Onsite Insight Podcast by RV Housing Group

Transforming Housing with RVs: The RV Housing Group Story with Brad Iturriaga

• RV Housing Group

Share episode

Families often face daunting challenges during times of disaster, and the right temporary housing solutions can make all the difference. This episode explores the mission of RV Housing Group, the processes involved in providing housing solutions, and the critical need for empathy and excellent service in this industry. 

• Journey of RV Housing Group's founding 
• Importance of empathy in client interactions 
• Overview of the housing provision process 
• The value of communication during transitions 
• Dispelling myths about RV living 
• Ensuring suitability of RVs for families in crisis 

If today's episode gave you new ideas or insights, we'd love to hear from you. You can connect with us online at RVTempHousing.com or reach out to us directly on LinkedIn. If you found this valuable, don't forget to subscribe and share this episode with someone who needs it.

Speaker 1:

When disaster strikes, families need more than just a place to stay. They need stability, comfort and a solution that works for them. Welcome to Onsite Insight, the podcast that gives insurance reps and housing agencies the tools, strategies and insights they need to make temporary housing simple, effective and stress-free. I'm your host, drew Powell, and each week you'll hear from Braddy Turriaga, ceo and founder of RV Housing Group, how we can streamline housing placements, serve families better and take the headache out of temporary housing, because when people need help, the right solutions make all the difference. Let's get started, brad. What's up man? Hey, drew, how you doing? Buddy? How's the Tampa area this week?

Speaker 2:

It's vibing, like usual.

Speaker 1:

Bro, at the time of this recording. I don't want to start this on a somber note, but we got to go there, Bucks.

Speaker 2:

Man.

Speaker 1:

I was at that game.

Speaker 2:

I was at that game and it was so deflating that Monday, this past Monday, it was difficult man.

Speaker 1:

They had a chance.

Speaker 2:

It was a rough day.

Speaker 1:

Oh my gosh, they had a chance. I felt bad for Baker dude. He had a rough day.

Speaker 2:

Oh my gosh, they had a chance and I felt bad for Baker dude. He had a great season. Yeah, he did have a great season. Man, he did have a great season. I mean it's yeah, we just didn't play. We didn't play as well as I thought we would have. You know, I thought the defense wasn't terrible, but the offense just wasn't sinking that night man.

Speaker 1:

so dude, I'm picturing so people, people that don't know you, you're very, you're very enthusiastic bucks fan when you're at the game or at a bar. Dude, I was picturing you, I was thinking about you, I was watching the game, I knew you were there and I was just. I was just imagining the things that you were saying and yelling.

Speaker 2:

You've got a voice that carries yeah, I hear you, I hear you. Um, you know, I had, uh, I had a few things to say, but you know, in my older, in my older age, man, I'm, I'm, uh, you know, I'm, I'm just not, uh, I don't get quite as crazy. You know, it was funny, there was a guy sitting behind me that that finally told me he's like hey, buddy, I need you to stop standing up.

Speaker 1:

Oh no.

Speaker 2:

And and I was like sir, with all due respect I paid so much money for these seats. There is no way that you're going to get me to stay seated in a playoff game, so I would love for you to just join me that's a very diplomatic way of doing it. I love that yeah, yeah and funny enough, he started standing up. After that, never had a problem with me.

Speaker 1:

My comeback to you would have been yeah, you paid money for the seats and you're not even using them.

Speaker 2:

Sit down, yeah it's fair, I guess, but yeah, yeah, yeah well, dude, uh, thanks for jumping on.

