Schooley Mitchell, the largest independent cost-reduction consulting firm in the U.S. and Canada, offers a network of franchised consulting specialists who can provide expense-reduction services to any business. By Cindy Charette
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — With an unwavering commitment to innovation, Cruise Planners launched a new interactive product called “LivePlanner” during its annual Convention. This product allows Cruise Planners agents to showcase vacation options with imagery, videos, and more to help their clients plan the perfect vacation whether it’s a cruise, all-inclusive resort, and FIT Packaged trip. All of it is done live and in real-time, making this an innovative technology for the travel industry and is patent-pending.
Clients can use either a laptop or desktop device creating a live session experience between themselves and their travel advisor and plan a vacation in real-time. This revolutionary software will have the capability for clients and agents to be on video and screenshare, further contributing to the interactive experience. All of this without needing to install any special software.
“We have been diligently developing this tool by using focus groups made up of team members and experienced advisors to ensure it’s both easy to use and to fine-tune important details,” said Brian Shultz, Chief Information Officer. “Our advisors can now add this to their arsenal of proprietary tools to help them close more sales and showcase their expertise in travel.”
New clients can access this feature and request a consultation from the agent’s website while existing clients can schedule their own sessions via their myTrips account on the agent website. Once a client makes a request for a LivePlanner session, they’ll be able to:
During the session, clients may utilize the built in video feature if they wish to share their camera. They can also “favorite” or “unfavorite” items shared during the session by their agent, which helps the agent narrow down the search toward the perfect vacation. Any items that are favorited will be captured in their CP Maxx client profile and once the consultation has ended, clients will be sent to the “Session Summary” screen. There they can view any attachments sent by the agent during the consultation and share any and all trips with others via email.
“LivePlanner will change the game on the consultation aspect of working with clients to plan travel,” said Michelle Fee, CEO and founder of Cruise Planners. “We are excited to create a tool that will help advisors better understand what excites their clients about a vacation and helps clients understand more about the experiences and trip options, allowing agents to interactively consult with clients located anywhere in the world. Additionally, LivePlanner allows advisors to personalize a unique experience for their customers. We’re proud to offer this industry-first tool to our Cruise Planners advisors.”
About Cruise Planners
Cruise Planners was founded in 1994 and is the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network. As a leader in the travel franchise industry, Cruise Planners positions a nation-wide network of 2,500 franchise owners for success by providing innovative marketing programs, proprietary and cutting-edge booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and hands-on training with the industry’s top executives. The company continues to be an industry leader and was named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 18 consecutive years and awarded by Franchise Business Review as “Best-In-Category” for 2 years.
Franchise Business Review also ranked Cruise Planners #3 OVERALL on their list of Top 200 Franchises of 2022. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel.
Visit our website, www.cruiseplanners.com, for more information or to view the complete list of awards and honors. For those interested in becoming a franchise owner, please visit https://www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com/.
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Cruise Planners Chief Sales Officer, Theresa Scalzitti, celebrated the naming of Atlas Ocean Voyages’ World Traveller as its godmother in the fjords of Beagle Channel’s Glacier Alley in Chile this past weekend. The dual naming ceremony included the World Navigator, which has been in service since last year but was never formally named. Adventurer Karen Lundgren serves as the godmother of the World Navigator.
Scalzitti, Cruise Planners chief sales officer, has spent the majority of her nearly 30-year career in the cruise and travel industry, championing travel advisors.
“This was a surreal moment for me. To be asked to be the godmother of Atlas Ocean Voyages’ new ship World Traveller is a dream come true,” said Scalzitti. “Thank you Atlas for this once-in-a-lifetime honor.”
VIP guests at the dual naming ceremonies included travel advisors, shareholders, media and dignitaries from Argentina and Chile. World Traveller was named Nov. 19, followed by Zodiac sightseeing of Pia Glacier. In the evening the portraits of the godmothers were unveiled at a gala welcome reception prior to dinner. The naming festivities for World Navigator took place on Nov. 20, preceded by a celebratory luncheon on that vessel.
