Caring Transitions, the Nation’s Largest Senior-relocation Provider, Plans to Reach 300 Franchise Units by 2022

Just over two years ago, Caring Transitions, a franchise that helps seniors relocate to and from care facilities, embarked on an ambitious development plan to reach 400 units in the next five years. This year, the brand reached its 255th franchise unit, far outpacing its initial projected timeline and cementing Caring Transitions as one of the premier franchise opportunities of 2022.

Much of Caring Transitions’ rapid growth can be attributed to the booming senior care market, which is estimated at $832.8 billion and projected to continue growing by 3.9% year over year through 2025. Within that rapidly growing market, Caring Transitions has carved out a lucrative niche as the nation’s largest provider of senior-relocation services. 

While there is no shortage of brands offering medical care and even home-improvement services for seniors, there are very few businesses equipped to help seniors move from their homes to a care facility or to manage the relocation or sale of all personal belongings, which is how Caring Transitions has emerged as a leader in its segment.

“We aren’t a moving company, and we aren’t an estate sales company. We are a transition company, and that’s a very important distinction to us,” said James Stapleton, the brand’s vice president of franchise development. “Our entire focus is on helping families comfortably work through an inherently uncomfortable situation, and that takes a lot more than moving a bunch of boxes from one place to another. We help seniors re-create an environment that feels like home in their new location, and we remove all of the logistical headaches that come along with that transition.”

Caring Transitions helps seniors relocate by spending time at their homes, helping them pack and organize their belongings, then moving those belongings to the new home and setting them up in a way that feels “comfortable, familiar and delightful for the client,” Stapleton says. Then, the team returns to the original location to arrange and host an in-person or online estate sale through its proprietary platform, CTBIDS.

“Everyone faces getting old and getting sick, but very few people truly plan for it,” Stapleton says. “When that reality arrives, there are so many logistical details that have to be accounted for, and people get overwhelmed. Our consistent growth as a company is a reflection of the growing need for trustworthy partners who can support that process.”

Of course, that growth is also a testament to Caring Transitions’ strength as a franchise investment. In 2021, the brand sold 44 new franchise units. This year, Stapleton says the brand’s goal is 60 new units, and it is already well on its way to reaching that number.

“It is not hard to find great franchisee owners for this business,” he explains. “Savvy entrepreneurs are looking for a way into the senior-care market, especially after COVID-19, and we offer a lucrative pathway that requires no medical experience and little overhead.”

But, Stapleton says, his team isn’t awarding franchises to just anyone. “They have to share our passion and values,” he adds. “This can be a very lucrative opportunity, but if you ask any of our franchisees what the biggest rewards of this business are, they probably won’t point to their margins – however impressive they may be. They will tell you about when they walked a client into their new home and the client started crying because everything is just how they were familiar with it at their last home. Then their family starts crying. Then the franchisee starts crying. It’s not often that our transitions end without a hug.”

“At the end of the day,” Victoria Erfle, Owner of Caring Transitions in Santa Clarita, said, “it's really rewarding to be there for people and to help them go through these difficult transitions. It’s a really difficult process for them, and hopefully we can make these moments later in their life a bit sweeter.”

Sentimentality aside, Caring Transition also boasts an operational model that would catch the attention of any sophisticated entrepreneur. Stapleton says the annual gross profit among franchise owners exceeds 60%. That’s thanks largely to a home-based model, which eschews the need for office space, warehouses and even moving trucks. 

Crucially, Stapleton says Caring Transitions was designed specifically to help franchisees grow quickly.

“Every aspect of our operations was designed and refined with franchise growth in mind,” he says. “Our franchisees tell us what their growth goals are, and we provide the support and guidance to reach those goals. It’s as simple as that.” 

As Caring Transitions embarks on the final stretch of its 400-unit growth goal, the brand is targeting markets across the country for new units, starting with Florida and Northern California. 

“This is a model that has proven successful in every market we’ve introduced it to, and we still have so much opportunity ahead of us,” Stapleton says. “We’re actively seeking out franchisees in prime territories where demand is growing rapidly, and the great thing is, our owners don’t have to be an expert in this industry, they just need to be coachable and willing to put in the legwork when it comes to marketing. 2022 is shaping up to be a major growth year for Caring Transitions, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with talented and passionate new owners across the country.”

Start-up costs range from $58,912-$82,712, and franchisees have the opportunity to earn back their $44,900 franchise fee through its Winner’s Circle program by hitting a variety of key benchmarks.

ABOUT CARING TRANSITIONS:

Caring Transitions provides older adults and their families with the most trusted, respected and comprehensive downsizing, right-sizing, estate sales and online auctions, and move management solutions in the industry. Founded in 2006, the brand is committed to helping people in a compassionate and caring manner during life's many transitions while providing a total and easy solution for clients in their time of need. Through their proprietary online sales platform, CTBIDS, Caring Transitions also prepares clients for the process of liquidating assets through their own online estate sales auction site. With over 250 locations, Caring Transitions’ compassionate, experienced professionals minimize stress and relieve the burdens of life’s transitions. To learn more visit https://www.caringtransitions.com/