MEMPHIS, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--American Home Shield, the nation’s leading provider of home warranties, today announced several new in-depth resources to help prospective homebuyers navigate the complex process of buying their first home, as well as tools to help real estate agents serve the unique needs of these clients.
These resources include a free 28-page First-Time Homebuyer Guide available online at firsthomeresources.com. The website features easy-to-understand information that takes prospective buyers and real estate agents through each stage of the buying process, including planning and research, making the purchase, and settling into a new home, as well as defining the basic terminology used in the process.
Between now and Oct. 31, 2013, visitors to firsthomeresources.com can also enter to win a $20,000 sweepstakes featuring weekly and monthly giveaways of Apple® and iTunes® gift cards valued at $50-$3,000 each.
American Home Shield has developed these tools at a time when first-time homebuyers make up a sizable percentage of the overall real estate market. According to the National Association of Realtors, 39 percent of purchasers were first-time buyers in 2012.
“We’ve served millions of homeowners over the past 40 years, and know that first-time homebuyers are searching for answers from an experienced, reliable source they can trust,” said Lelia Chapman, vice president of field sales for American Home Shield. “These homebuyers are crucial to the real estate cycle, and we want to help them make informed decisions so that getting into their first home is an enjoyable experience.”
An important piece of advice for all homebuyers, said Chapman, is to be sure that a home warranty is part of the transaction, whether it is provided by the seller or purchased by the buyer. “When you’re moving into a home, you want some peace of mind about your purchase. A home warranty is a great way to help protect your budget from unexpected expenses if a major system component or appliance breaks down.”
For more information about home warranties, go to www.ahshome.com or visit www.YouTube.com/TheAHSTeam.
About American Home Shield
American Home Shield founded the home warranty industry in 1971 and remains the industry leader, servicing more than 1.3 million customers across 49 states. In addition to its core focus on home protection plans, the company also issues and administers preventive maintenance contracts on major home systems and appliances in 48 states across the country. The Memphis-based company operates three customer service centers, employs approximately 1,600 employees and has a national contractor network made up of more than 10,000 independent home-service contractors. American Home Shield is a subsidiary of The ServiceMaster Company, one of the world's largest residential service networks. The company’s brands include Terminix, TruGreen, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic and AmeriSpec.
About ServiceMaster
With a global network of more than 7,300 company-owned, franchise and licensed locations, Memphis-based ServiceMaster is one of the world’s largest residential service networks. The company’s high-profile brands are Terminix, TruGreen, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic and AmeriSpec. Through approximately 20,000 corporate associates and a franchise network that independently employs an estimated 31,000 additional people, the ServiceMaster family of brands provided services and products to approximately 8 million customers during the last 12 months. The company’s market-leading brands provide a range of residential and commercial services including termite and pest control; lawn, tree and shrub care; home warranties and preventative maintenance contracts; furniture repair; home inspections; home cleaning; janitorial services; and disaster restoration. Go to www.servicemaster.com for more information about ServiceMaster or follow the company at twitter.com/ServiceMaster or facebook.com/TheServiceMasterCo.
