If you are working with out of town buyers or buyers that are not familiar with Chicago, these two new tools are here to help. We all know how difficult it can be to work with clients that do not know where they would like to live. They rely heavily on us to be the expert on Chicago but we can't know everything about every neighborhood, right? There are also subjects that we aren't allowed to talk about with our clients.
Here are two new ways to add value to your out of town clients:
Walkscore and Relocate.org.
I'm sure you're all familiar with walkscore, but now it is linked to the MLS so buyers and agents can click on the "Walkscore" link directly from the MLS listing sheet. It is located at the bottom of the third column of information. The "score" of the property and description of walkability is shown right on the listing sheet. For example, a listing with a score of 95 is deemed "Walkers' Paradise" and one that scored 88 is deemed "Very Walkable". My favorite feature about Walkscore is that you can type in any address and it will tell you how to get to that destination by foot, car, bus, train or bike along with the estimated commute times. This is essential information for people with a work commute.
The other site that I have recently come across is relocate.org. This website serves communities all over the country and provides short videos showcasing each neighborhood. It would be a good site for buyers to consult if they are looking for visuals on an area. It also provides links to local schools and other helpful neighborhood websites.
Both sites can be useful to your clients and to agents who may be working with a client in an area where we are not quite an expert.
