This Hamilton family has yet to find a house in the neighbourhood they want that works for them, so they’ve turned to leaflets

You've probably had one land in your mailbox.

The flyers look like handwritten notes, detailing the process in which homeowners can quickly sell their homes for cash. I usually pitch them right into the recycling, but a few weeks back, a similar note caught my eye.

This one stuck out to me. Set on glossy card stock, it featured big white letters spelling out the word help," alongside a sketch of a family, looking for a home like yours."

I'd never seen anything like it.

On the back, it offered up a short story about a family of five living in Kirkendall South. With three kids, the family now needs four bedrooms and more space - and they're hoping to stay in the neighbourhood.

The flyer detailed how their situation could provide sellers with less disruption," as there would be no need for numerous showings or staging. At the bottom, there was contact information for Hamilton real estate agent Chris Maynard.

I figured it had to be genuine, unlike others I had received. So, I gave Maynard a call.

The family behind the flyer

Ryan Amos and his wife moved into Kirkendall South more than a decade ago and have steadily outgrown their home with the arrival of each of their children.

Amos told The Spectator in an interview they even put an addition on their house after the birth of their second child, however, they're not looking to add another.

The family has been watching the local market for the better part of two years - a tumultuous period for real estate in the city.

Hamilton has seen sky-high prices, critically low inventory, rising mortgage rates and now, a somewhat balanced environment with lower prices - but it's starting to warm up once again.

A house the family could call home has not appeared just yet, said Amos, who admits their search area is really small."

Kirkendall South spans north to Aberdeen Avenue, south to the escarpment, west to Chedoke Golf Club and east to Queen Street South. Their dream streets" are Glenfern Avenue, Amelia Street and Hillcrest Avenue, added Maynard.

It's one of the hottest areas in Hamilton," said Amos. Not many people move out of it."

Over the last six months, just 15 homes have sold in the neighbourhood, said Maynard. And of the three detached homes currently on the market in the area, none fit the bill as they're either too small or on too busy a street.

There are really no options," said Maynard. And there hasn't really been."

Amos said his family loves the neighbourhood, pointing to the access to trails, parks, cafes and other amenities. Their eldest child is enrolled in French immersion at Earl Kitchener on Dundurn and can walk to school.

It's a big part of their lifestyle," said Maynard. They really want to stay."

After years of keeping an eye on the market and not finding what they needed, the realtor convinced the family to give the handout strategy a try.

The flyer tactic

While the personalized flyer tactic is new to me, Maynard said it's a strategy he's used intermittently over the last decade - with several successful runs.

However, Maynard noted it doesn't work for every situation. A client has to know exactly where they want to live in their city and the kind of home they're looking for.

It's really specific," he said.

Maynard said the first flyer drop back in the fall saw leaflets put in the mailboxes of nearly a thousand homes in the neighbourhood. They've done it a handful of times since, and it's yielded some results.

Some of the homes that were flagged to them didn't fit the bill and one that did ended up not working out due to a change of heart on the seller's side, said Amos.

One thing Maynard wants those receiving the flyers to understand is his clients aren't looking for a deal." They are looking to pay market value for a home that fits them," while ensuring the process is fair and honest."

He acknowledges that some may be reluctant, given the faux-handwritten notes that appear in mailboxes urging homeowners to fork over their properties for cash.

This is about a family that really wants to stay in a neighbourhood and loves it," said Maynard, noting that the process is expensive, as he fronts the cost. We don't have an edge."

The next leaflet drop is slated for later this month, said Maynard. And with the weather warming up, his team has plans to start door-knocking for the clients.

However, those aren't the only strategies realtors and their clients can use in a hot market with little supply, said Maynard.

Some realtors will drop handwritten letters in mailboxes of houses that pique a client's interest, realtors will sometimes door-knock in desirable neighbourhoods and realtors will often network with each other on upcoming listings.

Amos said his family remains hopeful the leaflet strategy will work and they'll be able to find a new home in their neighbourhood.

We know this process takes time," said Amos. We're not begging, it's got to work for both sides and hopefully the situation will benefit everyone."

Fallon Hewitt is a reporter at The Spectator. fhewitt@thespec.com