When should I try to reach a new homeowner?

It depends on your service. Cleaners, locksmiths and window-covering companies matter in the first weeks. Fencing and landscaping matter in the first year. Repair trades become relevant once the first wet season or warranty questions arrive.

Can I text or email new homeowners I find online?

Canada's anti-spam legislation generally requires consent before you send commercial electronic messages, so unsolicited texts and emails are risky. Reach new owners through search, ads, print and community presence instead, and only message people who contact you.

Are door hangers still worth it?

They can be, in a new subdivision where many households need the same service at the same time. Make the offer specific, include a reason to keep it, and track responses with a dedicated phone line or code.

How do I sell to a strata council?

Treat it like a business sale. Prepare a short capability sheet, proof of insurance and WorkSafeBC coverage, clear pricing and references from other complexes if you have them. Councils value reliability and paperwork as much as price.

Reaching New-Home Owners in Langley: A Playbook

A household that just moved to Langley has no plumber, no electrician, no landscaper and no favourite café. Every one of those relationships is up for grabs, and whoever wins it early often keeps it for years. That makes new-home owners one of the most valuable audiences a Langley trade or local business can target, provided you reach them at the right time and in the right way.

This playbook explains how. We're a marketing service, not a contractor, and nothing here is legal or warranty advice.

Why new owners matter so much in Langley

Langley keeps adding households. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, the Township grew 13.1% and the City 11.9%, according to Statistics Canada. New townhouse, single-family and apartment neighbourhoods keep that number climbing, especially in parts of Willoughby-Willowbrook, and there's infill across the City and older Township communities.

Each new household is a customer with no habits yet. That's an opportunity, but it's also competitive: every trade in the area knows it. The businesses that win are the ones that show up with the right message at the right stage.

Step 1: know where your service sits in the ownership timeline

New owners don't need everything at once. Their needs arrive in a fairly predictable order.

The first weeks: settling in

Movers, cleaners, locksmiths, window coverings, TV mounting, internet setup, closet and storage systems, appliance installation. Purchase decisions are quick and practical, and the household is busy.

What works: being visible in search for urgent, specific needs, and offering simple, clear pricing.

The first year: making it theirs

Fencing, landscaping, irrigation, sheds, decks, garage organisation, painting, light fixtures, extra outlets. Families also choose a dentist, a gym, a hair stylist and a café.

What works: showing nearby examples of your work, ideally in the same development, and offering a clear first step such as a free estimate.

The first wet season

Langley's autumn and winter rain reveals drainage issues, gutter problems, minor leaks, ventilation and humidity questions. Heating systems get their first real test.

What works: helpful content answering "is this normal in a new home?" questions, and fast responses to concerns.

Warranty years

In BC, residential builder licensing and home-warranty matters are handled through BC Housing's Licensing & Consumer Services. New owners with defect concerns often want an independent opinion. A trade offering an inspection or second opinion can be useful here, but should never imply it can resolve a warranty claim or offer legal advice.

What works: explaining clearly what you can and can't do, and pointing homeowners to the official source for warranty questions.

Years two to five: the first upgrades

Basement suites, kitchen and bath refreshes, air conditioning, EV chargers, panel upgrades, landscaping overhauls.

What works: content and ads aimed at planners, with project examples and rough cost ranges.

Step 2: choose channels that respect the rules

Reaching new owners doesn't mean buying lists or sending cold messages. Canada's anti-spam legislation generally requires consent before sending commercial emails or texts. Cold messaging also tends to annoy people you want as long-term customers.

These channels work better:

Search: pages and listings that answer new-owner questions for your service and community
Area-targeted ads: search and social ads limited to the communities with the most new households
Printed material: door hangers or postcards in new developments, with a clear offer and tracking
Community presence: sponsoring local events, joining neighbourhood groups where businesses are welcome, and partnering with other local businesses
Referral partners: realtors, movers, cleaners and other trades who meet new owners first

Step 3: make your message fit the stage

A good message for a new owner is specific, practical and local.

Weak: "Quality landscaping services in Langley."

Better: "Just moved into a new Willoughby townhouse? We build low-maintenance front yards for small lots. See three we finished nearby."

The second version names the place, the housing type, the problem and the proof. It also tells the reader what to do next.

A checklist for any new-owner message

☐ Names the community or development
☐ Mentions the housing type, such as townhouse, single-family or acreage
☐ Speaks to the stage of ownership
☐ Shows nearby proof: photos, project notes, a link to examples
☐ Offers one clear next step: call, text or email
☐ Avoids promises you can't keep, especially about warranties

Step 4: don't forget strata councils

Much of Langley's newer housing is townhouses and low-rise condos governed by strata corporations. In those complexes, the individual owner often can't approve work on roofs, gutters, landscaping or exterior systems. A council or property manager decides.

Selling to a strata council is a business-to-business sale:

Prepare a capability sheet: one page explaining your services, experience, insurance and coverage with WorkSafeBC.
Find the right contact: usually the property manager listed for the complex.
Offer something useful first, such as a condition summary or a seasonal maintenance plan.
Be patient: councils meet periodically and budgets are set annually. Expect two or three seasons before larger contracts.
Be reliable on paperwork: clear quotes, certificates on request and tidy invoices win repeat work.

Step 5: turn first jobs into long-term customers

Winning a new owner is only worth it if you keep them. A few habits help:

Ask for a review the day the job is done, with a direct link.
Leave something useful: a maintenance tip sheet, or a note on what to watch for next season.
Stay in touch only with consent. If a customer agrees to hear from you, a short seasonal reminder is welcome. Without consent, don't send commercial messages.
Track the source of every new customer, so you know which channels and communities are worth more investment.

Measuring whether it works

Track these each month:

Measure	Why it matters
New customers by community	Shows where new-owner tactics are working
How each customer found you	Separates search, ads, print and referrals
First job value and repeat jobs	Shows long-term value, not just first sale
Cost per new customer by channel	Tells you where to spend more or less
Strata councils contacted and won	Tracks the slower, larger opportunity

Mistakes to avoid

Buying lists and sending cold messages. Risky under anti-spam law and bad for reputation.
Generic messages. New owners respond to specific, local, stage-appropriate offers.
Overpromising on warranties. Explain your service and point to official sources.
Ignoring strata decision-makers. In many complexes, the owner can't approve shared work.
Treating it as a one-off campaign. New households keep arriving; steady presence beats a single push.

If you'd like help putting this into practice, our new-home owner service does exactly this for Langley businesses. The areas page explains how growth differs across communities, and the other guides cover local search and ad budgets.

Reaching new-home owners in Langley: a playbook for trades and local businesses