Posts Categorized: Executive Insights

From Startup Vision To Industry Leader

Posted by & filed under Executive Insights, Press Releases.

PROGRESS In Lending Association is a publication that aims to help lending executives grow their business by boiling down the latest news and trends into sound strategies. The news outlet interviewed Move Concierge CEO Gabe Abshire to discuss the company’s future and the state of the U.S. mortgage market.

“What started as an idea has grown into a company culture built on core values, with one that stands out above all others: delivering mind-blowing customer experiences,” Abshire said. “We’ve spent 16 years changing the way people think about moving, creating the modern way to move through experiences that truly wow our customers while building an environment where great people can do their best work.”

Read the full article here.

U.S. home price growth saw a slight dip in February: Case-Shiller index

Posted by & filed under Executive Insights, Real Estate Insights.

The Scotsman Guide is the go-to publication for mortgage loan officers, who closely watch housing prices increase. Reporter Luke Baynes noted that U.S. home prices registered a 3.9% annual gain in February, down slightly from January’s 4.1% year-over-year increase, according to S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index data released Tuesday. Jason Lindwall, president of home move-in service company Move Concierge, said he thinks the home sales volume will increase in due time.

“This week’s economic reports highlight the American consumer is shifting from spending to saving,” Lindwall commented. “This is actually good news for housing, as once families fill their coffers a bit more, they will be looking to put that money to work. With home values still remaining strong despite ongoing global trade tensions, real estate will be a relatively safe harbor for more and more Americans.”

Read full article on Scotsman Guide

Leaving the US? Experts Explain Whether It’s a Good Financial Move To Keep or Sell Your House

Posted by & filed under Executive Insights, Real Estate Insights.

Popular personal finance advice website GoBankingRates explored the trend that a small but growing number of American homeowners are interested in moving abroad. Reporter Jake Safane interviewed Gabe Abshire, founder and CEO of Move Concierge, to get his thoughts on the financial burdens these families will face if they move to another country.

“Homeowners leaving the country for a long time should consider selling if they don’t have the means to cover the expensive costs associated with renting. If you can’t rent your property, you are still on the hook with maintenance and taxes, without that monthly rent check,” said Gabe.

Plus, trying to manage your property abroad can be more of a hassle than it’s worth.

“Being a landlord is tough enough when you are local; when you live several time zones away, management becomes even more of a challenge,” Abshire explained.

Granted, there are all sorts of property management companies that can help you with the logistics, but that adds another cost, and it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll have renters.

“The risk is what happens if the home goes unoccupied for an extended amount of time. If that happens, the entire cost will fall to you, so be sure you have enough capital to cover all your bases if you don’t want to let go of your American home,” Abshire said.

Read the full article on GOBankingRates.com

New-home sales rebound in February after winter weather bout

Posted by & filed under Executive Insights, Homeowner Tips.

Sales of newly built single-family homes rose 5.1 percent on an annual basis in February as conditions improved and buyers stepped off the sidelines, according to data released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department for Housing and Urban Development.

Sales of new single-family homes hit a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 676,000, which was up 1.8 percent from the revised January 2025 rate and roughly what economists had predicted.

In January, new-home sales unexpectedly dropped by 10.5 percent, well below what analysts expected, as builders grappled with a series of severe winter storms.

The median sales price of new homes sold in February hovered at $414,500, and the average sales price was $487,100.

The seasonally adjusted estimate of new homes for sale at the end of February was 500,000, or a supply of about 8.9 months at the current sales rate.

In the South, where the greatest homebuilding activity has been present in the country, sales rose 6.6 percent from January to February, following a slump the previous month during wintery weather conditions. Home sales also improved in the Midwest, where new-home sales rose 20.6 percent month over month.

As high mortgage rates and prices have continued to weigh on homebuyers, builders have responded with more incentives to maintain demand.

“We see both renters and current homeowners beginning to come off the sidelines as housing conditions improve, mainly through several homebuilder incentives, such as rate buydowns,” Move Concierge CEO Gabe Abshire wrote in an email to Inman.

