Eric Donovan and wife Thanita Mahakaraket faced a challenge when they decided to relocate from London to Paris. They managed to locate many nice properties to rent, but they either received no answer or negative responses from the agents they contacted.
The likely reason for the Donovans’ trouble was their unique situation. As an entrepreneur earning revenue outside of France, Eric’s financial situation was more complicated than most people relocating into the country. Additionally, strict real estate laws in France lean heavily toward protecting tenants, causing landlords to be extremely cautious about who they will allow to rent their properties.
Most landlords require a thorough review of a large amount of documentation, assembled together in what is known as a housing dossier, before they will approve a tenant to rent a property. The Donovans lacked experience in meeting that criteria, but they also could not produce some of the documentation required.
After trying unsuccessfully for weeks to secure a home on their own, they came to realize that it would be difficult to relocate without professional help. After contacting several relocation companies, they decided to commission Smart Relocation for their relocation project. Smart Relocation was efficient in their response and Eric found Sara Sallembien to be personable and easy to work with.
Sara and team got right to work using their experience with most types of unusual rental situations, and they were able to swiftly assemble a dossier that would meet the landlord’s strict requirements. Sara says, “We worked to present the documents like a standard French dossier so the agents could understand better.”
Then the team whittled prospective neighborhoods down to a strategic shortlist, using their extensive knowledge of the city’s neighborhoods and their familiarity with agents who are willing to work with non-standard housing dossiers. It took just one day of property visits to secure a great apartment in a fantastic area overlooking the Eiffel Tower.
The Donovan family was thrilled. The beautiful, thriving city of Paris would be large enough to meet Eric’s work needs, and its proximity to the United Kingdom would allow the Donovans to return often to visit family and friends. They know they could not have achieved this result on their own.
Eric reflects on their investment in Smart Relocation with gratitude. “They did a great job and proved themselves very reliable,” he says.
The team at Smart Relocation stands ready to take on any relocation challenge, no matter how difficult. Sara says. “We are successful in finding housing for all of our clients regardless of their professional situation.” That asset, combined with personalized attention and broad dossier experience, make Smart Relocation the ideal team to work with.