“Both yacht-style vessels specialize in expeditions to some of nature’s most spectacular destinations,” said James Rodriguez, Atlas’ president and CEO. “What a historic weekend for Atlas. It was inspiring to name these two spectacular ships surrounded by majestic glaciers.”
Both expedition ships are Polar Category C- and Ice Class 1B-certified and cater to global travelers with a passion for exploring both iconic and off-the-beaten-path destinations. The intimate vessels offer every five-star comfort, from an all-inclusive onboard experience and luxurious accommodations to in-depth excursions and customized private tours for a truly personalized voyage.
With only 100 suites, guests enjoy nearly a 1:1 guest-to-staff ratio and a special camaraderie and bond with their fellow explorers. This allows discerning travelers to immerse themselves in unique and awe-inspiring moments in remote and captivating destinations, from the Arctic to Antarctica, as well as discover destinations in Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Americas.
About Cruise Planners
Cruise Planners was founded in 1994 and is the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network. As a leader in the travel franchise industry, Cruise Planners positions a nation-wide network of 2,500 franchise owners for success by providing innovative marketing programs, proprietary and cutting-edge booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and hands-on training with the industry’s top executives. The company continues to be an industry leader and was named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 18 consecutive years and awarded by Franchise Business Review as “Best-In-Category” for 2 years.
Franchise Business Review also ranked Cruise Planners #3 OVERALL on their list of Top 200 Franchises of 2022. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel.
Visit our website, www.cruiseplanners.com, for more information or to view the complete list of awards and honors. For those interested in becoming a franchise owner, please visit https://www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com/.
Franchise Owners and Employees across the U.S. Participate in Giving Back to their Communities.
WACO, Texas — To celebrate National Sock Day, Dryer Vent Wizard®, a Neighborly® company, is collaborating with the Sock It To ‘Em Campaign during the month of November through National Sock Day (December 4, 2022), donating socks to homeless shelters across the U.S. to help raise awareness about how sock donations can provide warmth to those in need during the winter season. Socks are the least donated item to homeless shelters, but a much-needed clothing item by those experiencing homelessness and seeking warmth during colder weather.
“We know this time of year can be tough for some people and we’re excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with Sock It To Em Campaign to help provide socks to people in need,” said Jason Kapica, President of Dryer Vent Wizard, a Neighborly company. “Socks are the one article of clothing people may forget about when making a donation but providing a brand-new pair of socks through this initiative can make a real difference.”
Dryer Vent Wizard franchise locations and local communities across the nation are encouraged to take part in this campaign and donate socks through the Sock It To Em Campaign link found here, or at a local homeless shelter.
“We are thrilled that the small business owners at Dryer Vent Wizard and people within their communities are willing to donate new socks to cover the feet of those who need them,” said Susan Lee, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sock It To Em Campaign. “It’s a great way to get the whole community involved for a good cause that will bring joy and warmth to those in need, and what better time than the Holiday season.”
Sock It To Em Campaign is a nonprofit organization that aims to provide new socks to men, women and children experiencing homelessness and in need. In the past 10 years, Sock It To Em Campaign has given away almost 900,000 pairs of socks in 41 states. Dryer Vent Wizard hopes to work together with Sock It To Em Campaign to reach their 1 million-pair goal for sock donations.
About Dryer Vent Wizard®
Dryer Vent Wizard®, a Neighborly® company, provides professional dryer duct and vent cleaning, inspection, repair, and maintenance services. Dryer Vent Wizard® operates throughout both the United States and Canada with more than 130 independently owned and operated franchise locations. Established in 2011, Dryer Vent Wizard® is part of Neighborly®, the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing homes and businesses. Neighborly® brands are found at Neighborly.com and through the Neighborly App. For more information about Dryer Vent Wizard®, visit DryerVentWizard.com.
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — To infinity and beyond! Cruise Planners is excited to announce that they are working with Space Perspective to offer their clients a chance to break barriers and go beyond the final frontier: space. Cruise Planners has reserved two full capsules scheduled to fly in 2025 & 2027 respectively on Spaceship Neptune, developed to be the most accessible, most sustainable, and safest spacecraft on or above Planet Earth. The six-hour journey takes eight Explorers and a pilot to the edge of space in a luxurious pressurized capsule propelled by a SpaceBalloon™.
