Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions Review

Caring Transitions is a senior moving service specializing in managing relocations, helping clients with downsizing homes, estate sales and online auction services. The company guides retirees and their families through potentially stressful life transitions with customized plans to meet each client’s unique needs. Caring Transitions provides senior moving services in 41 states through a network of over 200 franchise locations, leading us to included the them in our Best Senior Moving Services Guide because of its extensive network across the country.

Each Caring Transitions franchise earned the Certified Relocation Transition Specialist (CRTS) designation, the highest credential awarded in the senior moving service industry. All Caring Transitions employees are bonded, insured, screened and pursue continuing education to stay current on all aspects of the industry. The company is listed on the respected Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list.

Pros
  • Relief from physical and psychological stress that can accompany moving
  • Save time and money with one service coordinating all aspects of relocation
  • Demystifies sorting through years or decades of items and deciding what to keep

Cons
  • Services are currently unavailable in six states, but new franchisees are welcome

Getting Started with Caring Transitions Senior Moving Service

Caring Transitions offers free consultations. Call the company’s toll-free number or submit the online form on the website to get in touch with the nearest office. You can also use the “Locations” tab on the site to find your local office and call directly.

Once you decide on the services you need, Caring Transitions coordinates with organizers, movers, real estate agents, lawyers and any other professionals required to make your move or right-sizing stress-free.

Managing Your Move with Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions handles the big picture or the smallest detail for your relocation with the end goal being a smooth transition to your new home. The company strives to work both efficiently and compassionately while coordinating each aspect of moving to a new home, while you maintain control of the transition process. Each client partners with a local Caring Transitions office through senior moving consultants who are familiar with the surrounding community and its resources.

Caring Transitions Senior Service Options

Caring Transitions divides its senior moving services into three categories: relocation and move management, downsizing, and estate sales and online auctions.

Declutter and Downsize with Caring Transitions

Whether you are moving or merely right-sizing space you will use differently than it’s been used in the past, Caring Transitions specialists will work with you to declutter your home or place of business. Caring Transitions works with you to prioritize things you own that you need to keep or will enhance your phase of life. The items you save get organized, and what you no longer want or need are professionally assessed for value and sold via Caring Transitions Online Auction after being cleaned and photographed. Your specialist oversees the organization of items you donate, give away or throw away, and you receive as much help as you wish with decluttering papers and figuring out which documents to keep and which to destroy.

Caring Transitions Start-to-Finish Moving Service

Caring Transitions service locations

Service Locations, Source: Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions’ senior moving service coordinates relocations from start to finish, which removes a significant burden from retirees. The company’s space planning software is put to use to show you how your items will fit into your new home. Caring Transitions sources movers and packers and boxes are color-coded according to the room where they will be unpacked. If you need a realtor, Caring Transitions has relationships with trusted home sales professionals, as well as painters and cleaners who can prepare your home for sale. Unpacking and home staging is available, so everything is in its place when you step through your new front door. Caring Transitions also offers moving services to businesses and those who are moving due to divorce.

Caring Transitions Estate Sales

If you have been left to sort through a home full of items due to a death in the family, Caring Transitions can assist with their estate sale services. Considering the time it usually takes to go through everything during one of these liquidations, this service can save you the expense of frequently traveling to the home and time off from your job. Items are sorted, inventoried and assessed for value, and the entire home or business can be liquidated after you and your family members decide what you will keep.

Caring Transitions Complaints

The Better Business Bureau rates most Caring Transitions offices with an “A” or “A+”. Complaints we found revolved around clients not understanding auction contracts, although Caring Transitions resolved those issues two or three years ago. Caring Transitions Online Auctions has a listing with the Better Business Bureau with an “A+” rating, although the business does not maintain BBB accreditation.

Caring Transitions features client testimonials on the website, with the most frequent remarks being about company representative’s expertise, professionalism, dedication, sincerity and kindness.

caring transitions screenshot

Source: Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions Q&A

  • How do Caring Transitions franchise owners become Certified Relocation and Transition Specialists (CRTS)?
    To be eligible to take the CRTS exam, franchise owners must possess at least a high school diploma and fulfill at least one of four eligibility requirements:

    • Have one of the approved industry credentials such as Certified Senior Advisor or NASMM Front Door training certification.

