WIN OR LOSE, COACHES MOVE ON AND THIS PAIR HELPS THEM DO IT

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - In some communities, athletic coaches receive an incredible amount of praise from win-crazed fans. In others, they bear the public degradation that comes with a losing season or team. But either way, they move on eventually. And when they do, they're generally on their own.
     Which is where Burt and Maxine Golden, who specialize in the unique relocation needs of high school and college coaches, come in.
"Coaches aren't part of a large corporation, like a vice president or CEO", says Maxine (ABR, CRP, CRS), a Broker Associate with Altera. "When it comes to moving, they're just like everyone else. But on the other hand, they aren't like everyone else - they move every year or two and have almost no time to complete the process".
     The Goldens experienced this firsthand year ago when Burt coached basketball at Boise State University in Idaho while Maxine perfected her relocation skills as a Realtor.
     "Some coaches are so good that other schools want them. Some have a bad season and have to find work elsewhere", says Maxine, recalling the unpredictability of coaching life. "But they are always "new hires", and they and their families are constantly transferring".
Several years ago Maxine, amid her other sales, helped a few coaches move across the country. When Burt joined her in the real estate business as a Sales Associate in 1997, the couple agreed to specialize in helping coaches relocate. Their increasingly popular Coaches Relocation Service drew attention immediately.
     Two years ago, the National Association of Basketball Coaches asked the pair to help coordinate the moves of their members.
"The association called us and said, "We know you've helped several of our coaches, and we'd like to work something out so all of our members have access to you", Maxine says. "Word spread quickly, and we now have contracts with the NABC, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, with more in the works. These associations are doing something for the coaches that I don't think has ever been done before. We like to think we're pioneering a new niche".
What does a coach need when it comes to relocation? The first item on the list, Burt says, is privacy.
     "If I'm a coach, and I have to move for any reason, it sure doesn't help the negotiating process if everyone knows it", he says. "If everyone in town knows what's going on, chances are that I won't get the best price for my house, or a fair deal on the next one. The publicity can be a problem in other ways too".
     For example: A small-town college football coach wins for years before finally getting the opportunity to move to a better position. He lists the family home with a local agent and moves to a bigger town. Every local agent boycotts the coach for "abandoning the town", and refuses to show the house to buyers. The house doesn't sell.
     "That actually happened this year", Burt says. "The guy called us after his house had been on the market for nine months. We contacted a very good agent in a neighboring town who come in and negotiated with the local agents. It was extreme, but these are the kids of things that happen to coaches. Some agents lose sight that these are people, customers - not celebrities or marketing gimmicks. That's why our system works".
     While many agents educate clients, the Goldens provide coping skills and specific information for coaches and their families - a completely different animal.
     "Coaches are so busy coaching, they just can't know everything they're supposed to when they're moving", Maxine says. "They can't stop to give extra attention during a move, because chances are good that they're still recruiting at the time. In the sports world, nothing slows down for a move. So we try to give them and their families coping skills to get through it. Moves can be so hard, especially for "celebrity children".
     The Goldens' information about how families can cope with moving has set them apart. At the 2000 NCAA Final Four trade show, amid booths selling balls, shoes, training videos and lockers, the Goldens' relocation booth and seminar drew coaching families who were planning transfers as well as those who were years from a transfer.
"It doesn't matter when they're moving. Coaches move. That's just part of their lives. So having the knowledge in advance can really he helpful, and we encourage the families to come to our booth and ask questions", Maxine says. "They know they can call us confidentially at any time, not just when they're getting ready to move. And having someone like us around to coordinate all of the details takes a lot of the stress out of the move".
     With the addition of the National Soccer Association of America - which has participants around the world - the Goldens' business has gone international.
     "It opens an entirely different window", she says. "It's fun, but we do have to get used to working at odd times of the day because of the time differences".
     The benefit of organizing smooth relocations, Maxine says, is knowing the whole family will move together.
     "Before, we'd see the coach move to the new area and leave his wife or family behind to take care of the details - or vice-versa in the case of women coaches", Maxine says. "It really takes a toll on the family when they can't deal with tough issues as a team. If we can coordinate the whole deal quickly and efficiently, then everyone can be together. It's good for the whole family".