Spaceship Neptune will differ from other spacecraft by being attached and secured to the SpaceBalloon for the entirety of the flight, making it a safe and seamless journey for the traveler. Other vessels separate mid-flight and transfer to different flight systems. According to Space Perspective, Spaceship Neptune will be lifted to space by the SpaceBalloon, powered by renewable hydrogen with no rockets and no carbon footprint. Guests won’t have the jarring blastoff that is typical of space travel, but instead will ascend steadily at 12 mph, making the experience accessible for anyone who is able to fly with a commercial airline.
“Cruise Planners has always been a pioneer and at the forefront of innovation in the travel industry,” said Michelle Fee, CEO and founder of Cruise Planners. “We are excited for our advisors to be able to offer such a unique experience to their clients that pushes all boundaries of travel as we know it.”
The interior Space Lounge layout has been designed to maximize comfort and enhance the quintessential astronaut experience of seeing the beauty of Planet Earth from space. Explorers can take advantage of the telescope and interactive screens that share key information as the journey unfolds or celebrate with a champagne toast from the bar. Guests will be able to enjoy the view from the largest windows ever flown to space, giving Explorers 360-degree visibility. A high-speed Wi-Fi connection will be available, allowing guests to share the transformative experience with friends and family.
“Space Perspective is changing the face of space travel,” said Edyta Teper, Head of Global Sales-Trade Partnerships. “We are delighted that Cruise Planners is one of the early pioneers to present this exciting and life changing experience to their clients.”
Cruise Planners hosted the first of many seminars to train advisors on this unique experience so they can help answer any questions their clients may have. While this rare opportunity is not for the general consumer, Cruise Planners is thrilled to be able to provide rare and curated experiences for every type of traveler, with no boundaries and ready to conquer the next frontier.
Space Perspective is the world’s first luxury spaceflight experience company, led by industry luminaries Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum. Starting in late 2024, Space Perspective will take Explorers to space inside Spaceship Neptune’s pressurized capsule propelled by a high-performance SpaceBalloon™ without using rocket fuel or high G forces. Space Explorers see the world anew through its vast windows, 450 miles in any direction. The ultra-comfortable, accessible, and gentle six-hour journey redefines space travel.
About Cruise Planners
Cruise Planners was founded in 1994 and is the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network. As a leader in the travel franchise industry, Cruise Planners positions a nation-wide network of 2,500 franchise owners for success by providing innovative marketing programs, proprietary and cutting-edge booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and travel agent training with the industry’s top executives. The company continues to be an industry leader and was named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 18 consecutive years and awarded by Franchise Business Review as “Best-In-Category” for 2 years.
Franchise Business Review also ranked Cruise Planners #3 OVERALL on their list of Top 200 Franchises of 2022. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel.
Visit our website, www.cruiseplanners.com, for more information or to view the complete list of awards and honors. For those interested in becoming a franchise owner, please visit https://www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com/.
Latest acquisition adds a new service vertical and further solidifies the company’s intent to become the Hub for Home Services for consumers.
WACO, Texas — Neighborly®, the world’s largest home services company, announced today its acquisition of Junk King®, the nation’s top-rated junk removal and hauling company. Junk King has more than 150 locally owned franchises across 32 states and in Canada (as Junk Works®). This acquisition enters Neighborly into an entirely new service vertical and reinforces its position as the Hub for Home Services™.
“At Neighborly, we want to be the mainstream home services a homeowner typically needs on a reoccurring basis,” said Mike Bidwell, President and CEO of Neighborly. “We saw Junk King as another excellent opportunity to expand into a new service vertical with a brand that has a strong reoccurring business model and potential for growth. Junk King is one of a handful of scaled franchised companies operating in the $10 billion junk removal market today.”
