There are advantages to working with relocation specialist when moving to Houston
When moving to Houston, or to any city that is unfamiliar, working with a Realtor who specializes in relocation has many advantages.
Realtors who are specifically trained in relocation typically undergo mandatory education in order to be eligible to work with their brokerage’s relocation clientele. In addition, they are generally required to have a certain number of years of real estate experience under their belt.
While these requirements might vary from company to company, it is common practice for real estate firms to establish minimum standards for their agents to be eligible for relocation business.
The reason for this is that the majority of this business tends to be corporate relocation, which means that a relocation management company (RMC) is likely involved. When an RMC is involved, the process can be very rigid, with many procedures that have to be closely followed.
“We attend mandatory training on a yearly basis, just to make sure that we are constantly meeting the needs of our clients, and their respective employers and relocation companies,” explained Claire Warren, a Realtor with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene.
The training also helps agents understand the expectations of relocation clients, which can be very different from local buyers and sellers.
For example, relocation buyers don’t always know where they want to live and might want to see several neighborhoods and communities before making that decision. That means that their agent will have to be prepared to show them various areas, and must also be extremely knowledgeable about each one.
That is why many relocation agents tend to be real estate market generalists, rather than market specialists.
“A lot of relocation clients know that Houston is a big city, but they don’t understand exactly how big it is until they get here. So, it’s important to be able to cover a broad geographical area, and then drill it down with them from there,” said Warren.
She added that she loves working with relocation clients because it gives her a new appreciation for everything that the Houston area has to offer.
“Every time I work with a relocation client, I get to share what I love about where I live, which is exciting. It’s also exciting to just make that perfect match and pair the client not only with a home, but with a community where they can feel at home and start thriving in their new city,” Warren said.
Cindy Caryl is a broker associate with John Daugherty, Realtors, who relocated to Houston 30 years ago. She said that she still calls on that experience today when working with her relocation clients.
“The process hasn’t changed all that much since then. There may just be a few more rules and regulations. I find that having gone through a corporate relocation gives me a little bit more understanding about what my clients are going through and the stress that they might be feeling,” said Caryl.
She added, “I didn’t know anything about Houston when I moved here, so my relocation agent was great in helping me understand the local market, which is so important.”
Relocation clients also want to see more than neighborhoods and houses when they come here for their home-finding trips.
And, since relocation clients generally only have a few days in Houston to find a home, Caryl said that it is critical for the agent to be available to them and commit the time needed to best assist them.
“Our role is to spend each day with them while they are here. So, we are not just looking at houses, but showing them some of the fun things to do in Houston. It’s always nice to include some fun activities and show them some of the sites, and maybe go to a great restaurant or an event that shows them the other side of Houston,” Caryl explained.
She agreed with Warren about the importance of a relocation specialist having broad market knowledge.
“Over the years, an agent who is a relocation specialist becomes experienced in all of the different areas of Houston, whether that’s Katy, or Sugar Land or The Woodlands, as well as the closer in neighborhoods like the Heights or anywhere else,” said Caryl.
Gaining that broad market knowledge and experience is one of the many reasons that Warren also said that she loves working with relocation clients.
“I think that agents who handle relocation clients are a special kind of agent, because we’re not just about the transaction; we’re about making sure that these clients who are moving to an unfamiliar area are comfortable and happy,” Warren added.