Austin mural/Flickr user mr-numb
On March 11, Austin’s Mayor Steve Adler announced a city-wide work from home day as President Obama made a visit for South by Southwest. The initiative was so successful, Mayor Adler has deemed May 11 as “Austin, Don’t Rush” day, encouraging the city to work from home or opt for an alternative to driving that day.
So how can a real estate agent in Austin stay busy and honor a day of no driving?
Austin B-Cycle
Know your clients are active? Commute between showings using rental bikes from Austin B-Cycle.
The month of May is also National Bike Month, so it’s the perfect opportunity to trek on two wheels with your clients. Be sure to let them know ahead of time, and set up a route that is leisurely and slow-paced. Agents can take this opportunity to bike past local hot spots or to simply show how bike-friendly the city is for new buyers.
CapMetro
On May 11, CapMetro is offering free service all day long. Although you don’t have the luxury of driving around clients on your own, use the extra time on your transportation route to get to know your clients. Before the day arrives, plot out an easy route to each destination through the CapMetro site.
Using the CapMetro is also a great way to show new Austinites the ropes. Along the route, you can point out coffee shops, parks and other points of interest.
Avoid peak hours
If you have to drive on May 11, be careful to plan ahead of time around major traffic times. Agents should communicate with buyers to make sure they are aware of the city-wide holiday and prepare accordingly. Planning meeting times during the mid-morning and afternoon can ease some of traffic woes.
Since you’re working with the homebuyer’s schedule, it can be a little tricky, but agents can give homebuyers some options to find the most reasonable traffic-free route to showings. Agents should also encourage carpooling with buyers instead of meeting them at a showing.
Mix and match
Agents can plan the day out in buckets: drive to a neighborhood where you can bike or walk to multiple homes. Create maps for your clients for each neighborhood you are visiting along with alternative transportation options. Set up routes and share them with homebuyers prior to meeting.
Planning is key without a car or with minimal use of one. Agents should take advantage of the “Austin, Don’t Rush” day to show homebuyers their knowledge of alternative forms of transportation and showcase the city in a whole different light.