Co-founder Michael Andreacchi started the company from his garage in San Carlos, California in 2005 and began franchising it in 2010. Today, the customer-centric brand prides itself on its unparalleled service and its goal to keep 60% of all materials it collects out of landfills by repurposing materials and recycling as much as it can. Junk King’s extra-large trucks — which are 20% bigger than its competitors’ — also work to decrease its carbon footprint while saving customers money at the same time.
“I never would have dreamed that we could grow Junk King into what it has become in the market today,” said Andreacchi. “This is due to the hard work and perseverance of our leadership team and employees, and further reinforced by our franchise owners, who believed in our vision and propelled the brand through their entrepreneurial drive. Now, with the opportunity for Junk King to join the largest home services company in the world, there’s no limit to how large this brand can become, and I’m certain this is the right step for the future.”
Lisa Merry, Chief Operating Officer for Junk King, has assumed a new role as Brand President. Merry has extensive experience in franchising with multiple prior leadership roles at Huntington Learning Centers, Coverall Health-Based Cleaning and School of Rock. Andreacchi will remain connected as an investor and Brand Ambassador for Junk King.
Neighborly recognizes that every associate plays a role in the overall value creation for the company. Junk King employees will be eligible to begin vesting into the Neighborly Associate Equity Program.
Boxwood Partners served as the exclusive sell-side advisor to Junk King for the transaction.
For more information about Neighborly’s service brands, visit www.neighborlybrands.com.
About Neighborly®
Neighborly is the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing homes and businesses. The company operates online platforms that connect consumers to service providers in their local communities that meet their rigorous standards as a franchisor across 18 service categories at Neighborly.com or through the Neighborly App. More information about Neighborly®, and its franchise concepts, is available at Neighborlybrands.com.
About Junk King®
Founded in 2005, Junk King was started by two friends in a two-car garage in San Carlos, California. In 2010, the company began franchising. Today, Junk King is the second largest junk removal company in North America with over 150 units and 70 franchisees. In the next five years, Junk King plans to add an additional 125 franchisees and 400 units in key markets throughout North America. Junk King saves consumers time and money by eliminating unwanted clutter quickly and efficiently. Junk King is best known for its professionalism, advanced technology programs and commitment to recycling, repurposing and reusing materials. The brand is currently the highest rated service business in North America with a net promoter score exceeding 90.
For more information about Junk King, please visit http://www.junk-king.com/. To inquire about franchise opportunities, visit http://www.junk-king.com/franchising/.
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Cruise Planners is excited to announce the selection of Chief Sales Officer Theresa Scalzitti as the distinguished godmother of Atlas Ocean Voyages’ newest yacht-style expedition ship, World Traveller. Atlas also announced adventurer Karen Ludgren, as the godmother of sister-ship World Navigator. Both Lundgren and Scalzitti will be present at the Dual Naming Ceremony and christening on November 20, 2022 at the massive Garibaldi Glacier, as part of an invitation-only preview cruise to Chilean Patagonia.
Scalzitti is the third executive at Cruise Planners to be named a godmother of a cruise ship. Cruise Planners CEO Michelle Fee christened the AmaSerena as godmother in 2015, and Vicky Garcia, the company’s late COO, was named the godmother of the Viking Magni in 2014.
“I couldn’t think of a more deserving and fitting godmother for the World Traveller than Theresa,” said Fee. “She leads by example and is a beloved member of the Cruise Planners family as well as a highly respected leader in the industry and I’d like to say, welcome to the club!”
Scalzitti, a nearly 30-year travel industry veteran, has led the sales, marketing and business development teams at Cruise Planners since 2016, and has been on both the supplier and agency side of the industry. Her work has been invaluable in ensuring profitability and growth, with a special focus on championing travel advisors and the important role they play.
“I am incredibly honored to represent Cruise Planners as the godmother of the World Traveller,” said Scalzitti. “Atlas Ocean Voyages draws in a community of explorers with authentic, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and it is an honor to be a part of a brand that puts exploration and breaking barriers at the forefront.”
