“When dealing with an out-of-town client the experience can be quite different. My first step is to explain all the neighbourhoods & try to get a feel for what area they are going to like. My second step is to book a few showings prior to them coming to town and FaceTiming them, this allows me to get a feel for what they like/dislike and better prepare myself for their house-hunting trip. People coming from out of town tend to only have a few days to choose a house. I want to ensure it’s a very productive few days. When they come to town I usually book many homes to see in the areas I feel they will like. I prefer to drive them in my car so I can act as a tour guide between showings. (Showing them where parks, schools, grocery etc are while on route)”

“I prefer to drive out of town clients around in my car so I can act as a tour guide between showings.”

“The approach differs in that scheduling can be a bit more challenging with out-of-town clients. With technology these days, I’m often able to help do things virtually so we maximize time and resources with very little disruption. I also work with other professionals who play an important role in ensuring that risk is minimized and that can help things along if the client can’t be present.”

“When working with an out-of-town client, I must educate them differently. One of my recent clients that moved from Manitoba needed to gain a better understanding of the different areas of the city, the systems used here and the various amenities. I go above and beyond to help them understand how things work in Ottawa and what they need to look out for.  My goal is to help them with whatever they might need. Finally, I help them choose an area and property that will satisfy all of their needs.”

“I love helping out-of-town clients! You’re not only responsible for helping them to find their new home, but you also have to help educate them about the city as a whole, what makes Ottawa a great city, and all of the different neighbourhoods, school districts, amenities etc. Figuring out the client’s main reasoning behind moving to a new city is crucial. Ie. If they are moving due to work but want a good school district for their children, location will be a huge factor as well as educating them about the top-rated school districts in the city.”

“Figuring out the client’s main reasoning behind moving to a new city is crucial.”

“The local clients typically know the neighborhoods a lot better than an out-of-town buyer. In that case, there’s less time spent educating the client on neighborhood demographics/prices/properties. Out-of-town clients who are not as familiar with the city tend to have more questions and rely on their agent for guidance and knowledge when it comes to locations, amenities, etc.”

“Local clients are more familiar with the neighborhoods in Ottawa, so they have a general idea of where to look when buying a house.  They require less guidance in terms of what amenities each community has to offer.  They have likely had the opportunity to drive around and see what each one has to offer or may even have friends that live in a given area. 

When a client moves in from another city, they depend on the agent’s advice more than usual, adding a bit more pressure on the agent.  They will likely have a lot more questions and the agent will need to ensure that they are well-educated on everything each community has to offer.”

“When a client is relocating, I would need to figure out how much they know about the city and what their needs are including: 

Transit requirements?
Do they drive? 
Are they bilingual? 
Do they work from home or not? 
Do they have family and friends in a specific area of the city?
Do they enjoy being close to a trendier area? 
Do they travel often? A client who travels often may want more access to the airport as our city is very spread out. 

People who already live in Ottawa usually know exactly what neighbourhoods they are interested in and have a general understanding of the local amenities.”

“Representing a local client versus someone that is moving from another city differs in mostly having to educate the out-of-town clients about each location that could be of interest to them. Most local clients will probably already know which targeted areas in which they are looking to buy, however, someone moving from another city would probably be unaware of certain locations or any stigmas that come along with those locations. My approach that has proven to work with out-of-town clients is to schedule a day and take them on a tour around the city so they can explore each area, its home structures, close-by amenities, parks and schools. It usually takes the whole day and the clients feel way more confident with their area selection and purchase decisions.”

“When I am dealing with a client from out of town, scheduling is very important.  Many of these clients will often come into town to view homes with very limited time.  They require extra care because they will need to be educated not just on the market, but also on the areas they would potentially like to live in and the amenities around.  I would tend to do some live video viewings to shortlist some homes for out-of-town clients, I rarely do that with clients in town, unless it’s a one-off or an emergency.  They get a better feel for the home when they are doing an in-person showing.”

“I tend to do some live video viewings to shortlist some homes for out-of-town clients. I rarely do that with clients in town, as they get a better feel for the home when they are doing an in-person showing.”