“Further, more households are currently looking for bargains regarding several home services. New home sales are a fresh property to easily add these amenities, such as additional home security, cheaper utilities, and faster internet speeds,” he added.

Mortgage rates have improved slightly from January, however, which should also incentivize some buyers. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate was at 6.72 percent during the week ending March 14, which was down from 7.10 percent in January, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The association also expects rates to drop slightly by the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, to about 6.5 percent.

Read the full article on Inman.com.

Thinking of Retiring in California? Consider This First

Posted by & filed under Executive Insights, Real Estate Insights.

There are a lot of things to love about California: the idyllic weather, the incredible landscape, fresh food and rich culture. There are also plenty of things to not love about California, including being expensive, dangerous and overcrowded in many popular areas. If you are retired or thinking of retiring in California, you might want to reassess that move.

“California has become an incredibly expensive place to live,” said Chris Motola, special projects editor at National Business Capital. “When looking through the lens of regional price parity, which compares cost of living to the national average, seven out of 10 of the most expensive metropolitan areas in the U.S. with populations greater than 300,000 are in California.”

“The trend of more retirees leaving for California than choosing to stay or move to the Golden State has been going on for years and will continue to get worse,” added Jason Lindwall, president of Move Concierge.

What’s causing this aversion to the biggest state on the West Coast? A few factors, actually. Here are three key signs you should not retire in California.

High Cost of Living

“Many point to the high cost of taxes on fixed-income households, but this is only a part of the reason as California offers several types of tax relief to seniors,” Lindwall said. “The big one is the astronomical cost of living compared to Texas and Florida, which is a common destination for elderly folks leaving California.”

Lindwall cited a Zillow report that showcased the average price for a home in California is up 3.2% year over year. “Retirees can sell and repurchase a new home in a cheaper state and use the proceeds for the cheaper cost of living they’ll enjoy elsewhere,” Lindwall explained.

“California’s cost of living is 42% above the national average, with housing, utilities and groceries significantly higher than in most states. Retirees on a fixed income may struggle to maintain their desired lifestyle, especially as prices continue rising,” said Yehuda Tropper, CEO of Beca Life Settlements.

Increasing Natural Disaster Threats

Earthquakes. Wildfires. Landslides. The list goes on and on with the natural disasters that California is currently dealing with and will most likely become more extreme in the future.

“More and more, the threat of natural disasters is factoring into where the elderly wish to age in place,” Lindwall said. “They don’t want a place where there is a high likelihood of evacuation.

“The Los Angeles wildfires burned around 35,000 square miles and scared the local population tremendously,” Lindwall added. “We should never underestimate the psychological toll something like this can take on someone who may have less mobility, chronic illness or other age-related ailments that can stress their health.

Tropper highlighted that in light of the recent wildfires, home insurance costs have gone up, as well as the number of policy cancellations.

Expensive Healthcare

While California is known for being a state that loves to embrace healthy living and clean lifestyles, it all comes at a cost. As retirees age and require more medical attention, the price goes up just to maintain a good bill of health, which can be quite costly in California.

“[The] monthly cost of nursing care, which is $11,437 in California versus $7,908 nationally,” Tropper added. “Unless you have a great long-term care insurance policy or a large nest egg that can cover the cost, another state is probably a better choice.”

Read the full article on GOBankingRates.com

Dallas and 4 Other Texas Cities That Retirees Will Flock To Under a Trump Economy

Posted by & filed under Executive Insights, Real Estate Insights.

The upcoming presidency will bring plenty of changes to the economy and it can influence where retirees relocate. Some Texas cities are positioned to benefit from the incoming administration, plus the influx of retirees that may come their way. Dallas is one of the big-name cities set to welcome retirees, but there are a few other places to keep on your radar.

Billy Snelson, chief marketing officer of Move Concierge, knows his way around Texas, as he previously worked as the vice president of marketing at Keller Williams Realty and vice president of brand strategy for NFP, an insurance company. 