Both the World Navigator and World Traveller are Polar Category C- and Ice Class 1B-certified and cater to curious, global adventurers and offer every five-star comfort, from an all-inclusive onboard experience and luxurious accommodations to in-depth excursions and customized private tours, for a truly personalized voyage. The ships offer a truly intimate experience, with 94 staterooms, offering a perfect balance that allows travelers an immersive experience in captivating destinations.
About Cruise Planners
Cruise Planners was founded in 1994 and is the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network. As a leader in the travel franchise industry, Cruise Planners positions a nation-wide network of 2,500 franchise owners for success by providing innovative marketing programs, proprietary and cutting-edge booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and hands-on training with the industry’s top executives. The company continues to be an industry leader and was named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 18 consecutive years and awarded by Franchise Business Review as “Best-In-Category” for 2 years.
Franchise Business Review also ranked Cruise Planners #3 OVERALL on their list of Top 200 Franchises of 2022. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel.
Visit our website, www.cruiseplanners.com, for more information or to view the complete list of awards and honors. For those interested in becoming a franchise owner, please visit https://www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com/.
World’s largest franchisor of home service brands appears on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list with a three-year growth rate of 93%.
WACO, Texas — Neighborly®, the world’s largest home services company, announced today its inclusion in the 2022 Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies, marking the fourth consecutive year that the company has been ranked on the list.
Neighborly has grown to more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchise units collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining, and enhancing homes. The Inc. 5000 ranking follows other major recognitions the brand has received this year, including 15 Neighborly brands ranked in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500® and Mike Bidwell, CEO of Neighborly, recognized as Central Plains Entrepreneur Of The Year® by Ernst & Young. Neighborly’s consistent inclusion in the Inc. 5000 list, in addition to receiving multiple other accolades, is a testament to its growth year-after-year, cementing its status as a leader in the home services industry.
“I’m honored that Neighborly has once again been recognized in the prestigious Inc. 5000 list alongside some of the fastest-growing and most innovative organizations in the country,” said Mike Bidwell, President and CEO of Neighborly. “As Neighborly continues to expand our offerings, our “Done Right Promise” ensures that homeowners will receive the quality of work they trust us to provide every time across every brand. We are honored to have been listed among the best and brightest for the past four years and strive to continue to grow and enrich our homeowners’ lives for years to come.”
The annual Inc. 5000 list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Recognizing the fastest-growing companies in the country, Neighborly ranks with well-known brands including Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many others with national exposure as honorees in the list.
“The accomplishment of building one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S., in light of recent economic roadblocks, cannot be overstated,” said Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. “Inc. is thrilled to honor the companies that have established themselves through innovation, hard work, and rising to the challenges of today.”
Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc.
More information about Neighborly and its franchise concepts is available at https://www.neighborlybrands.com/. To learn about franchising opportunities with Neighborly®, visit https://franchise.neighborly.com.
Companies on the 2022 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2018 to 2021. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2018. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2021. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2018 is $100,000; the minimum for 2021 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to four decimal places. The top 500 companies on the Inc. 5000 are featured in Inc. magazine’s September issue. The entire Inc. 5000 can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.
The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference & Gala is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.
For more information on the Inc. 5000 Conference & Gala, visit http://conference.inc.com/.
Neighborly® is the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining, and enhancing homes and businesses. The company operates online platforms that connect consumers to service providers in their local communities that meet their rigorous standards as a franchisor across 18 service categories at Neighborly.com or through the Neighborly App. More information about Neighborly®, and its franchise concepts, is available at Neighborlybrands.com.
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., Aug.2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Cruise Planners recently partnered with Travel Market Report to produce a free, in-depth eBook titled: “How to Choose Your Perfect Travel Niche To Increase Profits”.
The study takes a comprehensive look at the world of travel niches and how being a specialist can further your sales. The eBook features a trove of valuable suggestions and data along with anecdotal input from seasoned Cruise Planners franchise owners on how choosing a niche helped them succeed.
“From day one, we encourage our agents to pick a niche they’re passionate about to focus on, especially if they want to reach higher sales volumes,” said Michelle Fee, CEO and co-founder of Cruise Planners. “Our advisors who have followed that have found much success and, in this eBook, they generously share their insights on best practices that have worked for them.”
