Corporate Relocation Real Estate Guide: The Transferee’s Independent Playbook

When your employer transfers you to a new city, you are navigating two simultaneous real estate transactions — selling your current home and buying in a new market — under deadline pressure, with unfamiliar geography, and through a system largely designed to serve your employer’s interests, not yours. The relocation management company (RMC) your employer contracts is an intermediary that coordinates the process. The agents they recommend to you pay them 35–40% of their commission. The GBO offer they present may be below your home’s market value. This guide is written for the transferee — independently, with no RMC contract to protect.

What is a relocation management company (RMC)?

A third-party company contracted by your employer to coordinate and manage employee relocations. RMCs handle logistics, policy compliance, vendor relationships, and home sale programs. They work for the employer, not the transferee. Their revenue comes partly from referral fees paid by the agents and vendors they recommend to you.

Does my employer’s relocation company work for me?

No. The RMC is contracted by and accountable to your employer. Their incentives are aligned with the employer’s cost management and compliance goals. The agents they recommend pay the RMC 35–40% of their commissions as referral fees. You may use the recommended vendors, but you are not obligated to in most cases. Understanding this changes how you evaluate every recommendation.

What is the difference between a GBO and a BVO?

GBO (Guaranteed Buyout Offer): your employer’s RMC purchases your home directly from you if it hasn’t sold after a defined marketing period. The offer price is based on appraisals. BVO (Buyer Value Option): you find the buyer yourself; the RMC briefly takes title between you and the buyer for tax efficiency. BVO is more common and typically results in better net proceeds for the transferee.