What Caring Transitions does

Caring Transitions, operated by C.T. Franchising Systems, Inc. and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, is a privately held franchise organization founded in 2006–2007 that delivers senior relocation, downsizing, and estate liquidation services through more than 450 independently owned and operated offices serving over 500 U.S. markets. Its core services include senior relocation, packing and unpacking, downsizing and decluttering, estate clean-outs, space planning (including 3D visualization and a "Mirror Placement" methodology for clients with cognitive disorders), and estate sales — delivered directly to consumers in their homes by CRTS-certified (Certified Relocation Transition Specialist) staff. The company has reportedly served more than 100,000 seniors.

The company's primary technology asset is CTBids (ctbids.com), a proprietary in-house online auction platform used by franchisees to liquidate estate contents. The platform has accumulated approximately 700,000–850,000 registered bidders, processes more than 10 million monthly page views, and reportedly achieves a 95% sell-through rate on listed items. Supporting technology includes the Project Accelerator electronic estimation system that generates free in-home quotes based on home size and scope. A sub-brand, "Caring for a Cause," extends the platform with charitable donation of unsold items or sale proceeds.

Caring Transitions generates revenue through franchise fees and ongoing royalties from independently owned offices (the dominant model), commissions on estate sale transactions (industry range 30–60%), platform-related transaction economics from CTBids, and per-project professional service fees for relocation and downsizing work. Demand generation operates through a combination of digital marketing, content and blog publishing, the CTBids storefront, free in-home consultations, and a formalized professional referral network — the "Caring Network" — that includes approximately 15,000 SRES-certified realtors, senior living communities, hospice and funeral providers, attorneys, and guardians. Pricing is quote-based and project-scoped; the company has not publicly disclosed consolidated revenue or franchise unit economics.

Name

Caring Transitions

Legal name

C.T. Franchising Systems, Inc.

Website

https://caringtransitions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Caring Transitions is a Cincinnati-based franchise organization operating 450+ U.S. locations that deliver senior relocation, downsizing, decluttering, and estate liquidation services to aging adults, their families, and estate executors, supported by its proprietary CTBids online auction platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Transition & Estate Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

akta.pro primary industry

Senior Move Management (HSAFAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing & Placement Coordination (Assisted Living, Memory Care, SNF) (HSABAIAL), Senior & Assisted-Living Local Moving (HSAKAAAD), Care Coordination, Referral Management & Transitions-of-Care Pathways (HLACAGAL)

Keywords

• Senior relocation services
• Estate sale management
• Online estate auctions
• Downsizing services
• Senior transition franchise

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Franchise Fees and Royalties: Caring Transitions operates as a franchise model. The company generates revenue through initial franchise fees and ongoing royalties from independently owned franchise offices. The organization was founded in 2007 and has grown to nearly 200 independently owned offices serving over 500 U.S. markets.
2. Estate Sale Commissions: Franchisees charge commissions for managing estate sales, typically structured as a percentage of total sales plus administrative fees. Commission structures in the industry range from 30% to 60% depending on services provided and estimated value. Services included in commissions encompass categorization, staging, pricing, research, advertising, setup, display materials, labor, permits, security, signage, and final reconciliation.
3. Online Auction Platform (CTBids): The proprietary CTBids platform enables franchisees to conduct online estate auctions. Franchisees receive a portion of liquidation sales proceeds while the platform handles the auction infrastructure, bidder registration, and payment processing.
4. Professional Services: Comprehensive relocation and transition services including packing, unpacking, decluttering, downsizing, space planning, home clean-outs, and senior resettling. Services are priced per project based on home size, volume, and scope.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Caring Transitions is a franchise-based company that provides senior relocation, downsizing, decluttering, estate cleanout, estate sale, and online auction services through a national network of 450+ independently owned and operated franchise offices. Franchisees deliver in-home transition services to seniors and their families while leveraging the proprietary CTBids online auction platform to liquidate household contents. The model combines field-based service delivery with an in-house digital marketplace for estate liquidation.

