In this episode of Selling St. Pete, host Nicole Saunches sits down with home warranty expert Tina Romanik from Home Warranty of America to discuss how sellers can leverage home warranties as powerful negotiating tools. Whether you're listing a property with aging mechanicals or simply want to stand out in a competitive market, learn how offering a home warranty up front can protect you from costly repair negotiations, give buyers peace of mind, and potentially help you close deals faster.

This episode is essential listening for sellers, listing agents, and anyone preparing to list a property in St. Petersburg or the Tampa Bay area.

Tina Romanik is a home warranty specialist with Home Warranty of America, where she works with real estate agents and homeowners throughout Florida to navigate home warranty coverage strategically. With deep expertise in how home warranties intersect with real estate transactions, Tina helps sellers protect their listings and buyers secure their investments through comprehensive service agreements.

• Nicole introduces the topic: home warranties as a negotiating tool for sellers
• Overview of what listeners will learn in this episode

• [01:21] Definition: Service agreement covering plumbing, electrical, appliances, HVAC
• [01:40] Key difference: Home warranties cover normal wear and tear
• [01:58] Homeowners insurance vs. home warranty: What each covers
• [02:10] Example scenarios: AC thermostat failure vs. water heater explosion damage

• [02:39] Four plan tiers: Gold, Platinum, Diamond (buyer plans) and Seller's Coverage
• [02:54] Buyer plans: 13-month terms with various add-ons
• [03:09] Seller's coverage: 6-month term with focused protection
• [03:23] Available add-ons: Guest houses, pools, outdoor kitchens
• [03:44] Core components covered in seller's plans

• [04:12] How warranties work for investors with multiple properties
• [04:34] Payment options: Closing integration or post-close credit card
• [04:43] Payment plans available at no additional cost
• [05:02] 30-day waiting period for non-transaction purchases
• [05:08] Why the waiting period exists: Preventing known issue coverage

• [05:44] Think of warranty purchase as a "reservation" in the transaction
• [06:01] Invoice process: Title agent, buyer's agent, and buyer notification
• [06:07] Payment happens at closing, not upfront
• [06:26] Strategic marketing advantage in competitive markets
• [06:53] Using warranties as backup strategy for inspection negotiations

• [07:22] Signals quality: "Certified pre-owned" positioning for homes
• [07:38] Shows seller commitment to protecting the buyer
• [08:00] Creating a psychological edge in the market
• [08:15] Practical example: Declining HVAC repair credit for warranty coverage
• [08:54] Leveraging warranties in multiple offer scenarios
• [09:05] Using as tiebreaker when offers are financially...

In this inspiring episode of Selling St. Pete with Nicole Saunches, Nicole sits down with Sandy Bean, founder of the St. Pete Girl Boss Network — a 10,000+ member community of women entrepreneurs who are redefining what collaboration and connection look like in business.

Together, they explore how Sandy transformed personal challenges into a powerful movement centered around belonging, psychological safety, and abundance. The conversation dives into how the Girl Boss community empowers women to build authentic relationships, grow thriving businesses, and even reshape the local economy through collaboration and real estate investment.

• The divine inspiration behind St. Pete Girl Boss and how it became a citywide movement.
• Why belonging and psychological safety are the real foundations of success.
• How women can transform competition into collaboration — and build stronger businesses together.
• The connection between wealth, real estate, and women’s empowerment.
• The post-Hurricane Helene recovery: how the Girl Boss community came together to rebuild and protect homeowners.
• Innovative building solutions reshaping waterfront living in St. Pete.
• The shared mission of empowering women to own, invest, and lead in every arena.

Sandy Bean – Educator, Consultant, Founder of St. Pete Girl Boss, and advocate for inclusive, purpose-driven entrepreneurship.

🌐 stpetegirlboss.com

📧 sandy@stpetegirlboss.com

📸 Instagram: @stpetegirlboss

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Join host Nicole Saunches in this powerful conversation with business coach and trauma expert Shakti Rios, founder of Phnx Legacy. Discover how human design and emotional freedom technique (EFT) can revolutionize your approach to business, helping you work in alignment with your natural wiring rather than against it.

About Human Design:

• What human design is and how it combines ancient wisdom systems like astrology, the I Ching, chakras, and the Kabbalah
• How understanding your unique energetic architecture can unlock your path to success
• Why trying to follow everyone else's business strategies drowns out your originality and success potential
• The difference between living "correctly" (aligned with your design) versus operating against your nature

Business Strategy & Positioning:

• The critical difference between marketing your services versus presenting a transformational offer
• How to stand out in a crowded market and stop competing on price alone
• Why positioning determines the quality of clients you attract
• Real-world example: How specialization can make you incomparable in your industry

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT):

• How EFT can clear years of baggage in a single session
• The neuroscience behind tapping and how it regulates your stress response
• Remarkable success stories including helping clients with PTSD, brain injuries, and even Lou Gehrig's disease
• Why EFT doesn't require you to relive traumatic experiences to heal from them

Shakti Rios is a first-generation Cuban-American entrepreneur, homeschooling mom of two, and master EFT practitioner with over 16 years of entrepreneurial experience. After spending over a decade as a trauma-focused massage therapist working with complex cases, she founded Phnx Legacy to help entrepreneurs understand their unique design and achieve success in alignment with their natural wiring.

"When you learn how to sell according to your nature, it's a game changer. They're just all of a sudden excited about it."

"Every type is really designed to succeed differently... one of the biggest mistakes we make is that we try to be like everybody else, especially when we're building businesses."

"Selling is a sacred experience when you are selling something that's really worthwhile and you're doing it in a way that is super full of integrity—you are changing someone's life in an instant."

Connect with Shakti Rios:

• Instagram: @shakti.rios
• Website: phnxlegacy.com

Mentioned in This Episode:

• St. Pete Girl Boss networking group
• Human Design System
• Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

Hosted by Nicole Saunches, the Selling St. Pete Podcast explores the vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem of St. Petersburg, Florida—a mecca for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Each episode features conversations with local business leaders, coaches, and innovators who are building authentic, purpose-driven businesses.