When actor Tommy Lee Jones needed to spend time in Chicago to film “U.S. Marshals” back in 1997, he didn’t want to stay at a hotel. He wanted something private, something that felt “Chicago.”
So he enlisted a Chicago real estate broker to locate such a place.
Susan Miner, owner of Premier Relocation Inc., found a River North penthouse loft whose owner was in London for a year. It was perfect for the actor, who needed a place to lay his head for just a short time.
“The only problem was that the bedroom had a water bed,” Miner recalls. As they signed paperwork, Jones assured Miner that the bed wasn’t a problem.
“But a week later, late on a Saturday night, I got a call from him. He said, `Susie, I can’t sleep on this another night. You’ve got to get rid of the water bed,'” Miner said. A couple of phone calls later and before Jones put on PJs for the next night, a firm mattress was in place.
It would be the beginning of a long relationship with movie and sports stars who turn to Premier Relocation for help in finding temporary and permanent homes in Chicago.
Nearly 10 years since it was founded, the boutique company now sees more than $1 million in revenue on about 100 clients a year.
“We could grow,” says Miner, “but I like to keep it small. It’s why we’re so successful.”
Premier Relocation’s focus on pampering clients is part of a trend among real estate companies nationwide to attract high-end clients and keep them coming back.
“It’s not new, but there’s a more concerted effort among brokers and agents to deliver those services to clientele,” says Harley Rouda Jr., CEO and managing partner for Columbus, Ohio-based Real Living Inc., one of the largest brokerage firms in the country.
“The focus is more on the affluent side, primarily so because the people that need the service most are relocating buyers and relocating buyers tend to be more affluent. If you’re moving across state or country, it becomes a major issue,” he says.
About 2,000 of some 100,000 brokerages nationwide are defined as “boutique,” or specialized brokerages, according to Rouda.
These concierge and turn-key services, which buy groceries and get utilities started up, among other things, are most likely to grow in major metropolitan marketplaces, he says, adding that they’re especially common in cities such as New York and Los Angeles.
“Those are cities with a lot of famous and rich people. But Chicago, even in the Midwest, is a big city and is perfect for such services. Coupled with national sports franchises, it provides a greater opportunity [for real estate companies] than many markets.”
Such top-of-the line treatment has a price.
Miner’s company charges up to $1,000 for her home set-up costs and that increases with each special request — and there are plenty.
Many companies also have found success in the relocation business, though they tend to contract out with other firms for high-end relocation services. Baird & Warner, for instance, offers a bit of pampering to the average buyer with its extensive list of home service providers. Clients can search for everything from air-conditioning installers to window washers, all recommended for their quality services.
What sets Premier Relocation apart is that it not only has such a list but it also sets up the appointment and makes sure the windows are cleaned before you move in.
“It’s all under one umbrella,” says Miner. “That’s what makes it special.”
Miner didn’t set out to cater to the whims of movie stars and ball players.
She received degrees in marketing, law and business administration from Ohio State University and took her first post-college job at General Mills in Chicago.
It was the process of being relocated to the Windy City that would change her career life.
“When I took the job, I thought I’d be in `west’ Chicago. But it turned out I’d have to live in St. Charles so I could get to work on time, and I didn’t want to do that,” she says.
The company wanted her to stay, so they put her up in the Drake Hotel until she could get into a Chicago apartment.
“The room was gorgeous. But from a practical standpoint, the company spent frivolously on relocation,” Miner says. “When I got to upper management, I realized that we were spending too much. So I started looking for real estate companies that did `real estate’ and `relocation.'”
Problem is, she couldn’t find a suitable one. So she started doing the work herself for General Mills’ new hires and by 1995 she was ready to start her own company.
Initially, Premier focused on corporate executives and then worked into the film industry by placing movie stars into temporary digs.
After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, movie production fell off in Chicago, so Miner turned to the sports world.
Her company now manages up to 20 properties at a time for wealthy buyers, many of whom play for the Cubs, White Sox, Bears and Bulls, and movie stars looking for a temporary housing while filming here. Along with long-term leases and home buying, Miner’s company handles such services as getting the cable turned on and selecting the furniture or curtains.
And because of the nature of her clients’ work, she often has to do it all — find the home and fill the fridge — within a day’s notice.
“We can find what they are looking for cost effectively and do it quickly so they can do their thing,” she says. “We’ve built up a network of individuals all over the city who key us into extraordinary properties before the average broker knows about them.”
But Miner doesn’t just find homes, she creates a lifestyle.
For the Bears’ Jerry Azumah, she lined up decorating work. For Jerry Stackhouse with the Detroit Pistons, she helped find a place to store his Rolls-Royce convertibles. And former Bears quarterback Kordell Stewart says Miner “went that extra mile” when she came up with the high-tech video equipment he wanted for his temporary training camp home.
“We listen and try to customize to their needs,” Miner says.
Miner and her team have been known to research school districts and find baby-sitters for clients. For another client, she investigated which school in the Chicago area had the best swim team. And for many home buyers, she gets the utilities turned on and the refrigerator filled before they move in.
“Premier really took care of me,” says former Chicago Cub Fred McGriff, who turned to Miner to find his townhouse in Streeterville and called from the ballpark right after the sale to ask that groceries be included.
After the game, he found his requested chocolate-chip cookies, peanut butter and jelly and favorite cereal on the counter.
