Posts Categorized: Executive Insights

Move Concierge CEO Gabe Abshire shares how the company is evolving to meet the needs of today’s homeowners and real estate partners. Gabe highlights three big updates: a new direct-to-consumer platform that will give homeowners direct access to Move Concierge’s free service, a mobile app for real estate agents that delivers real-time transparency into client progress, and the launch of a Smart Security Concierge division focused on customized home security and automation.

Abshire emphasizes that these innovations all point back to Move Concierge’s mission: simplifying the moving process while creating mind-blowing experiences for both clients and partners.

Read the full article here: https://keycrew.co/journal/move-concierge-expands-platform-with-direct-consumer-launch-and-smart-security-division/

By Gabe Abshire, CEO of Move Concierge

In 2007 and 2008, the housing finance market seemed well on its way to grinding to a complete halt. During that time, the real estate advisor guru Bill Dallas repeated a line of encouragement on his self-help recordings: “The greatest opportunity in home finance history is just right on the other side of this crisis.”

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Today’s real estate market, as in Bill Dallas’s day, is facing the greatest opportunity. The volume of real estate transactions will only increase once interest rates and home values begin to decline slowly, perhaps as early as the end of this year. Move Concierge is already seeing an uptick in potential homebuyers searching for our services. As more people return to the office, they require relocation services. This trend is set to continue for the foreseeable future.

How can real estate agents position themselves to capitalize on that success? The best preparation is getting ahead of the opportunity. Who will be looking to move and what support  will they need?

Our database indicates that a popular home buying age is approximately 43 years old. That number is even among male and female buyers. A little above half are married, and most say they want to start a family. 

We’ve mined our data to gain a deeper understanding of who is moving, discovering that 91% of movers are homeowners, not renters, and most are relocating to single-family properties. 

Among recent movers, the average home value is about $358k, according to our data, with most moving to cities or high-growth suburban areas, and the average tenure is just 2.6 years. Interestingly, only 10% of movers have children at home, suggesting that younger couples, singles and empty nesters comprise a generous portion of the mover demographic.

Predictably, a large chunk of homebuyers are top-tier Internet users – 69%, according to our research. They are digital natives and very responsive to text messaging. Top-performing real estate agents understand the value of providing a smooth move, with plenty of options available for Internet service providers, home warranties, and smart home functionality. 

Analyzing market data and database insights like these reveals the key characteristics, preferences, and requirements of this demographic. This can allow agents to tailor their services to meet these specific needs of prospective clients, which will inevitably lead to greater success.

Adding Move Concierge services to an agent’s offerings can provide a more comprehensive service package that addresses the complexities of both buying and selling. By working with Move Concierge, real estate agents can help their clients with everything from home security systems to cable installation, utility set-up, home warranties and more. By extending these services, agents can enhance their value proposition and deepen their client relationships, demonstrating that they are willing to go the extra mile for clients to ensure a smooth transition to a new home.

Diplomacy plays a crucial role in navigating real estate transactions, particularly during periods of change. Agents must effectively mediate and communicate between all parties involved to ensure smooth transactions. Providing personalized, in-house services builds trust and ensures quality, and offering choices is key. Providing clients a range of options and solutions allows them to feel more in control and satisfied. The ability to choose services that best fit their needs will attract and retain clients, driving success in the real estate market.

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.

Tariffs could derail progress on inflation

At the beginning of April, financial journalists nationwide watched consumer price movements closely. Fox Business reporter Nora Colomer stated: Despite concerns about the effects of President Trump’s tariffs, the Fed continues to hold interest rates steady, and it’s not expected to make any significant changes soon, including a potential rate cut. While tariffs could lead to higher inflation and slower economic growth, the Fed is waiting for more clarity on the full impact of these policies before deciding on any course of action. Move Concierge CEO Gabe Abshire remarked, “Considering the housing sector has lower exposure to the current global trade environment, it would be helpful for the Fed to lower rates and boost the Spring and Summer home buying market.”

Read the full article on Fox Business.

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.

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.

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.

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?