One of the questions we are asked most often is, “What is a Land Agent?”
The truth is that there is no single answer. Land Agents wear many hats, allowing us to work with landowners, engineers, surveyors, municipalities, contractors, and project managers throughout every stage of a project. No two days are ever the same.
One morning might begin with coffee around a kitchen table explaining an easement to a homeowner. By the afternoon, we could be walking through a woodlot with a survey crew or meeting with engineers to discuss the best route for new infrastructure. Every property is different, every landowner has a unique perspective, and every conversation presents a new challenge.
While legal agreements and property rights are certainly part of the job, people are always at the centre of what we do. A successful project is not measured by the number of signatures collected, but by the relationships built along the way.
Here are a couple of stories that have stood out to our team over the past year.
Sometimes the Best Plan Is No Plan
One of our Land Agents was working on a project along Nova Scotia’s South Shore with several appointments scheduled to have easement agreements signed. Since they were already travelling through the area, they brought along a few extra information packages for landowners who had not been reachable by phone. Sometimes a friendly knock on the door works better than a voicemail or a letter in the mailbox. The scheduled meetings went smoothly, and before heading home they decided to stop at a couple of those unscheduled properties.
The first visit could not have gone better. After introducing themselves, explaining the project, and answering a few questions, the landowner was comfortable moving forward and signed the agreement that afternoon. The last stop of the day reminded us that every conversation is different.
The homeowner greeted our Land Agent with a smile, but it quickly became clear there was a language barrier. He had recently moved to Canada from Korea and spoke very little English. Rather than ending the conversation there, he called his son, who translated over the phone while the project was explained and questions were answered. It may have taken more time and effort then the other meetings that day, but by the end of the conversation everyone understood the project, their questions had been answered, and the easement was signed. It was a simple reminder that patience, flexibility, and taking the time to communicate clearly can make all the difference.
Walking the Property Changed Everything
Not every meeting starts with a warm welcome. On another project, one of our Land Agents had spent weeks trying to contact a landowner without success. Since they happened to be working nearby, they decided to stop in. Needless to say, the landowner was not thrilled.
Like many property owners, he was concerned that granting an easement meant giving up a large portion of his land. He pictured heavy equipment damaging his driveway, mature trees being removed, and permanent impacts to his property. Rather than trying to convince him from the driveway, our Land Agent suggested taking a walk.
As they walked the proposed route together, the project was explained in detail, including where the work would take place, how construction would be completed, and what the finished result would look like. Seeing the project on the ground instead of only on a drawing completely changed the conversation.
By the time they returned to the house, most of the landowner’s concerns had disappeared. What had seemed like a major disruption was actually a relatively small project with very little long-term impact. He signed the easement before the meeting ended.
That experience reinforced something our team has learned time and time again. People are not necessarily opposed to a project. More often, they are reacting to the unknown. Taking the time to listen, answer questions, and walk through the details can turn uncertainty into understanding.
More Than Negotiating Agreements
These stories might seem small, but they represent what Land Agency is really about. Our role is not simply obtaining signatures, it is helping clients keep projects moving while ensuring landowners feel informed, respected, and treated fairly throughout the process. Every successful agreement starts with a conversation. Sometimes that conversation happens around a kitchen table, sometimes it is translated over the phone, and sometimes it happens while walking through a field or a backyard.
No two properties are the same, and neither are the people who own them. That is exactly what makes this work so rewarding. At Turner Drake & Partners, we are proud to help clients navigate these conversations every day, building trust, solving problems, and helping projects move from the planning stage to reality, one property at a time.
Nathan Hewitt is manager of Turner Drake’s St. John’s Office and a member of the Counselling Division. For more information about how you can benefit from the unique expertise of our counselling team, contact Nathan at (902) 429-1811 or .