    • Have a degree or certificate from an accredited institution in a field related to working with seniors.

    • At least two years of paid experience working with seniors.

    • Completion of the Senior Relocation training course.

    Upon passage of the CRTS exam, franchise owners receive the certification and must complete four continuing education units (CEUs) each year for recertification.

  • How does the Caring Transitions space planning software work?
    Caring Transitions space planning software first creates a scaled computer-aided design (CAD) template of your new home. An employee photographs and measures furniture you plan to move into the new location and enters the dimensions of each piece into the software to produce a color-coded blueprint of your items in the new space. Not only does this help with visualizing and planning your rooms, but the final template also is a plan for movers to place your furniture and belongings.

  • What can I do if Caring Transitions senior moving service is not in my area?
    Caring Transitions has a presence in most states, but at the time this was written, none in Alaska, Delaware, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia. The company is seeking franchisees, so call or check the website to see if there’s an office near you.

  • Which items sell most often in a Caring Transitions estate sale or online auction?
    While almost every item has a buyer somewhere, the most popular and sought-after items at Caring Transitions estate sales and online auctions are cars, farm equipment, silver, designer clothes, shoes and purses, vintage jewelry and watches, new and gently used electronics and smartphones and collectible dolls.

Conclusion

Caring Transitions takes a customized approach to senior moving services by treating clients, their homes and belongings with the utmost respect. As older adults transition to a new living arrangement, Caring Transitions makes this major life transition seamless and stress-free while honoring the client’s past and embracing their future.

Caring Transitions Reviews

Recent Reviews

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Featured Review
November 24 2019 2:19AM

Everything was cleaned out and shredded (if needed); value established for tax receipts. Items were delivered to charity for donation. The house cleaned, floors swept and ready to show for sale. We could not believe the transformation. Then they delivered a piece of furniture and a box to Charlotte at Riderwood. Mr. ** returned keys to the house and more...his staff found and returned more than $ 6500 in cash! Plus, his fee was extremely reasonable.

Not only was Mr. **, honest but his team did a fabulous job. I highly recommend them. The company can help sort and do exactly what you want done. They can help you finish completely and faster than alone. They shred items on site. Before starting work, they walk through with you and work hand in hand with you as desired. They walk though with you at the end as well. They are accommodating, compassionate, competent, thorough, business-like and at the same time warm and polite while absolutely professional.

I cannot say enough good about them. Plus it was done in less than 1-1/2 days. I am amazed. Feel free to share this with any senior who is downsizing and or cleaning out their house for sale or rent or initiating a move.

Pat H.
Silver Spring, MD
December 02 2020 3:29PM

I disputed a tax rate for an auction Ryan ** of Caring Transitions initiated. He posted a tax rate prior to the sale and raised it post sale. When I questioned him he decided to close my account for any future business.

I offered an option to resolve the situation and returned a comment that I was a "liar." I don't remember ever being treated in such a way as a paying customer and I reject his business practice.

William H.
Thornton, CO
November 20 2020 9:46PM

You people are absolutely vampires preying on the elderly. There should be laws against what you do; it is absolutely criminal. What you charge and the way you rob people; you should be prosecuted.

You badly damaged my furniture and never did what you told me. No one will probably see this but I sure tell everyone I know about the stuff that you do.

Ken A.
Prescott, AZ
March 04 2020 3:07PM

We used Caring Transitions recently for our Estate Sale. We worked with Lynn, Gina & Steve. They were all very knowledgeable & professional. We heard from friends who attended the sale that the set up was very organized & fairly priced. Caring Transitions communicated with us from start to finish & were very honest & transparent. We would highly recommend them for any transition service they provide.

Don & Shari B.
Granbury, TX
February 15 2020 1:54PM

Preparing for another upcoming move and having read the reviews for Caring Transitions, I have to say I’m shocked! I utilized Caring Transitions. in Jacksonville, Fl. In 2018 and the service was so great that I’d never consider any other service! Michelle **, her husband and their entire staff were amazing. Sad to see other cities have issues but the reviews should not reflect on the local franchises. I’m praying they’re available for my next move in a few months!

