You probably get this question after the inspection negotiation is over, when your buyer client is 99 percent sure that they’re actually moving into the home you’ve found together: “Do you know who I call to get the utilities turned on?”

Twenty years ago, helping a client with utilities meant handing them a photocopied list of local providers. Maybe now you send a URL with the information for their ZIP code.

Today, however, there are concierge-style utility platforms, automated move-in assistants and the rising expectation of white-glove service at every price point. That gives you an opportunity to win loyalty before a single box hits the moving truck.

Moving is chaos. It’s expensive, and it’s a logistical nightmare between packing, hauling, forwarding mail and more. The last thing stressed-out clients need is to spend hours on the phone trying to decode which water district they’re moving into or which internet package makes the most sense.

As Russell Ausseresses of Utility Connect said recently, although “we have become experts at Googling … Google doesn’t work as well when you have to finesse results to a specific address. No one has time to go to four different websites, look for the sign-up link, fill it out, then find out it wasn’t the right one.”

When you jump in with all of your experience and perspective and simplify that mess, you’re not just providing a service. You’re retaining clients long-term, fueling your referral engine and creating a competitive advantage that helps you stand out from everyone else in your market.

Here’s the playbook for simplifying your buyers’ moves. Put it to work on your next transaction.

Why utility support is the new white-glove standard

We talk a lot about real estate as a “relationship-based business,” but this is where it actually lives: in the in-between transition that buyers and sellers never forget. Turning on the lights before your buyers walk through the door isn’t flashy, but it says you anticipated their needs before they had to ask.

In a market where digital tools can make the transaction feel cold and a little distant, personal gestures and proactive care warm up the entire experience. They’re easy wins, especially with the right systems.

How to make utility setup part of your signature service

1. Build a pre-close utility checklist you share early — not at the 11th hour

Don’t wait until they’re already knee-deep in boxes. Send your utility-and-services checklist the moment inspections wrap. It positions you as organized and ahead of the stress curve.

READ: How top agents stay top of mind (Hint: It’s not just great listings)

2. Use a concierge platform (or assemble your own micro-version)

Platforms now exist that let clients handle electricity, gas, water, trash, internet and even home security setup in one place. Choose a vetted concierge partner — or create a customized “who to call” resource for your market. Either way, your job is to remove guesswork.

Agentic AI is poised to make this even more effective. One potential platform in this segment is Move AI, which advertises its services to both movers and real estate pros.

3. Offer to handle the scheduling for them when possible

You don’t need to manage every account change, but you can schedule the technician window, the internet install or the utility start date. Framing it as “I can get this off your plate” is a welcome relief to stressed-out clients.

Ausseresses said that communication is essential for ensuring potential clients understand the value of this service. “Successful agents set the stage for a successful phone call,” he said. “Many agents leave marketing flyers that showcase the complimentary service at open houses as a way to get their brand in front of potential homebuyers.”

4. Confirm utilities are on before the moving truck arrives

Make this a standard part of your transaction timeline, and build it into your final walk-through checklist. Flip the switches. Test the outlets. Make sure “move-in day” doesn’t start with a blackout.

“Depending where you live, utility companies often need a couple days turnaround time,” Ausseresses said. “I can’t tell you how many people walk into a dark house because they either forgot to schedule the turn-on, or they waited until Friday at closing and found out their electric company is closed on Fridays.”

5. Keep a short list of preferred providers (and make it actually helpful)

Internet options, solar contacts, trash pickup rules, bulk-item schedules, emergency numbers — make sure anything and everything is available in one PDF or Google Doc, then email and text it to the client for quick reference. Update it quarterly.

For an easily shareable version, Thumbtack’s Agent Pro List is a great-looking, user-friendly platform that makes you look super-professional.

6. Upgrade your closing package to solve real first-day problems

Want to add additional value to moving day? Stock the new home with items clients may not think about:

• Toilet paper
• Bottled water
• Snacks
• A local pizza or coffee gift card
• A small toolkit or set of batteries

This affordable gesture tells clients you’re truly thinking about them and their comfort.

7. Follow up after move-in — not to check on the house, but to check on the transition

A two-minute call or text that says, “Hey, just making sure the utilities kicked on as planned and the internet installer showed,” is the kind of micro-touch that builds lifetime loyalty.

Why this matters more than any closing gift

Helping clients navigate their utility hookup might sound mundane, but it’s the sort of thing that transforms a transaction into a memory. It’s the difference between being “my real estate agent” and “my friend who I tell everyone to use for real estate.”

When a client says, “You thought of everything,” what they’re really saying is “You made my life easier at a moment when everything felt overwhelming.”

Handle the hard stuff, and watch how quickly your name rises to the top of their mental Rolodex the next time someone says, “I’m thinking about moving.”