Houston Relocation Anniversary

celebration Just like birthdays, all anniversaries should be celebrated. With that in mind, I am happy to share with you that yesterday marked the one year anniversary of my return to John Daugherty, Realtors. I am calling this “My Relocation Anniversary,” because when I made the move back to JDR after nearly nine years away, I was welcomed back home as if I had in fact been away on assignment, much like in the relocation world. I guess you could say that I have relocated my career back to John Daugherty, Realtors.

As part of my role as Director of Global Relocation Services, I often have the opportunity to visit with transferees who are not only relocating to Houston, but who are relocating back to Houston. This is always a very exciting event, surrounded by many fond memories and the romantic notion of moving back home. I felt something very similar when I relocated back into the JDR family. In no time at all, it started to feel as if I had never left.

But, as much as things seemed to have stayed the same, they also had changed. That was exciting too. And, since my return, I have been a big advocate for more change as a necessary part of the growth, evolution and continued success of my department. Now that a year has passed, I am very proud to say that our Global Relocation Services Division has achieved a great many things under my direction. Here are a few of the key accomplishments:

Development & implementation of JDR’s Relocation Training & Certification Program
Significant expansion of corporate relocation business opportunities
Acquisition of several new corporate clients
JDR chosen as exclusive real estate company for 2 group moves
Higher conversion rate of listing opportunities to actual listings
Frequent invitations to speak/present at conferences, events and meetings
Formation of Virtual Relocation Directors’ Group (“Virtual RD”) & Link 360 (also known as the Texas Relocation Triangle)
Industry-wide recognition of this Houston Relocation Blog
AND….much more…..

I am very proud of the past 12 months, and all that we have been able to accomplish from a relocation standpoint, and as a company, especially considering the economic challenges that we faced this year. As for the year ahead, we are well-positioned for the economic rebound. As a company, we have enjoyed a very prosperous October and November, in which we have far exceeded our sales goals for both of these months.

Luckily for me, I relocated back to John Daugherty, Realtors, at the perfect time. We faced the economic challenges with strength and perseverance, proving that only the strong survive. We have always been and continue to be a leader in the Houston real estate market, and now, we are a true leader in relocation. Our reputation within the relocation industry stretches far beyond just the Houston market; it now has a global reach.

Now it’s your turn…what have been your challenges and successes this year, and what are your predictions for the year ahead? Please share and discuss.