Compass Network

National and International
Relocations & Referrals.

A relocation is not just a real estate transaction. It is a coordinated set of decisions about schools, jobs, taxes, timelines, and the logistics of moving a household across geography.

The agent on the other end of the move shapes the entire experience — and most referrals are pulled from a database, not built from a relationship. Ours are not. When we connect you with an agent in your destination market, you are being introduced to someone we know personally and trust completely.

“ Mission Before Commission. ”
Sophisticated global travel and relocation aesthetic
What We Do

The Right Agent in
Your Destination.

Through Compass — the largest residential brokerage in the United States — we have access to thousands of agents across the country. Now with Compass International Holdings, we have our expanded our reach to a referral network that extends internationally.

We stay involved throughout the process. The destination agent runs the search and the transaction in their market; we run the sale or purchase in New York; and we coordinate the timing, the strategy, and the financial picture across both.

When you have a question about something the destination agent told you, you can call us. When the timing of one transaction shifts, we work with the destination agent to adjust the other. The two halves of the move talk to each other through us.

Whether you are coming to New York from another city, moving on from New York to be closer to family or work, or coordinating a move across multiple cities, we offer the same level of care on both sides. We have helped clients land in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami, Aspen, the Hamptons, London, Paris, the Caribbean, and many other markets. The introductions we make are personal, vetted, and accountable — to us as much as to you.

How We Work

Our
Process.

Whether you are coming to New York or leaving it, our process is the same: build a clear plan, connect you with the right people, and stay involved through both closings.

Discovery conversation and consultation
Phase 01

The Discovery Conversation

We start by understanding the full picture — where you are going, why, on what timeline, and what the next chapter needs to do for your family. The more specific we can be in the introduction, the better the destination agent's work. A relocation referral is not a name and an email. It is context, expectations, priorities, and a personal handoff.

Identifying network connections and destination agents
Phase 02

Identifying the Right Destination Agent

We do not refer based on convenience or compensation. We refer based on the specifics of your situation — neighborhood expertise, property type, price point, family considerations, personality fit. Sometimes the right agent is someone Ruth has known for twenty years. Sometimes it is someone new to us whom we have specifically vetted for your situation. Either way, the referral is intentional.

Personal introduction and handoff
Phase 03

The Personal Introduction

The handoff is direct and personal. We introduce you to the destination agent ourselves — by phone, by email, or by video — and we share the context that lets them get up to speed quickly. The destination agent knows we are still involved, which raises the bar on their work. You know they have been chosen specifically for you, which raises your confidence in the relationship.

Coordinated strategy and timing
Phase 04

Coordinated Strategy and Timing

If you are selling in New York and buying in the destination market — or vice versa — the two transactions need to be coordinated. We work with the destination agent on timing, contingencies, and financing structure. We are involved in the strategic decisions on both sides, even though we are not running the transaction in the destination market.

Long-term relationship in a new home
Phase 05

A Long-Term Relationship

Relocations often lead to second relocations. The job changes, the family expands, the next chapter calls. We stay in touch and remain your point of trust for whatever comes next, wherever it takes you. Many of our clients now live in three cities across thirty years; we have been part of every move.

Why This Team

Why This Team for
Relocations and Referrals.

A referral is only as good as the agent on the other end. Most referrals are pulled from a list. Ours are made from relationships built over decades.

01

Personal Relationships, Not Database Matches

Beyond access to the Compass network, Ruth has built personal relationships with top agents nationally and internationally over decades in the business. When we refer you, we are connecting you with someone we know, whose work we trust, and who will treat you the way we would treat you ourselves. The destination agent knows we are watching, which raises their bar — and your experience with them.

02

True Coordination, Not a Handoff

Most agents make a referral and disappear. We do not. We stay involved through both transactions, coordinate timing and strategy with the destination agent, and remain your point of contact for the parts of the move only we can see clearly. The two halves of the move talk to each other through us.

03

Both Directions, Both Markets

Whether you are coming to New York or leaving it, we offer the same level of involvement. We have placed clients into the most desirable markets in the United States and Europe, and we have welcomed clients to New York from the same range of origins. The work runs in both directions, and so does our network.

The Inquiries

Frequently Asked Questions

Ask a Private Question

Standard real estate referral arrangements between brokerages typically include a referral fee paid by the destination broker — not by you. This does not affect what you pay or the service you receive. It also does not influence whom we refer you to. Our incentive structure is long-term: the relationship and the referrals you eventually make to your network matter to us far more than the fee on a single transaction. We refer to the right agent for your situation, period.

We start with the specifics of your situation — neighborhood, property type, price point, family needs, what kind of personality you will work well with. From there, we either go directly to an agent we know personally in that market, or we work through the Compass network and our broader relationships to identify and vet the right person. We do not refer to anyone we would not refer our own family to.

Yes. Through Compass International Holdings and through Ruth's personal network developed over decades, we have helped clients land in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami, Aspen, the Hamptons, London, Paris, Portugal the Caribbean, and many other markets.International relocations require additional coordination — currency, tax structures, residency considerations, foreign legal frameworks — and we are experienced in working alongside the international specialists who handle those pieces.

If we do not have a direct relationship in your destination, we work through the Compass network or trusted industry channels to identify and vet the right agent before making any introduction. We do not refer blindly — and if a market is somewhere we cannot personally vouch for the introduction, we tell you so.

Yes — and this is where our model offers the most value. The two transactions need to be sequenced and coordinated together: when to list, when to make an offer, how to structure contingencies, how to time the closings, how to bridge financing if necessary. We run the New York side ourselves and stay deeply involved on the destination side through coordination with the agent we have referred. Most clients tell us this is the part they value most.

New York City skyline
Start The Conversation

Let’s Talk About
Your Family’s Next Move.

Whether you are starting to think about a senior transition or already navigating one, we welcome a confidential conversation. There is no obligation. The first conversation often clarifies the path forward — even when the move itself is months or years away.

Click to Schedule Consultation
Phone 516-903-9097
Email ruth.reffkin@compass.com
susan.hirschorn@compass.com
Office 110 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
Hours 8am to 9pm, seven days a week
Compass Real Estate · New York City