The Transaction Ends. The Relationship Shouldn't.

Most people meet their realtor, buy or sell a house, and never hear from them again — until a "just checking in!" message arrives three years later, right when the market heats up.

That's not how I do business.

Why do realtors disappear after closing?

The industry trains it, honestly. The commission clears, the file closes, and the agent's attention moves to the next deal. Follow-up starts to feel like unpaid work when there are new leads to chase. So past clients become names in a database, revisited only when business slows down.

I think that's backwards. The closing table isn't the finish line — it's the starting line of the relationship that actually matters.

What does staying in touch with past clients look like?

It's not a drip campaign. It's showing up like a human. A text on the anniversary of their move. A market update when something actually affects their street — not generic spam. Coffee when I'm in their neighbourhood. Remembering their kids' names.

One of my favourite parts of this job is visiting past clients in the homes we found together — seeing the paint colours they chose, the garden they planted, the life that filled the empty rooms we walked through. You can't automate that. You just have to care enough to show up.

How do client relationships lead to referrals?

Here's the simple truth most marketing advice overcomplicates: people refer the agent they trust, and trust is built after the deal — in the thousand small moments where you proved you weren't just there for the commission. When a past client's friend mentions moving, your name comes up because you're still present in their life, not because you sent a fridge magnet.

My business runs on relationships that compound. Every client I've truly served becomes a storyteller for how I work. That's worth more than any ad spend.

How do I choose a realtor who'll actually stick around?

Watch what they do before there's money on the table. Do they listen more than they pitch? Do they remember what you told them last time? Do they tell you things you didn't want to hear because it protected you? An agent who advocates hard during the deal is usually the one who stays after it.

And ask their past clients. Not the testimonials on the website — ask for a real conversation. The truth lives there.

Get who gets you — for longer than one deal

Anyone can open doors. I'm interested in the people who walk through them — where they're headed, what they're building, and how I can help long after the keys change hands. That's not a sales strategy. It's just how I'm wired.

Frequently asked questions

Should my realtor stay in touch after closing? A good one will — with relevant market updates, check-ins, and genuine interest. If you only hear from them when they want something, that tells you everything.

How do I find a realtor I can trust? Look for listening over pitching, honest advice (even uncomfortable advice), and a track record of long-term client relationships. Ask to speak with past clients directly.

Do realtors work with past clients again? The best ones do — repeat business and referrals are the backbone of a relationship-driven practice, and they only happen when the first experience earned it.

Heather Harding is a REALTOR® with Real Broker Ontario Ltd., Brokerage, serving Toronto, Etobicoke, Peel, York, Simcoe and the GTA. Looking for an agent who's in it for the long haul? 647-964-5404 or propertyhuntwithheather@gmail.com. I do business with everyone that has a pulse.