Some employers will help their employees sell their homes if the employee is transferred to a different geographic location. With the assistance of a relocation company, employers tend to offer three levels of service: (1) marketing assistance, (2) buyer value option and (3) guaranteed offer. The goal is to keep the employee productive and to reduce taxes for both the employee and the company.

Marketing Assistance

With marketing assistance, the transferee is generally assigned a consultant from a relocation company who explains the relocation policies and benefits, helps to select a real estate agent and provides guidance in determining the asking price for the home. The relocation consultant acts as a liaison between the seller and the real estate agent.

Buyer Value Option

Guaranteed Offer

With a guaranteed offer program, the transferee is given 60 to 90 days to find a buyer. If this happens, the closing is handled the same way as a buyer value option with the relocation company acting as the middleman. Two appraisals are performed on the house (while it is on the market) then averaged to equal the guaranteed offer. If the transferee opts to take the guaranteed offer amount, the relocation company puts the house back on the market. If the house sells for more than the guaranteed offer amount, the extra money is paid to the employer. Or, the transferee can try to sell the house for a price that is higher than the guaranteed offer amount. Relocation companies are offered an incentive to sell the house (generally 2 percent of the sale price) within a specified timeframe.