Product overview

Caring Transitions is a franchise-based senior transition services company offering a comprehensive suite of relocation, downsizing, and estate liquidation services. The core offering centers on senior relocation, packing/unpacking, decluttering, downsizing, estate cleanouts, space planning, and estate sales. The company's proprietary technology platform CTBids powers online estate auctions, enabling digital bidding on household contents with 95% of listed items reportedly selling. Services are delivered through independently-owned franchise locations nationwide (450+ locations), with each office staffed by Certified Relocation Transition Specialists (CRTS). The company also offers a Caring for a Cause charity program for donating estate items or sale proceeds to charitable causes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CTBids: Proprietary online estate sale auction platform operated by Caring Transitions franchisees. The platform has accumulated nearly 700,000 registered users and over 10 million monthly views.
• Caring for a Cause

Products and services

• Senior Relocation Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of listed items sell through the CTBids platform
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Partnership with approximately 15,000 SRES-certified realtors trained by the National Association of Realtors to serve senior clients. Caring Transitions works as a preferred referral partner, providing transition services for clients referred by SRES realtors. The partnership helps realtors offer comprehensive support to aging clients beyond traditional real estate services.
• The Caring Network (Professional Partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal network of professional partners including realtors, caregivers, attorneys, funeral directors, hospice partners, guardians, and housing administrators. These professionals refer clients and work as integrated 'Transition Team' members providing coordinated care experiences for clients. Caring Transitions provides partners with competitive edge through its concierge program and includes them in national and local marketing initiatives.
• AMSA ProMover ProgramminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership with American Moving and Storage Association's ProMover certification program. Caring Transitions refers clients to ProMover-certified moving companies and recommends clients use verified, licensed, and insured movers to avoid scams from 'rogue operators.'
• Senior Living CommunitiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnerships with senior living communities, assisted living facilities, and retirement housing administrators. Caring Transitions is included in concierge programs as a preferred provider for residents needing downsizing and relocation services. Communities refer incoming residents and their families to Caring Transitions for transition support.
• Hospice and Funeral Service ProvidersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRelationships with hospice organizations and funeral directors who refer families needing estate liquidation and clean-out services after a death. These partnerships position Caring Transitions as a trusted resource during difficult times.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Smooth Transitions: Smooth Transitions is a senior move management company that helps older adults downsize, relocate, and manage estate transitions. It directly competes with Caring Transitions on the same service offering, target customer (seniors and families), and project-based pricing model.
• RightSize Solutions: RightSize Solutions is a senior move management and decluttering company serving older adults and their families. It overlaps Caring Transitions in core services (relocation planning, downsizing, and estate support) and the same 65+ customer segment.
• Gentle Transitions: Gentle Transitions provides senior relocation, downsizing, and estate liquidation services to older adults and their families. It is directly comparable to Caring Transitions in scope of services, customer profile, and emphasis on compassionate, full-service transitions.

Broad incumbents

• Two Men and a Truck: Two Men and a Truck is a large national moving franchise that handles local and long-distance residential moves, including senior moves. It is a broader incumbent that competes with Caring Transitions on the physical relocation component but lacks the dedicated downsizing, estate sale, and CTBids auction capabilities.
• 1-800-GOT-JUNK?: 1-800-GOT-JUNK? is a national junk removal franchise that handles estate cleanouts, hoarding jobs, and household liquidations. It overlaps with Caring Transitions' clean-out and haul-away services and competes for similar end customers, but does not provide relocation management or estate sales.
• College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving: College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving is a national franchise combining junk removal with local moving services. It competes with Caring Transitions on moving and clean-out work, particularly for seniors and estate clients, but does not specialize in senior transition management or online auctions.
• Senior Helpers: Senior Helpers is a national franchise providing in-home personal care, companionship, and chronic disease support for seniors. It targets the same 65+ demographic and often serves as a referral partner to Caring Transitions, but its core offering (caregiving) is adjacent rather than overlapping.
• Right at Home: Right at Home is a national senior home care franchise offering personal care, companionship, and skilled nursing support. It serves the same senior demographic and frequently coexists with Caring Transitions in the senior services ecosystem, though its focus is ongoing care rather than transitions.

Others

• EstateSales.net: EstateSales.net is the largest online directory and platform for finding estate sales and auctions across the U.S. It is an ecosystem participant and indirect competitor to CTBids, since both connect estate sale shoppers to listings, but it does not perform the actual sale management that Caring Transitions franchisees deliver.
• eBay: eBay operates the largest generalist online marketplace, including a meaningful secondary market for collectibles, antiques, and household goods often found in estate sales. It is an adjacent, enabling marketplace rather than a direct competitor, but it sets the baseline for online liquidation channels that CTBids must outperform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=wdvsofc0kKY
• Facebookfacebook.com/caringtransitions
• Xx.com/caringtranscorp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caring-transitions

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Caring Transitions