{"id":22559,"date":"2025-12-11T08:24:18","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T07:24:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.roomsketcher.com\/?post_type=news&p=22559"},"modified":"2026-02-03T15:00:02","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T14:00:02","slug":"roomsketcher-study-finds-rising-service-costs-are-top-challenge-for-move-management-sector","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.roomsketcher.com\/news\/roomsketcher-study-finds-rising-service-costs-are-top-challenge-for-move-management-sector\/","title":{"rendered":"RoomSketcher Study Finds Rising Service Costs Are Top Challenge for Move Management Sector"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new RoomSketcher study of US specialty and senior move managers (SMMs) highlights rising service costs as the most significant challenge facing the profession.<\/p>\n\n

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\n\t\t\t\tBy<\/span>\n\t\t\t\tSean Montebello<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished December 11, 2025<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tUpdated February 03, 2026<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n
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RoomSketcher's findings are based on survey responses collected ahead of the National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers (NASMM) annual conference in Austin, Texas in October 2025, along with qualitative interviews with active professionals in the sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rising Service Costs Lead 2025 Industry Challenges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to RoomSketcher's study, rising service costs were ranked as most challenging by 34% of respondents. Time or scheduling pressures ranked second, selected by 23% of respondents, followed by client emotional management at 14%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Space limitations in clients\u2019 new homes accounted for 9 percent, with a miscellaneous set of other challenges making up the remaining responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A Female-Majority, Highly Experienced Workforce<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The study shows that the sector is a female-majority profession, with women making up 93% of our respondents. This aligns with comparable client-facing professions such as social work, real estate, and interior design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experience levels were also notably high. Half of all respondents reported working in the sector for more than eight years, and nearly a quarter exceeded fifteen years in the profession. The findings suggest a mature, specialized field with deep practical expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Managing Emotions And The 'Command Center'<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Interviews conducted by RoomSketcher with SMM professionals highlighted the emotional intensity that often accompanies home transitions, particularly for older adults downsizing from long-term residences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professionals described creating spaces in the new home referred to as a \u2018<\/em>command center.\u2019 These spaces recreate small, familiar areas that anchor clients emotionally and functionally to their previous homes during transition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although informal and referred to by several different names, the \u2018command center\u2019 concept was mentioned independently by most interviewees, suggesting an emerging best practice across the sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Downsizing Often Halves Bedroom Count<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Based on survey data, RoomSketcher was also able to build a picture of how clients are relocating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SMMs reported that clients most commonly move from large four-plus-bedroom homes, noted in 80 percent of responses, while 14 percent reported moves from mid-sized (2\u20133 bedroom) homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moves typically result in significantly smaller living spaces. Respondents indicated that two-bedroom homes were the most common destination for their clients (70 percent), followed by one-bedroom homes (24 percent).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Independent Living Preferred Over Assisted Settings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our survey\u2019s respondents also showed that a majority of clients seeking SMM services are moving into homes where they will live independently. Independent living moves accounted for 75% of responses, while assisted living moves made up 20%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further Observations: Digital Tools and Planning Techniques<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to major trends, the study captured several secondary insights into how move managers approach their work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n