You may be called to relocate for many reasons. Sometimes, those reasons pop up unexpectedly. Perhaps you are in the military, and you are receiving a change of station, or you may have decided to retire. Perhaps you have received a job transfer or a new corporate opportunity that you cannot pass up. Maybe you are simply looking for new trails to explore in new surroundings.
No matter what reason you move, it is a big decision and a lengthy process. You do not have to go through the process alone. A relocation specialist has extensive knowledge of their real estate marketplace and has extra training specializing in relocation to help reduce the stress of moving. Relocation real estate agents can help you start your life over, whether you are seeking a new city, a new state, or a new country.
What is a real estate relocation agent?
A relocation real estate agent is a trained specialist who focuses on handling all of the details to help movers transition from one environment to another. They are trained to not only help a client sell their home but to also purchase new property in the area in which they are moving. They will also assist in connecting clients with movers and packers, and in cases in which the mover will be moving to a new country, they will assist in completing the process of applying for a visa. There are typically two specific types of relocation specialists: a Military Relocation Professional (MRP) or a Certified Relocation Professional (CRP). A certified relocation professional focuses on working with employees who are being relocated within corporate environments, while military relocation professionals work with members of the military being re-stationed. Relocation agents are held to a very high standard and required to complete their initial certifications as well as follow up with yearly training.
What services will my relocation agent provide?
Depending on the size of your family and your needs while moving, your specialist will provide different services. However, these are the general services that you can expect from a relocation specialist:
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Sell your current home: a relocation agent will either do so if your home is for you or will be able to refer you to an agent who can if you have already left the area.
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Find your movers: your relocation agent will already have an established network of real estate professionals, including trusted moving companies. This can often save you money.
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Help you pack: your agent will help find the correct packers to move your precious items so that you can stop worrying about this step and focus on more important things.
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Check for international compliance: If you are moving in or out of a new country, your agent can help verify your legality and help to guide you through the process of applying for a visa.
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Find your new home: whether you are looking to rent or buy, your agent will be able to help you. You can also ask them to recommend a real estate agent who has been trained in relocation if they are not in your target area.
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Close on your home: each state has different closing processes. Even if you bought a house in your previous home state, the process might be confusing in your new state, therefore, your relocation agent will be extremely helpful in guiding you through that process to ensure that the confusion is minimal.
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Guide you to local amenities: allowing a specialist to guide you to areas with your preferred type of amenities, such as child care or schools, will save you the time and stress of trying to hunt for them yourself.
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Transport your pets: traveling and transporting pets can be highly complicated, but a relocation specialist will know the perfect person to help you.
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Transport your vehicles: your agent will also know the easiest way to coordinate the process of transporting your automobiles.
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Help you get oriented: your relocation agent can help arrange tours not only of your new home but of your new town and give you inside information on all the hotspots in your new location.
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Find local providers: one of the most stressful parts of relocating is finding new service providers such as legal professionals, doctors, babysitters, dentists, and so much more. Your relocation specialist will be able to access their Netwerk and give you trusted referrals.
What services will my relocation agent not provide?
The amount of help that a relocation agent provides is vast, but there are a few things that they cannot help with:
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Finding jobs: while your agent may be able to give you insight into the best companies in town and who may be hiring, they are unable to locate employment for you or your spouse.
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Be a babysitter: while your agent can give you information about local childcare providers and pet sitters, it is not in their job description to watch your children or your pets for you.
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Run errands: a real estate agent is not an assistant. Do not ask them to pick up your mail.
Will the process be different when I work with a relocation agent?
The home buying and selling process will be essentially the same even while working with a relocation agent. The biggest difference that you will notice is that a relocation agent will be equipped to provide more emotional support than a regular real estate agent. Since they specialize in helping people relocate from around the world, they also possess a greater amount of knowledge about the target area.
Will this cost extra versus a regular real estate agent?
No, there are no extra charges for hiring a relocation agent versus a regular real estate agent. The majority of extra expenses will come from your regular moving expenses.
Where can I find a relocation real estate agent?
Some corporations work with designated third-party relocation companies. That is only sometimes guaranteed, however. Finding a great relocation specialist is not difficult, but you want to make sure that you have one who is experienced and qualified to make your move as easy as possible.
Julie Altenbach specializes in luxury real estate and corporate relocations to Atlanta. She is the experienced agent that you need to assist you in relocating to the Atlanta metropolitan area. For a relocation agent you can trust, contact her today.
