Changing country, whether for professional or personal reasons, is always complicated.
Having insecurities, doubts and a lot of pressure are natural feelings in these cases, but… how do you deal about all this? Withfor, an ethical real estate agency in Barcelona, offers the Relocation service and we dedicate this article to explaining a little of what this service is about and why it is a great help for you.
We spoke to Julie Plottier, manager and co-founder of Withfor, and Rosa Domingo, Hospitality Manager of this ethical real estate agency based in Barcelona, who told us about the details of the Relocation service: “We focus our Relocation service in Barcelona on both national and international clients who, for private or business reasons, have to move and settle here”, says Rosa Domingo.
The aim is to offer all the help that people may need. This ranges from housing to administrative collaboration. All this has to do with an overview of benefits that saves a lot of time and energy in the end.
“We are asked for recommendations of all kinds. We always recommend companies that we are sure work well,” says Rosa Domingo.
“When someone decides to move to another country, he is leaving his comfort zone, he and his whole family. Everything is new, there are things you will like and things you won’t and you have to adapt. And there are some handicaps such as the language… So having someone who understands you, helps you, speaks your language and is by your side to accompany you in this process is priceless”, explains Rosa Domingo.
For this reason, the Relocation service offers the following benefits:
“You save time, stress, nerves… all the doubts you may have in this process, which is one of the most stressful moments in life, especially if there are children. Almost always, all the worries come from the children, when the reality is that they adapt better than adults”. Julie Plottier.
Julie Plottier goes on to explain that: “As professionals, we must be the support for our clients and know how to explain to them how things work here in Barcelona. Tell them that there are processes that may take longer and aspects that are different than in their respective countries of origin”.
“The way we offer the service for the first time is usually by phone or via Skype. So, we have the ability to perceive how the clients are, to listen to their needs… If it is a couple, we try to talk to both of them because sometimes the points of view are different”.
“The first thing is to listen to them, to know what they want and expect, what their concerns are, their desires, their priorities. At Withfor we take care of making individual plans and each person gets a tailor-made service. We organise a calendar and we also create a specific route of visits” – Rosa Domingo.
“We give confidence and strengthen it along the way. The client must feel that they are in the presence of a person who makes things clear, who does not deceive them, who is very sincere from the beginning”. Julie Plottier.
It varies as each case and process is different because the needs of one person or family are not the same as another. It is also influenced by the type of home you are looking for with specific characteristics or not. The budget is another very influential point at all times.
Both clarify that the search method always goes from the most general to the most specific, and the tastes of the interested parties are prioritised, but that at all times dialogue and communication predominate. And it is very important not to assume, to be open to all possibilities.
“There are people who want to look at things well in advance, which we don’t recommend because the property market in Barcelona varies a lot and very quickly. Some issues are worth speeding up, such as administrative matters, children’s school matters… but the question of housing is more difficult. We send more general information, but we depend on the reality of the market”, explains Rosa Domingo.
Finally, Julie Plottier, emphasises that time is a very important point culturally, it is understood that “people from other countries sometimes expect us to send them a timetable, housing… and we try to adapt the real times to their requirements and always convey to them that we must take it easy so that everything can work in the best way”.
Julie Plottier says that the added value is that Withfor has professionals from the real estate sector and the service sector. This is where the substantial difference lies because there is no other company in Barcelona that have both sides.
“At Withfor we combine the two sides, and we always do it from a human and proximity point of view, which makes us unique”. Julie Plottier.
Do you end up establishing an almost friendly relationship with the client?
RD: Yes, of course. We end up having a very special relationship with them and the clients are very grateful. You feel it first hand, when things go well it’s very gratifying.
What is the most curious thing you remember being asked to do in a Relocation service?
“Once a client asked us to help him find a sitter for his cat. And we had to be prepared for everything, including that”. Julie Plottier.
RD: Yes, of course. It is a service that is less frequently contracted, but I think it is very important. When a client moves out and leaves the property they have been in, there are a lot of things that need to be closed. Working with a check-in and check-out list saves them a lot of headaches. It is highly recommended that this service is hired.
The Relocation service helps you settle into a new city, provides peace of mind and accompanies you throughout the process so that the experience is as satisfactory as possible. It is very important to secure the best professionals, who are knowledgeable about both the real estate and service sectors, and who are open to different cultures and ways of thinking, in order to understand all the needs and requirements that may arise.
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