (AHS®), not only does Koperna tout them as a valuable tool among buyers and sellers, he mentors new agents so that they can successfully market AHS home warranties as well.
So how did Koperna manage to personally introduce almost one client a week to the benefits and added value an American Home Shield Warranty provides, selling 30 AHS warranties last year?
“When you believe in something, it kind of comes naturally,” Koperna says.
In today’s high-demand market, where multiple offers are the norm, Koperna says that a built-in home warranty provides peace of mind for the buyer. “If something happens to break, it’s usually covered.”
Making home warranties appealing to sellers is just as important, and for Koperna, education is the name of the game.
“When I do a presentation, I provide the seller with an estimate sheet that already has a home warranty built in. I then tell my clients that if they want to do the sale right away, having a warranty in place will not only sell their home an average of 22 percent faster, it’ll also sell for 2 percent higher.”
Koperna explains, “You want to make buyers feel warm and fuzzy, and it makes sense, since it’s an added level of security for the buyer. And having a home warranty in place provides the seller with more money while adding value to the house.”
When it comes to buyers, more than two out of three are pitched on AHS products.
“For buyers, it’s almost always a cost thing. If the seller isn’t offering a home warranty, explain to the buyer that they’re purchasing a product—even if it’s new construction—where there could be a problem.”
Koperna goes on to say that formally offering a home warranty and having the client decline in writing provides an added bonus in today’s litigious society.
“It’s protection for the agent, because if something goes wrong, the attorneys could go after you.
“You have to stress the benefits and the protection factor,” concludes Koperna. “Even if you’ve never sold a home warranty, you have to convince your client of the extra value.”
For more information, please visit www.ahs.com/realestate.