He grouped the Dallas and Houston Metro areas together when making his recommendation due to their similarities. He also made three additional Texas city recommendations which you’ll hear more about later. 

“A big draw for retiring in major Texas cities is the abundant senior living communities that provide on-site healthcare at an affordable price. These are often located near grocery stores and restaurants if driving is a challenge,” he said. With the question of healthcare and inflation at the center of a Trump economy, this makes these metro areas popular among retirees.

“The cost of living in Texas is lower in most states and there is no state income tax. If you own your own home, additional tax benefits usually come with having your own property,” Snelson added. “Furthermore, the major metro areas of Houston and Dallas have plenty of hospitals nearby in cases of emergencies. Dallas has access to many lakes, while Houston is only an hour from the Gulf of Mexico.”

Read the full article on GOBankingRates.com.

Get to Know Our Team — Jason Lindwall, Move Concierge President

Posted by & filed under Executive Insights.

A huge part of what makes Move Concierge so incredible is the people who power it. People fuel our culture, and their ideas inspire new initiatives and creative partnerships that take our services to the next level. Jason Lindwall is no exception. His value to the Move Concierge team as company president is undeniable as a real estate veteran, restaurateur and passionate believer in the future.

While Jason’s extensive real estate industry credentials certainly contribute to his success, his enthusiasm for smart tech is a major influence on the way he approaches his role. A self-proclaimed technologist at heart who loves to “geek out” on the latest gadgets and innovations, Jason is always thinking about how the smart use of emerging technology can elevate our mission to make moving easier for clients nationwide. 

Even his home demonstrates this passion for tech-enabled ease and efficiency. Free of the usual buttons or switches on the walls, everything throughout his house—from the lights to the TV, thermostat and even garage doors—is voice-activated and customized to his family’s routines.

Keenly aware of technology’s power to simplify, Jason is determined to develop more robust tech-enabled services at Move Concierge. Streamlining the complexity of the moving process will maximize satisfaction for our clients, providing greater value to our partners, too. And he knows that gleaning insights from customer data to better understand their needs will yield exceptional experiences for clients and partners alike.

It takes more than just shiny tech to deliver mind-blowing experiences, though. Customers also want to feel treated with care. That emphasis on hospitality is something Jason carries over from his second gig as a restauranter. For more than a decade, he has been an investor in Dallas-area restaurants, supporting local establishments that offer quality service while dishing out everything from Tex-Mex to seafood to classic American fare.

Jason compares running a good restaurant to building a successful team at Move Concierge. Since every customer may have different needs or tastes, he says it’s about creating a team that can quickly and efficiently identify and adapt to these needs to create the best experience possible.

When he’s not working, you’ll either find Jason eagerly toying with the latest gadgets and gizmos or hanging out with his wife and three grown kids. Whether nestled into a diner booth or off traveling the world, you can count on Jason and his family to be searching for their own amazing experiences—in particular, continuing their never-ending hunt for the world’s best burger.

Building a Legacy of Service: Move Concierge’s Path to Reshaping Home Services Support

Posted by & filed under Executive Insights.

When Gabe Abshire founded Move Concierge (formerly Utility Concierge) in 2009, he wasn’t just starting another home services company – he was addressing a fundamental challenge he’d discovered firsthand in the real estate industry. After years of running a successful satellite installation business across multiple states, Abshire noticed a recurring issue that was costing his company both time and money: technicians would arrive at homes only to find they couldn’t complete installations because basic utilities weren’t set up or TVs were still in moving trucks.

“That’s when the aha moment happened,” Abshire reflects. “We really understood that there was this little part in the moving process that was stressful as hell, and you really didn’t have someone to help you.”

This revelation led to the creation of a company built on three core principles: operating as a referral-based business focused on real estate professionals, giving customers genuine choices rather than pushing specific products, and maintaining transparent, efficient communication throughout the process.

