Recommendations for a Relocation Agent

[Schwack]

I've searched in the forum but haven't been able to find a thread with recommended relocation agents. Maybe I missed it, so I'd a appreciate a bit of help. If not, can someone please recommend a good one and let me know why they're recommended?

My company is moving my wife and I to Singapore at the start of February 2013 and I'd like to make sure that our shift is smooth, which should be helped by a good agent.

Thanks in advance!

[Mi Amigo]

Not sure whether you're looking tor a real estate agent, a relocation consultant / adviser, or both. In any case, I'd suggest you contact this site who should be able to recommend you further. Have a look here for further details:

http://www.singaporeexpats.com/singapor ... rvices.htm

You might also want to look for previous discussions on this subject as it does come up fairly often - use the Search function above and to the right of here (underneath the Profile button).

[Schwack]

Thanks for the reply Mi Amigo. I'm looking for a relocation consultant / advisor, who can also find a place to rent.

I'll email this site for additional information.

I have already looked using the forum search and the "site:" operator on Google but couldn't find anything relevant and was hoping that someone could point me in the right direction. Maybe my search terms weren't quite right.

[offshoreoildude]

Most larger companies retain the uses of an internal relocation agent - part of the HR function.

[JR8]

Thanks for the reply Mi Amigo. I'm looking for a relocation consultant / advisor, who can also find a place to rent.

There might be a risk that you're just going to pay two sets of fees, relo agent and property agent. All the former would do is convey your needs to the latter, so why bother?

Unless you're genuinely expecting to be happy living in a home someone selects for you, which from my experience would be highly unusual.

[Schwack]

@offshoreoildude: I'm currently at the start of finding out what my company offers and since it is a large multinational, I'm sure that they'll have someone but I still need to confirm this. The reason for my post is that a friend, who has done the expat move a few times, recommended seeing what other agents are out there, just in case someone is able to offer better services.

@JR8: My company will pick up any fees, although I'd like to avoid unnecessary costs for them.

[Schwack]

Thanks mngedo. I tried to PM you but apparently I don't have enough posts to use this feature... odd. Would you be able to tell me the your company name, so that I can look you up?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Schwack, the reason all new account PM functions don't work is because of advertisers and people soliciting business which is against forum rules. Usually this will stop all but the most determined spammers/advertisers. We welcome recommendations from regulars who have used a company successfully and were satisfied with their performance. But if someone has a financial interest in the product/service then we lock their account. This person, mngedo, has been around since 2007 and because they never made it to being an aircrew, they are apparently now trying to flog their relocation services. I would suggest, if anybody contacts you via PM uninvited, you let me know. We try to protect our members from being ripped off by shady operators. Anybody who is too cheap to buy advertising, well, I'd not trust an overseas move to them.

moderator

[Schwack]

Hi sundaymorningstaple,

Thanks for the explanation and keeping such a good eye on the forum - keep up the good work

Would you be able to point me to a thread with recommendations? Somehow I haven't been able to find it.

[mngedo]

Oh why thank you sundaymorningstaple for judging. Appreciate that you have taken precious time to look into my previous posts

First of, my company's profit have nothing to do with me and I have no intention of sharing the company's name here.

Never mind, don't think you believed that anyway!

I do not know what kind of "shady operators" you have came across, but it must have left a really bad mark on you. Gee.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Hi sundaymorningstaple,

Thanks for the explanation and keeping such a good eye on the forum - keep up the good work

Would you be able to point me to a thread with recommendations? Somehow I haven't been able to find it.

These should give you a start. You will find that the most common refrain that runs through all of these threads by those of us who have come before you is that you really don't need a relocation agent. But, have a read of the threads first and then maybe you will have more specific questions.

http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic47212.html

http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic44801.html

http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic51197.html

http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic60013.html

sms

[Cath C]

I can see that giving a recommendation is a bit contentious, so I won't. But a handy thing to know is that many homesearch consultants will help you for free because they get paid commission by the landlord when they find you a place to live. They advise on schools and things too which is helpful.

But Iagree with other posters - talk to your HR person first and see if they'll offer you any kind of homesearch or orientation. I was working in HR when we moved to Singapore and know that many companies offer this as a matter of course.

Good luck with your move!

[Melvinyl]

@offshoreoildude: I'm currently at the start of finding out what my company offers and since it is a large multinational, I'm sure that they'll have someone but I still need to confirm this. The reason for my post is that a friend, who has done the expat move a few times, recommended seeing what other agents are out there, just in case someone is able to offer better services.

@JR8: My company will pick up any fees, although I'd like to avoid unnecessary costs for them.

Actually if you have time on your hands, you can to approach experienced expats in Singapore that have done this before for their advice. I'm sure they will be able to give you more personal and sincere opinions on housing etc.
On top of that, you save loads ! Worked for my friend

[nakatago]

@offshoreoildude: I'm currently at the start of finding out what my company offers and since it is a large multinational, I'm sure that they'll have someone but I still need to confirm this. The reason for my post is that a friend, who has done the expat move a few times, recommended seeing what other agents are out there, just in case someone is able to offer better services.

@JR8: My company will pick up any fees, although I'd like to avoid unnecessary costs for them.

Actually if you have time on your hands, you can to approach experienced expats in Singapore that have done this before for their advice. I'm sure they will be able to give you more personal and sincere opinions on housing etc.
On top of that, you save loads ! Worked for my friend

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I'm wondering about our friend Melvinyl as I don't believe she is who she represents herself as, considering she probably works for a company that furnishes Open Houses or Show Flats.

tic...toc...tic...toc....

moderator