Respondents from 10 Major West Coast Cities Rank
San Diego as Top Market for Relocation Destination
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – August 5, 2015 – RETS Associates, a leading national real estate recruiting firm, announces the findings of its inaugural Western Cities Sentiment Survey that revealed the motivators that impact employees’ willingness to relocate to a new region. Survey results concluded that a clear majority of respondents (60 percent) considered relocating to a different city in the last two years.
When asked the primary reason for moving, respondents ranked the career path first, followed by the quality of life to be expected in that region and the accessibility to outdoor activities. The cost of living was ranked the fifth major consideration. Of the 10 major West Coast cities, San Diego ranked the top region that respondents would relocate to when presented the right opportunity. Denver ranked the second location choice, followed by a tie for third between San Francisco and Seattle.
“Employees are willing to move for the right opportunity. We have seen this market dynamic play out in job searches that require venturing out-of-market to find the top talent – there is an unprecedented number of job searches and a great shortage of people to fill those positions,” said Kent Elliott, principal of RETS Associates. “This is undoubtedly a candidate-deprived job market, given the ‘war for talent’ for top‑performers and the consequential impact it has had on the willingness for companies to search for talent outside of their immediate market.”
RETS surveyed the following markets to understand respondents’ drivers for relocation opportunities: Los Angeles; San Diego; Orange County; San Francisco; Silicon Valley/San Jose; Portland; Seattle; Las Vegas; Denver; and Phoenix. The vast majority of survey respondents were employed at public, private and institutional real estate firms and held positions in acquisitions, development, asset management, construction management, brokerage and more.
“The idea of relocation has become a common topic of conversation in hiring in commercial real estate,” said Kent Elliott, principal at RETS Associates. “There is a great shortage of talent in the industry which has caused many firms to offer relocation packages to the ideal candidate.”
According to Elliott, as the real estate industry continues to improve, employers continue to hire entry- to senior-level positions in acquisitions, development, construction and property management, and more. In the past year, RETS has seen an increase in the number of firms that are willing offer a relocation incentive to the right candidate. Recent relocation incentive offers have been for shorter distances such as Northern California and Southern California, or as far as from one coast to another.
About RETS Associates:
Founded in 2002, RETS Associates is the West Coast’s premier firm specializing in the recruitment and staffing and placement of interim, permanent and executive positions in the commercial real estate and financial services industries. RETS Associates’ clients include REITs, developers, investors, pension fund advisors, operating companies and real estate services firms doing business in property management, facilities management, corporate services, and brokerage sales and leasing. For more information on RETS Associates, please visit www.retsusa.com.
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