Relocating To Hamilton

by Darrin DeRoches June 30 - July 6, 2011

I have had to help clients relocate to our area in the past and it can become quite an ordeal to do so.  The first client contacted us to look for a property for her son and herself in the Westdale area since her son was attending university.  They were looking to sell their home in Windsor and purchase a new home here. The first thing was to understand their expectations and to be able to deliver on them. When you compare a home in Windsor to a home in Hamilton you have a pretty big difference.  A large four bedroom home in the best area of Windsor will sell in the mid–500s where the comparable home in Ancaster would sell for at least the 800s.  Big difference.     I have good connections in Windsor so I am able to refer a local agent I have worked with in the past and they would be able to better serve the family home in their city. Yes I could be greedy and sell their home in Windsor, I lived there for six years and I understand the market, but a local agent who is five minutes away can sell the home for the highest price instead of me driving three hours to close the deal. Now that the house is in good hands I have to find them a comparable home in Hamilton. Their home in Windsor is selling for the mid–300s and their budget will be the same.  In a comparable area the homes available are quite dismal in comparison. They had a double garage, three bedroom, cathedral ceilings, dream kitchen and I am able to find them a “fixer upper’ or small bungalow with no garage, no high ceilings, ok kitchen.     Now take the same clients with the same budget moving from Toronto. The have a condo for mid–300s and want to move to Hamilton. They get a house, yard, driveway, full size kitchen in a great area. The house is the same one but the Toronto couple will be ‘over the moon’ with all they will get within their budget, whereas the Windsor family has a lot to get used too.  Hamilton has a lot to offer to both families but affordability is in the eye of the beholder. The Windsor family is moving because of the university and the need for change, Windsor is having a tough time for middle class families.  The Toronto family looks to have a home, yard for their growing family and sees Hamilton as a great opportunity to raise a family outside a cement condo tower.      Relocation has its ups and downs and as a real estate broker one must understand their expectations and try to fulfill them.  Know the limitations and work hard to find them their best options when relocating.   V                    Darrin DeRoches is a local real estate and mortgage broker. He can be reached to answer questions, comments or stories about real estate experiences through this weekly column at mail@uniquerealty.ca.