Move Managers: A Moving Solution for REALTORS®
and their Clients
By Margit Novack

Moving is listed among the ten top causes of stress, along with major illness, death of a spouse, divorce, and retirement. Many clients, especially older sellers, have multiple stressors occurring at once. Move Managers reduce client stress, help overcome obstacles to moving and enhance the marketability of sellers’ homes. You can enhance the scope of service you provide by making Move Managers an integral part of your marketing plan for every listing. Below are some examples of how Move Management can benefit you and your clients.

Scenario #1: Mrs. K, an 82-year old widow, is ready to sign the listing agreement. “I can’t go through with this. The thought of moving is too overwhelming; …I don’t know where to begin.”

The Move Manager and Mrs. K discuss her biggest concerns and together, they formulate a plan to address them. Feeling less overwhelmed and more in control of the process, Mrs. K decides she can go ahead with moving after all.

Scenario #2: Susan Y, a 40-year old attorney, calls in a panic. “You need to postpone settlement. I have a big trial next month and will be working 24/7. There is no way I can pack and move.”

The Move Manager and Susan meet at her current and future homes. They identify logistical issues and review Susan’s requirements. Susan’s firm pays for her to stay in a Center City hotel where she can focus full time on the trial. The Move Manager develops a floor plan, packs Susan’s belongings, oversees the mover and furniture placement, unpacks and puts everything away. Susan returns to her new home the following week, where the bed is made and fresh orange juice is in the refrigerator.

Scenario #3: The W’s are ready to list. You visit their home and step over piles of papers, clothes and items you are not sure you can even identify. The W’s are content with the way they live and plan to take nearly everything with them. You’re wondering, “How can I ever show this house?”

The Move Manager helps the W’s decide what they absolutely must keep with them and confers with the realtor to determine decluttering priorities. Twenty cartons are packed and stored in the basement; forty cartons are sent to storage; and thirty bags of debris are disposed of. The house is ready to be shown in two weeks.

Scenario #4: Mrs. Q is moving to an assisted living community. Her adult children seem at a loss on how to help their mother, divide the remaining items in the home and prepare the house for sale.

The Move Manager meets with the adult children and they agree to focus initially on accomplishing the mother’s move, not on things being left behind. Having completed their mother’s move, the children then decide who gets which items, what gets donated, sold, etc. They return to their respective cities and the Move Manager packs and ships items to four different destinations, arranges donations and organizes a clean-out. The house is ready to be staged in three weeks.

Although each client situation is unique, they share common themes: stressed out individuals who need professional services to solve problems and make things happen. They need moving solutions; Move Managers provide them. More than simply advisors; Move Managers provide hands-on help to make sure the job gets done. Since their services help overcome obstacles to listing and selling, Move Managers can be a real asset to the professional realtor.

Smart Move Managers grow their business through strategic relationships with realtors, attorneys, stagers, retirement communities, financial planners and others. Charges are typically by the hour. Since Move Managers help clients stay focused, an investment of less than one thousand dollars frequently makes a big difference.

All Move Managers are not created equal. As a new industry, there is no licensure and there are few barriers to entry. To protect yourself and your client, here are some things to look for:

• Ask to see proof of insurance and third party bonding; wording on a brochure is not evidence of insurance.

• Confirm that everyone sent to the client’s home is “on the books” and covered by workers’ compensation.

• You are hiring expertise; use firms that focus exclusively on moving, versus ones that are just as happy to organize your wedding.

• Avoid companies that are directly involved in buying your client’s things; it can be a conflict of interest.

• The National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM) was formed in 2002 to develop a Code of Ethics and standards for the industry. Visit www.nasmm.org to confirm that the Move Manager is a member NASMM.

By facilitating convenient and stress-free moving, the Move Manager provides the client and REALTOR ® expertise they can count on and a value they can bank on. Both soon realize that it is not what it costs but what it saves.