Highlights include:
Travel advisors who niche down, and who position themselves as experts in a certain type of travel tend to earn greater profitability, and experience better satisfaction.
“This eBook expands on our mission by exploring all the ways in which niching down is beneficial to travel advisors,” Anne Marie Moebes, Travel Market Report publisher, said. “We are grateful to Cruise Planners for opening its franchisees’ doors to us for a look at how positioning oneself as a niche expert pays off in so many ways.”
The eBook is available for free to download here.
About Cruise Planners
Company Background: Cruise Planners was founded in 1994 and is the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network. As a leader in the travel franchise industry, Cruise Planners positions a nation-wide network of 2,500 franchise owners for success by providing innovative marketing programs, proprietary and cutting-edge booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and hands-on training with the industry’s top executives. The company continues to be an industry leader and was named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 18 consecutive years and awarded by Franchise Business Review as “Best-In-Category” for 2 years.
Franchise Business Review also ranked Cruise Planners #3 OVERALL on their list of Top 200 Franchises of 2022. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel.
Visit our website, www.cruiseplanners.com, for more information or to view the complete list of awards and honors. For those interested in becoming a franchise owner, please visit https://www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com/.
Local Neighborly community of home service experts outlines top projects to help homeowners upgrade their spaces during the most popular season to sell.
RALEIGH-DURHAM, N.C. — An estimated 5.95 million existing homes will be sold in the U.S. in 2022, and Neighborly®, the world’s largest franchisor of home service brands, is calling the hot residential market in Raleigh-Durham one of the top regions for a strong return on the investment.
In conjunction with National Homeownership Month, the most popular time to put a home on the market, the home team for home services at Neighborly just released its guide for the top “Tips for Getting Your Home Market-Ready.”
The Neighborly checklist comes at a perfect time following a joint report from the Wall Street Journal and Realtor.com that ranks Raleigh as one of the top 20 emerging housing markets for investors and homeowners alike.
The checklist includes expert advice from Neighborly’s Raleigh-Durham network of trusted brands and outlines the top professional services that Raleigh-Durham homeowners should consider when preparing their home to sell this summer. These local owner-operators whose teams are vetted in a variety of specific services are also backed by Neighborly’s Done Right Promise™ to ensure the highest quality of work.
The checklist includes but is not limited to projects such as:
“If you look around your home and see scuffed walls, broken appliances or overgrown flower beds that need attention, these shortcomings can lead to lower offers from a homebuyer even in booming housing markets,” said David Burdine, a local Raleigh-Durham owner of Mosquito Joe of Western Wake County, a Neighborly company. “But not every project has a DIY solution. That’s why our local network of Neighborly home service experts is committed to assisting homeowners in the Triangle area in making the necessary home upgrades needed before their homes hit the market to ease the stress of the selling process, especially during the most popular season to sell.”
In addition to utilizing the checklist, new customers in the Raleigh-Durham area will receive $20 off their first service when scheduling an initial appointment with one of Neighborly’s 17 brands in the area. Terms and conditions apply. Connect with Neighborly by visiting neighborly.com/raleigh-durham or by calling (833) 733-1096.
“Selling a home should be an exciting time for homeowners,” said Mike Bidwell, President and CEO of Neighborly. “Our hope is that with our checklist, Raleigh-Durham residents will trust calling upon our Neighborly service professionals who are driven by our Done Right Promise™ to take care of their home improvement projects, making the experience of putting a home on the market positive and enjoyable.”
For more information about Neighborly’s service brands, visit www.neighborlybrands.com.
About Neighborly®
Neighborly® is the world’s largest home services franchisor of 29 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 10 million+ customers in nine countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing homes and businesses. The company operates online platforms that connect consumers to service providers in their local communities that meet their rigorous standards as a franchisor across 18 service categories at Neighborly.com or through the Neighborly App. More information about Neighborly®, and its franchise concepts, is available at Neighborlybrands.com.
