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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September 08 2019 7:10AM

I met with Kathy ** who is located in the Tri Cities. I am moving and needed planning and insight on the smaller space I was moving into. She said she had a name for me to contact when I arrived. Never heard from Kathy again.

Allison P.
Yakima, WA
July 30 2019 6:17PM

This review is Caring Transitions of Carlsbad (Owner Dawn Lesicko). Please do not use her services as she is either unethical or unorganized. I used this company after my mom passed away and my sisters and I were in the process of selling her house. We were unsatisfied.

The reasons are extensive but here are the top 3. 1) We found multiple brand new, with tags, expensive items in the trash before the sale. When asked we were told the items were dirty. Yes, they were dusty from having been in a garage or storage but dirty, no. 2) The sale on site was much shorter than planned. A couple hours on a Friday and only a few more hours on a Saturday. Not enough time for the large house with a lot of items. However, here is the real issue: 3) When we were presented with a bill after the estate and online sale she was unable to provide us an accounting for items sold at the time of the sale and later at the online sale.

It took months to finally get an accounting and when finally she did, it was clearly made up. As I went back to the online sale and purchased items. In her accounting she said these items were not sold or her price on them was completely wrong. In addition, there were many items of my mother's on the website sale that were under other estate sales.

Caring Transitions of Carlsbad is either unethical or unorganized. Either way, move on.

Sarah D.
San Clemente, CA
July 06 2019 3:43PM

My parents trusted Caring Transitions of Columbia, SC (CT), to represent their best interest. To "care" about them during the sale of their belongings as they down size and "transition" to a retirement community.

In the end, my parents paid a total of over $8,500.00 to Caring Transitions and no longer have the possessions they could not take with them. I have contacted the corporate office. They tell you they will look into it, but since this is a franchise they do not hold any liability, liability is with the franchise owner. It has been two months and no resolution.

Fortunately, my parents are in good shape, the loss of money has not broke them, but some people are not as fortunate. I am sure this service works well for other, I would presume because the owner is actually a caring person and is caring for their customers instead of looking to gouge them for their own financial gain. I suggest to really research the owner and company, do not go off of what they say, but what is in the contract.

Your best bet is to simply donate the items or hire some help, load up the items and sell them yourself at a flea market or online.

Roy C.
Columbia, SC
June 04 2019 5:38PM

Geno and his team were beyond helpful and excellent in helping me downsize to a smaller office. He cleared out my warehouse in matter of hours and stayed afterwards to help clean up. They were professional, prompt, and thorough. I would high recommend Caring Transitions for anyone looking to downsize. I will definitely use them again!

Jennifer C.
Santa Ana, CA
March 09 2019 12:53AM

Caring Transitions (Brad **) in Reno, Nevada was absolutely fantastic in moving my father into an Independent Living Home in Sparks. His crew knew what they were doing and obviously really cared about doing their best for my Dad. I would highly recommend them to anybody.

Daryl S.
Reno/Sparks, NV
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