Jorey Ramer, co-founder and CEO of Super, a subscription service that provides care and repair for homes, says the company started because of a personal experience related to his first home with his wife. As a long-time renter, he had been used to paying the same amount month-over-month and having someone else maintain his apartment.
“I knew what to expect in costs, and I had one person to call when I needed help—the building super,” Ramer said. “Homeownership is completely different. It takes too much time and money, it’s too unpredictable and it’s difficult to budget for inevitable breakdowns.”
As a new homeowner, Ramer had a home warranty but didn’t have a great experience.
“That’s when I saw an opportunity to create a company that could shake up a constantly complained-about insurance category that hasn’t seen innovation in decades: home warranty,” he said.
The technology the company uses, powered by a proprietary data platform, includes online scheduling, technician tracking, automated approvals and dynamic servicer selection based on performance.
“Since we coordinate all breakdown and maintenance services, covered or uncovered, we’re able to offer a centralized service record on the home, unavailable elsewhere,” Ramer said.
Super’s mission is to make caring for a home 100% carefree.
“We work every day to save homeowners time, money and stress associated with the care and repair of their homes, all while working towards increasing the value of the home,” Ramer added.
The company’s customers span across major metropolitan markets in Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Texas and Washington DC. Many of Super’s customers own multiple properties and rely on the company to help care for their rental properties, Ramer said.
Super’s company culture “is built upon a team of great people who are talented, passionate, diligent, empathetic and honest,” Ramer said. “All of those people are owners in the business. If everyone walks in the door feeling like they are a respected owner in the business, then they’ll speak out for change when it’s needed. They’ll speak out when they see problems, regardless of whether or not those problems are within their responsibility. They’ll suggest solutions, even if those solutions are different from those prescribed by management.”
In the Clear
In August, Super launched In the Clear, a program designed to help real estate agents and homebuyers during the homebuying process. In the Clear leverages a pre-sale inspection report to ensure that breakdown claims filed with Super will not be denied due to unknown pre-existing conditions.
The company reviews inspection reports to identify any noted appliance and system issues that need to be brought to proper working order, so they are fully covered by their Super policy. With the program, buyers can make more informed decisions about repairs that should be addressed before or soon after closing on a home. This way they can avoid expensive repercussions in the future.
Agents, meanwhile, are in a better position to negotiate on behalf of their clients, whether asking for repair credits toward the final sale or asking the seller to pay for a repair. Something that Super kept hearing about from its agent partners was the need for improvements in the pre-sale process for a home, so that agents and homebuyers could make more informed decisions about repairs that should be addressed. As a result, it created the In the Clear program.
“Part of our business strategy is partnering with real estate professionals, as they have a valuable perspective on the needs of homeowners and where opportunities may exist to improve the homeownership experience,” Ramer said. “Feedback from our real estate partners is important to us as we continuously work to enhance our offering.”
