By Cheryl Farkas
Home to Home in Guilford was founded due to a personal experience Owner Jos Jansen had. Originally from the Netherlands, he always desired to live in the United States. and had been a citizen for many years. Raised in an entrepreneurial family and as difficult as it was, his parents paid for his college education in international business.
After obtaining an MBA (MIBS) from the University of South Carolina, his international career quickly took off. Starting in Greensboro, he proceeded to travel much of the world. He traveled often to the Netherlands to see his family, as his mother started showing signs of dementia. The traveling was not only physically draining but mentally difficult, not knowing if she would pass while he was away. Trying to work in the US and help his family care for his dying mother was becoming overwhelming.
It was Jos’ desire to provide care for his parents’ changing needs as they aged that led to the establishment of Home To Home.Jos’ father passed away peacefully and unexpectedly while Jos was visiting him in Holland in February of this year.
In October 2008, when his mother was in the final stages of Alzheimer’s, he remained in the Netherlands her last weeks until she passed away. Now the situation became even more difficult. His father had become unsteady on his feet, the steps to his bedroom harder to climb, and the family home was more than he could maintain. His father needed to move into a retirement community. As in most families, there was tension, a lot of opinions, and even disagreements among the siblings as the family belongings were divided and disposed of. The cost of house repairs and the price the house would sell for were all debated. Jos, being the first born in the family, had to make a lot of the decisions to make all of this happen.
Upon his return to the US, Jos realized he could not be the only one experiencing this upheaval, so he did some research. He discovered an organization, the National Association of Senior Move Managers. He took the required courses to become a certified Senior Move Manager. It was time for a new career.
His company, Home to Home, is now in its seventh year with employees in Greensboro, High Point, Pinehurst, Raleigh, and Winston-Salem. A full-service company, moving to and from surrounding states, Home to Home is fully licensed for interstate relocations. Offering assistance in downsizing, floor planning, packing, moving, unpacking, estate sales, and complete liquidations as a one-stop shop, its services are completely a la carte, depending on the wishes and needs of seniors and active adults.