Everything is negotiable, including rates for corporate housing
Posted on 15. Dec, 2009 by Kat Schneider Fotheringham in Blog, Business Travel, Uncategorized, executive accommodations, international business travel
I wanted to stop and take a moment this busy holiday season to bring to our Members’ attention a very common occurrence that takes place when valuable prospects visit The Corporate Housing Network.
There are, of course, pluses and minuses to most corporate housing sales situations (i.e. you get the deal, but it wasn’t as profitable as you would have liked [however, in this economy, providers are just pleased to have gotten the deal, right?]; or, you get the deal, and you net tremendous profit… but the financial risk and/or vacancy exposure you have had to ensue makes you unable to sleep at night). On TCHNetwork.com, there are handfuls and handfuls of lucrative opportunities to safely anchor some solid deals — one, in particular, comes to mind.
Recently, The Corporate Housing Network received a “Request for Housing”. It was for a 10 to 12 month lease, in NYC. Now, I will admit, the budget wouldn’t make most of our clients drool. However, I need to stress the following: As you can imagine, individuals and companies will ALWAYS try to get the lowest rate possible — it is human nature. If someone posts a Request with a budget range of $3,000 – $3,500, they will do so even if they know a typical monthly rate for that market is well over that amount. Especially in the economic turmoil most individuals and corporations are still confronting, they fear that they will overprice themselves. They echo the following thought process: “What ‘if’ a Provider is willing to offer me a deal (perhaps, on a vacant unit they are trying to unload), but now I’ve just exposed myself, and confessed in black and white that I’m actually willing to pay $2,000 more per month?”. You see what I mean?
Often it becomes the Providers’ job to educate the prospect about typical rates for their market (don’t forget, most are relocating from an entirely different metro, with entirely different rates; they often have no idea what a typical monthly rate is in your market). So, if I were you, bid on any opportunity that comes your way, within your wherewithal. Please do NOT allow the budget ranges that prospects’ indicate make or break your financial success. Didn’t your Dad or Mom ever tell you that EVERYTHING is negotiable? Mine sure did. And, they were right (that’s a WHOLE ‘nother story/blog).
Kat Schneider Fotheringham & her Partners launched The Corporate Housing Network (www.TCHNetwork.com) in ‘06; since then, it has revolutionized the short-term, furnished housing industry. The site’s real time availability options solve short term, furnished housing needs all over the world.
One Response to “Everything is negotiable, including rates for corporate housing”
Leave a Reply
A real good way to start your investigation into whether you want to give your money to a company that provides this service is to call them. If they don’t answer the phone or if they don’t return your call shortly, keep looking. If nobody is there to take your questions there is a good chance nobody will be there if something is wrong or goes wrong in your rented furnished apartment.
Have you ever stayed in a place where something went wrong or messed up? You know, like the heat or air conditioning, or the plumbing, or the cable?