AIRINC (Associates for International Research, Inc.)

During my Abidjan survey this past February, I found Ivorians to be friendly, often greeting me with “Bonjour Monsieur!” Shopping malls are expanding as new brands arrive in the Ivory Coast market, and good security provides safe areas for expatriate shopping.

I relocated to San Francisco in 2013. As someone who lives here and works in the cost-of-living industry, I can confirm that SF is one of the most costly places in the world. But, I'm also here to tell you that living here is worth the cost. The Bay Area is a truly wonderful place to live. But organizations often have a hard time relocating talent here due to the cost. But even when we do convince people to move, relocations often fail because organizations don't help relocating employees understand the nuances of the Bay Area and find the right housing fit for them.

During my Switzerland survey, I found that many people choose to live in Zug for its lower cost of living and lower tax costs compared to neighboring cities Lucerne and Zurich. Zug is just about thirty minutes by train, which makes it a practical choice.

What is the best solution for your company: full-service relocation, lump sum amount, or a hybrid approach? It’s a hotly debated topic within corporate relocation programs and is discussed at almost every industry event. Companies must weigh their budget against the level of support they are willing to provide transferees. There’s no easy answer, no one-size-fits-all.

My first domestic relocation happened on Valentine’s Day 2010, a few months after my college graduation. At the time, I was living at home with my parents in Central Mass when I accepted a job offer in Minneapolis. Although I did not know anything about the Midwest, I was beyond excited for my first real (i.e. salaried) job and the adventure that awaited living in a new state.

While no one can predict when the COVID-19 outbreak will be contained, the pandemic has firmly stalled and reversed rising property trends across Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore. AIRINC spoke to industry experts across Asia’s most dynamic business hubs to understand the unique characteristics of each market and what changes and opportunities lie ahead.

Worldwide ERC has consistently cited high cost-of-living as one of the main reasons why employees are reluctant to relocate. This issue can have real consequences on your company’s ability to recruit and retain talent in a highly competitive labor market. You may be addressing cost differences in your global assignments, but what about in your domestic relocation program?

The Stockholm housing rental market has been mostly stable over the last several months, despite a steady increase in demand. Rental units are challenging to find in this near-zero vacancy market and houses are especially limited. For new assignees, there has been an increase in demand for employer-backed leases and this trend is expected to grow.

My expectations for my November visit to Luxembourg did not include traffic jams, road closures, scaffolding, bulldozers, excavators, jackhammers, or circumnavigating around open-pit construction sites, but that’s exactly what I found.

AIRINC is featured in the February edition of Mobility, a magazine that "examines the key issues affecting the global mobility workforce." This article appears on page 10, the "Tips and Trends" section, and is entitled Housing Markets on the Rise—and Not.