Relocating to a new city for work is time-consuming, expensive and stressful. And it’s even more so when you have children. Without a local connection, finding the right place to live is often a matter of online research, guesswork and some luck.
Liina Simren and her husband moved to Tampa Bay in 2011 with their 9-month-old son for a new job and moved to a neighborhood filled with rental homes.
“Finding a community for me to connect with other moms was hard. I didn’t have everybody living close by,” she said. “We had a different neighbor every week … Everyone I met was like half an hour away.” Eventually she came across South Tampa’s Hyde Park neighborhood and knew it was the perfect fit, they packed up their belongings and have been there ever since.
Friends, mothers and Tampa Bay transplants, Simren and Nicole Mulrooney are the co-founders and owners of Relocate Tampa Bay, a startup launched in September which provides concierge services for new Tampa Bay residents.
“The (biggest) hurdle of moving a whole family is the uncertainty,” said Simren.
Their mission: Minimize the uncertainty with custom-tailored concierge services so their clients can build a home in Tampa Bay that aligns with their values and needs.
Shopping for a house? They’ll connect you with vetted, local realtors and talk through pros and cons of different neighborhoods, from commuting time to local schools.
Need assistance with finding the right school or daycare for your children? They’ll talk you through options and schedule tours and meetings with the admissions office.
How about your leisure and activities? They’ll provide you with a list of options for local athletic clubs, tennis programs, book clubs, golf, soccer, football or youth sports, you name it.
If a family is moving for a new job, they can connect the other spouse with a local recruiter.
What about hard-to-find local services like mechanics, plumbers, pet services or landscaping companies? You’ll get a list with recommended options, along with the local utility information you need and the team will just be a call away for any other questions that come up.
Upon arrival, Simren and Mulrooney give their clients an orientation tour of the area so they get a general lay of the land.
“One thing all of our clients talk about is the affordability of Tampa. We still are city that can lend itself to any price point, which is really nice and very uncommon,” said Mulrooney.
With their office in South Tampa on the corner of Swann and South Howard, Relocate Tampa Bay has served about 12 clients so far, and has partnered with different companies which are bringing employees to Tampa Bay. They declined to provide details about their pricing structure, but noted they have packages and a la carte services available.
“Family life is the No. 1 reason why relocations fail,” Simren said. “The biggest win for the employer is to have us on retainage and showcase their commitment to their employee ... There’s nothing worse than having them invest and then having them go back.”
Relocate Tampa Bay is a member of the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce as well as Greater Tampa REALTORS, an association of area real estate brokers and sales associates. The company also works closely with local economic development councils.
“Tampa has enough diversity to make it happen. We’re a big enough city to comply with people’s request. Everyone is so different with what they value and to accommodate that is really fun,” Mulrooney said.