Barbara D.
Jacksonville, FL
December 23 2019 6:21PM

Caring Transitions of Joppa, Md. took me to the cleaners!! Three story house full of antiques and fine furniture. Total sales of slightly over $4,000. Should have been 6 times that amount. They only had sales for four hours on two days. No way could they have disposed of everything in that short amount of times. Could not get an account of sales except for 13 large items. They could have done anything with rest of items. Complained to home office but never got a reply. I would not recommend them to anyone!!! Garage sale would have done much, much better.

Jack S.
Forest Hill, MD
December 18 2019 8:01PM

I would never trust this company. Do yourself a favor and RUN away from Caring Transitions, Columbia, SC. I hope this post saves someone and their family from getting ruined. You would do better to call 1800 junk and pay them to take your family members beautiful items away. Its the same thing.

Adrianne ** and her crew sold my mothers items for nothing and my mother ended up getting taken advantage of as a senior citizen. She lost hundreds of dollars and 12 pages of treasured items. No one will answer our calls and corporate wont return phone calls. They are frauds and they seriously DO NOT care. They are heartless people.

They are thieves and I hope to God they all go to Jail one day. Do yourself a favor and never use them for an estate sale or for anything for your Senior living needs. They are taking advantage of the elderly and their children who are left behind to sell their items. I hope if you are reading this you don't use them, I do not want another person to go through what we experienced.

Melanie W.
Columbia, SC
December 14 2019 11:46PM

Caring Transitions of Scottsdale owes my family over $700 for an estate sale in September. After three reminders, I finally received a check from in November. It bounced. The corporate office took my complaint but nothing has happened.

Megan B.
Fountain Hills, AZ
December 10 2019 1:22AM

My very dear elderly friend that is 78 hired this company to do her living estate sale as she was moving in with her daughter. She trusted them when she signed to contract. A few days before the sale she went to the home and the owner of the franchise was busy putting items from the house into her van! When she went into the house, there were more boxes packed and ready to take.

When the owner asked what she was doing, she told her they were things they couldn’t sell. The owner could see what the items were and knew they were perfectly saleable. She call her son in law who came right away and told the owner of the franchise to put it back. According to the contract, what was left after the sale was to be left so the owner could donate it to the charity of her choice.

By removing items before the sale, would that be considered theft? This company conducted the sale Friday 10-2 and Saturday 9-2. There was no advertising in the local paper and on the main road, there were no signs. I thought the sale wasn’t happening because there were no signs until at the residential crossroad and it was a small sign that was hardly noticeable.

With these hours and lack of signage and advertising, it is no surprise that maybe a quarter of the items were sold. A city business license is required and they were not licensed. They are required by state law to collect sales tax, but they didn’t. By their contract, they have 14 business days to settle with the client. She has not heard from them and it has now been 15 business days. I feel that my 78 year old friend was taken advantage of.

I think the company knows they got caught removing items and walked away with whatever amount they sold even though the contract was for over $3,200 that they required she sign. At this point the contract has been broken by the franchise owner and my friend is left hanging. The only good thing to come of this is I doubt they sold over $1000 in those 2 days so that is all they got when the contract was for 3 times that. That is why I feel confident they knew they were wrong in what they did and how my friend was treated. I will be letting the proper authorities know how my elderly friend was treated by this company and the city for they are operating in the city without a license.

Patty P.
Yakima, WA
November 23 2019 1:44PM

I had a bad experience with this company. I usually don't write bad reviews, but this one sticks in my crawl. After experiencing the death of a parent, it was a vulnerable time in my life and this company added to my stress. I dealt with Todd **. He was totally disorganized and would make promises about returning calls or emails, but would not follow through. The night before I was scheduled to meet him, he took it upon himself to share my email with a realtor, who aggressively pursued an order, though I had not asked Todd for this.

The worst offense to me, though, is that Todd walked through the estate and told me that "there is not enough here" and I would be paying him roughly $500 for his services. I ended up using a competitor, Fabulous Finds, they were great. They did the estate sale and actually sent me a check for over $ 2000.00. So please be warned about this man. Thanks.

Michael S.
Davidson, NC
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