The company’s streamlined approach begins about two to three weeks before closing, when real estate agents share their clients’ information. A dedicated concierge reaches out on behalf of the agent, immediately establishing trust and continuity in the home-buying process. What follows is a focused 30-minute consultation that covers everything from basic utilities to home security systems.

“We’re going to call you on behalf of that real estate professional,” Abshire explains. “We gush over our referral partners. When we have a conversation with you, we’re like, ‘Hey, Steve referred you over. We’re part of his process. He knows that moving is stressful, and he wants to help you.’”

In markets like Texas, where homeowners might face choices between 45 different electricity providers, this guidance proves essential. The concierge team helps clients navigate these decisions efficiently, presenting clear options based on the client’s specific needs. After the initial consultation, a separate team handles all the necessary connections, freeing the client to focus on other aspects of their move.

This systematic approach saves clients an average of eight hours of phone calls and approximately $1,000 in their first year through optimized service packages. But beyond the tangible savings, it’s the stress reduction that clients seem to value most. “Moving is often a happy experience – you’re moving to the next opportunity, a change in your life,” Abshire notes. “And if it’s not a happy experience, if you’re moving for another reason, we don’t want you to have to worry about this stuff.”

The company’s commitment to customer service has earned them over 20,000 positive reviews. Their approach is refreshingly straightforward: “We tell our concierges to recommend things that you would recommend to your mother, and talk to your clients like you’re your best friend,” Abshire explains. This philosophy has resonated particularly well with first-time homebuyers who may not have established service provider relationships.

Looking ahead, Move Concierge is expanding its service offering while maintaining its core focus on customer care. The company recently brought on Jason Lindwall, former COO of RealPage, as president to help drive growth into the multifamily and property management sectors. They’re also developing a tech-enabled platform to complement their high-touch service model, recognizing that some customers prefer digital solutions.

The company’s “concierge for life” concept represents its next strategic evolution. Through partnerships with premier moving companies and carefully vetted service providers, Move Concierge aims to become the go-to resource for all home-related services, from moving day and beyond. Unlike other platforms that might sell customer information to multiple vendors, Move Concierge maintains its commitment to curated, high-quality recommendations.

“We’re not trying to skip to the post-close services like refinances and insurance – we’re focused on taking care of the customer and getting them into the house first,” Abshire emphasizes. “We’ve mastered that over the last 16 years. We are the best in the world at it.”

For real estate professionals seeking to enhance their client relationships, Move Concierge offers a service that simplifies a traditionally complex part of home buying. By managing utility and home service setups, agents can focus on their core expertise while providing lasting value that extends beyond closing day. The result is an experience that has become indispensable for agents in today’s demanding market.

Read the full article on KeyCrew Journal.

This Is How Much You Should Tip Movers, According to Industry Experts

Posted by & filed under Executive Insights, Moving Tips.

All kinds of factors influence how much it costs to move, from the distance between your old place and new one to whether you’ll purchase extra moving insurance to what time of year you plan to move. But whatever the sum you end up being charged, you’re likely wondering: How much should you tip your movers for a job well done?

While tipping isn’t required, and you shouldn’t expect it to be included in initial price quotes, it is standard practice to tip your hard-working moving crew: “They move all of your worldly possessions,” says Billy Jack Snelson, chief marketing officer of Move Concierge. “Getting your stuff from point A to point B safely is worth showing a little gratitude.”

The question isn’t so much whether to tip but how much. Here’s more nitty gritty info on tipping movers, including how much you should tip, what factors drive gratuity up (and down), even who you should hand the money over to at the end of a move.

What’s The Standard Tipping Rate For Movers?

Moving is typically billed as an hourly rate or a flat rate, and different services such as unpacking boxes, covering floors with protective materials, and hauling extra-large items can tack on extra costs.

But when it comes to tipping, several experts said it’s most commonplace to tip a percentage that’s based on the total cost of the move. Those experts quoted anywhere from five percent to 20 percent.

