Congratulations! You sold a home, and now your valued clients are moving to a new area. To help them feel welcome and to deepen the relationship you have with your clients, why not go the extra mile and give them some tips about their new community to help them get settled? Since they are likely busy with the real estate transaction and impending move, it’s a good idea to put the information into print or digital form to access it after they get settled. Here are some ideas to include:
- It’s nice for new homeowners to know the history of their neighborhood. When were most of the houses built? How did the neighborhood get its name? Did any newsworthy events occur in the area, or have any celebrities or city officials lived there? Have neighborhood schools won any athletic championships or academic accolades?
- Even though many people use GPS now for directions, seeing a physical map of the neighborhood can help your clients get their bearings and gain a perspective of their new stomping grounds. Offer a general map showing their new home’s location and proximity to schools, businesses, and points of interest.
- Gather information on businesses that serve the neighborhood, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, dry cleaners, hardware stores, and shops. You can even check to see if the owners would be willing to offer introductory discounts to be used at your clients’ first visit. It’s also helpful to include local references for services like lawn care, house painting, and handyman work.
- Offer neighborhood restaurant recommendations and reviews. Be sure to specify those that offer takeout for easy meals during the moving process.
- Include any neighborhood or HOA covenants and restrictions they need to know, as well as any leash laws or bicycle regulations.
- Include important emergency phone numbers for police and fire protection as well as addresses of hospitals and clinics. If your clients are pet owners, include numbers for veterinarians in the area, too.
- Point out public transportation schedules and stops as well as ride-sharing availability in the neighborhood.
- Gather information and contacts for utilities that need to be activated, such as electricity, gas, WiFi, water, and services like garbage pickup and recycling. If possible, include any service or connection fees so they can be prepared for those. It’s also helpful for new homeowners to know about mail delivery and garbage/recycling pickup schedules.
Because clients moving to a new area may not know who to call in the event of a system or appliance breakdown, remind them about the importance of home warranty coverage. In addition to important budget protection, home warranties also give homeowners access to reliable, qualified service professionals for covered breakdowns. For example, HSA home warranty customers have access to comprehensive plans and a network that includes more than 17,000 service professionals and a knowledgeable, friendly staff that’s available to help schedule covered repairs. For more information, visit onlinehsa.com or call 1.800.367.1448.