Buying a home in a new state or city can be daunting for a client, especially if they don’t know much about the area. A family moving for a new job will probably focus their home search on practical factors: house size, school districts, and proximity to the office. But a solid real estate professional knows there’s so much more to consider when finding the right place to live.
Sometimes clients may not think it’s relevant or important to share their interests and hobbies with you—but everyone deserves to live somewhere that makes it easy to experience the things they love. With a bit of background research, you can help newcomers get to know the area and learn where they can catch a game or go to concerts and theater performances. Your personalized advice will go a long way with your clients. Here are some tips for homing in on an area for your client.
1. Find Out What Your City Has to Offer
The first step toward recommending events to your client is to know what’s going on for yourself. Figure out the top venues in your area, and keep an eye on happenings with local sports leagues and event spaces. Take the time to do a weekly or monthly review of what’s coming to town, how the local teams are performing, and any new developments. Sharing these insights with your clients will make you seem more like a local expert while giving them a reason to get excited about moving. Be prepared to offer advice—and clever shortcuts—on getting to venues of interest from potential properties. Sharing that a local bike path leads right to the ballpark, for instance, could seal the deal for some clients.
2. Get to Know Your Client’s Tastes
Once you have a base level of knowledge, chat with your clients about their interests. Are they sports nuts, theater junkies, or fans of the symphony? Maybe their daughter wants to be a professional soccer player. Getting a full picture of your clients’ passions helps you tailor recommendations specifically to their interests. Then you can do some additional research to share tips and event calendars with them about upcoming performances and games.
3. Give a Memorable Closing Gift
Closing gifts are a traditional way to thank your clients for working with you, but you don’t have to limit yourself to home goods or a bottle of wine. Giving tickets to an upcoming event will encourage your clients to get out there and see what their hometown has to offer. It’s a unique and memorable way to say “welcome to your new home.”
Make it a goal to become a resource for the best local events, venues, and performances in your town, and give your clients the scoop. Not only will they be impressed and know that you care about their interests, but it may help them look at their soon-to-be hometown in a whole new way. Clients will be thrilled to hear about local shows and fantastic venues that they can experience when they make the move. It could mean the difference between “maybe” and “let’s make an offer.”
Source: Adam Young is the CEO and founder of Event Tickets Center. His knowledge of events and venues will help REALTORS® in any city connect with their clients through local sports, concerts, and theater.