Matt Graber, co-owner of Cool Hands Movers in New York City, says those moving should plan to tip between 15 to 20 percent of the total cost of the move, no matter the team size. By that reasoning, if a local move cost you $3,000, the tip amount would be $450 to $600, divided up among the crew members.

In other parts of the country, outside of dense cities, a simple half-day move across town, may warrant a tip on the lower end of the spectrum (between five to ten percent), experts say. That would be in places where there’s little traffic; the move is straightforward, with no elevator reservations or traffic restrictions; and the movers can expect a clear driveway accessing a one-story home.

On the other hand, multi-day moves out of state that are more involved warrant the higher 15 to 20 percent tips, Snelson says.

Read the full article on housebeautiful.com.

Get to Know Our Team – Gabe Abshire, Move Concierge Founder & CEO

Posted by & filed under Executive Insights.

Let’s dive into Gabe Abshire’s story and get to know the man behind Move Concierge.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by all the little details when moving? Gabe’s been there, and he’s made it his mission to take the stress out of your moving experience.

The Birth of Move Concierge

Picture this: You’re about to move, and your mind is racing with questions.

“Who’s got the best internet in my new neighborhood?”

“Which utility providers do I need to switch to?”

“I should look into home security, but which one?”

Sound familiar? These are the exact headaches Gabe set out to solve with an idea he had twenty years ago. He was knee-deep in the satellite TV installation business, constantly dealing with time-consuming hassles on both sides of what should be a simpler setup. Gabe’s entrepreneurial spirit kicked in. He saw an opportunity to help people with their pesky but all-important moving-related tasks, and a few years later in 2009, he founded a company to do just that.

The Secret Sauce: Customer Experience & Talent

Gabe’s vision for Move Concierge (formerly Utility Concierge) has always been about delivering mind-blowing experiences for everyone we work with — from clients to partners alike. The average American moves about 12 times in their life, and Gabe knew he could make those moves easier. By bringing together the right talent with a focus on customer experience, he set out to transform the industry landscape for movers as well as for the real estate professionals who support them. Move Concierge’s dedicated and talented team brings his vision to life each day to “Set up Your Home Services in a Snap”.  

Personal Side: A Man on the Move

Gabe isn’t one to sit still. Whether it’s traveling with his family or pushing his business to new heights, he’s always looking for the next adventure. It was actually a family trip to Italy last year that sparked a whole new vision for Move Concierge.

During that trip, Gabe read the book “10x is Easier Than 2x”, by strategic coach Dan Sullivan and organizational psychologist Dr. Benjamin Hardy. He was struck by their ideas about establishing “breakthrough goals” instead of incremental ones, and it elevated his perspective. Sometimes we all we feel threatened by challenges, limiting our sense of what’s possible. But when we can imagine our way beyond those limitations, we envision futures we might not have even considered before. This in turn allows us to strategize how to achieve them, and commit to big ideas that no longer seem so impossible. Gabe took the 10x mindset to heart and it unlocked his imagination yet again.

Returning from his trip, he realized he was ready for that next big leap. With only a fraction of moving households currently using their services, he saw potential for massive growth. Reimagining Move Concierge’s mission to help movers nationwide, Gabe sharpened his aim to define a new standard in the home service setup landscape. He started making bold moves for the business: a new name and rebrand to reflect the broader vision, an expanded leadership team, new priorities around lead diversification, and a vision to build advanced technology solutions and new product offerings.

The Personal Side

Gabe’s wife Veronica, kids Andrew and Renee, and their Boykin Spaniel, Bruno, are at the heart of everything he does.

When he’s not revolutionizing the moving industry, you might find him spending time with his family and seeking new adventures together. He also enjoys golfing, hunting and snow skiing.

What’s Next?

Gabe’s new strategy is on the move and ready to transform your moving experience with one simple, stress-free call.

So next time you’re facing a move, think of Gabe and the stellar team at Move Concierge. We’re here for more than just setting up your home services — we’re in the business of delivering transformative, mind-blowing experiences. And who couldn’t use more of that?

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