When seniors reach their mid-60s and beyond, many sell the larger family home they have lived in for decades to “downsize” to a smaller residence. Many are forced to move, as health issues or loss of a spouse make it too difficult to maintain a larger home. Time to call a senior move manager.
Because moving is always a stressful experience, especially if you’re in your 70s and 80s and not in such great physical shape, many seniors are turning to senior move managers, also called senior relocation advisors, to help them move.
A senior move manager helps the elderly client organize and plan the move to a smaller residence, often an apartment in a senior living community. They help a client choose what they can take with them to their new home, and what must be sold, donated, thrown out or gifted to friends and relatives.
Senior move managers use a step-by-step plan and a moving checklist to ensure no detail is overlooked, from measuring the new home to confirm a favorite piece of furniture will fit, sorting and organizing as much as a 40 year accumulation of possessions, to unpacking at the new residence and hanging that favorite painting on the wall. The entire move from planning and packing to unpacking, is organized and planned to reduce the emotional stress connected with moving, so their senior client has a gentle, low-stress transition to a new residence.
Starting a senior relocation business is simple and speedy compared to many other service businesses. A fancy office is not required, as meetings are at a client’s home. The only equipment necessary, aside from a vehicle and a cellphone, is the packing supplies, such as boxes and bubble wrap, which are purchased as needed for a moving project, and generally only after a client has paid a deposit.
The cost of a typical move management package for a senior client ranges from $1,500 to $3,000, not including the cost of the moving van and crew. Because a senior move manager does just that – manage the move – a strong back is not a requirement for the business. The national average charge for a senior move manager is $52 an hour, which works out to over $2,000 a week. Rates are less in smaller towns and more in larger cities where expenses are higher.
Because senior care professionals recognize the need for this service, many of the referrals for new jobs will come from local senior care providers, such as social workers and move coordinators at senior living communities and continuing care communities.
Also, after you’ve completed a few senior move management projects, you will notice that your senior clients will tell their friends about their carefree move. That’s why so many new clients are referrals from your happy past clients.
The opportunities are exceptional in this rapidly growing senior service business, as is the income. That’s why many senior relocation services and senior move managers bring in over $100,000 yearly. If you’ve been looking for a home-based business that helps others, be sure to read: How To Start a Profitable Senior Relocation Business.