Speaker 1:

We're going to have these conversations from time to time. Today, I want to just give peel back a little bit the behind the scenes of what we do at RV Housing Group. You know we've got tons of great partners, great clients, a lot of insurance housing agents, a lot of reps that we're working with that trust us to deliver for them, housing agency, a lot of reps that we're working with that trust us to deliver for them, and so you've built really an incredible business here where we get to help people in times of need and some of their lowest moments. We're talking to these people and at the same time, we're able to partner with other insurance agencies and reps, and so I thought we'd just spend a few minutes today just hearing a little bit of the story and then maybe a little bit of the process too. So if a rep or an insurance agency is watching, listening to this, they're able to just see a little bit about how we work and how we do things and really your heart for the culture that you've built at RV Housing Group.

Speaker 1:

I won't speak for you and I'll shut up here in a minute and let you speak, but you've built a great culture even within the company. Um, about caring for people, doing things efficiently, doing things well and especially customer and client service is a big part. We'll probably do a whole episode on that at some point, cause it's a big part of who you are. But uh, run us back to the beginning. Man, talk about how did you start RV housing group? What was the your why behind it?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so you, what was your why behind it? Yeah, so we were in the RV. I've been in the RV business for about 15 years now and at the time I was running a successful short-term vacation rental RV company, and this was back prior to 2017. Well then, 2017 happens and Hurricane Michaelael uh, it's panama city area and I did a lot of business up in that area.

Speaker 2:

But you know more, with the vacation rentals, there was just such a uh, such a need there and and doing all that business and traveling there multiple times just really opened my eyes to the need for long-term housing. Right, you know, I just I've always been a networker, I'm asking questions, I'm always trying to learn, I get up there and come to find out. It seems to be really a niche to potentially just do long-term insurance housing, sell the company and, uh, go that route full force. And that's how, that's how rv housing group came about. You know, it just kind of took my knowledge that it had an experience in the industry, um, and match that with the need. You know that I, that I, I saw and and uh. So here we are, you know, almost five years later, and things are going really well, man, but uh, but yeah, that's kind of the how it got off the ground it's been fun for me to watch too.

Speaker 1:

Uh, most people probably wouldn't know this that you and I were roommates back in college, so we've been going back, dude, that's been. That's been almost a quarter of a century ago. It's been almost 25 years ago. I don't know if you feel that old or not, but dude, that was a full head of hair ago, for sure.

Speaker 2:

Do you remember, dude, how long it used to take me to do my hair?

Speaker 1:

oh my gosh, that's how that's why you built a great company because you don't have to take time doing your hair anymore. You're actually focused on business. But what?

Speaker 1:

I was gonna say is dude, it's fun to watch you over the last few years. It's been really fun to watch you grow this thing and you've always been very entrepreneurial. We you know, we, we, the how we became friends with through music. So you've always been very entrepreneurial. We you know, we, we how we became friends with your music. So creativity has always been a big part of our lives and storytelling, and we'll probably get into some of that fun stuff in here.

Speaker 1:

We've got some fun, crazy ideas of how we'll incorporate music into some of this stuff, but but it's been awesome, man, to see you use your creativity in the business space as an entrepreneur and grow this business into a really successful thing. That's helping a lot of people and so it's been fun to cheer you on. Most people that are going to be watching or listening to this are going to know for the most part, what it is that you do because they're in the insurance space. But for those that may not unpack a little bit about just the mission and the kind of the services of RV Housing Group.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I mean. So we exist to bring on-site temporary housing to. You know people across the country, people that are displaced from their home due to fires, floods, really any type of natural disasters, and you know as well we do a lot of corporate like like long term corporate rentals, whether it's you know, oil riggers that are that are in need, mining companies, you know things like that, where they kind of need a base camp. So it's kind of any and all of that. But I would say probably the most part, you know the most of our business is really in the insurance space and that's kind of where we've geared our efforts, I would say, and really tapping in and understanding how we can be a great partner to our clients. So what we do is we provide on-site housing. So we'll bring an RV in for the family to live in, set it up on their property, handle it while it's there, make sure that we manage any issues that come up while they're in it and then, when they're done, that's pretty much it.

Speaker 1:

We pick it up and it kind of remove the headache from the insurance partners that we have and really help a seamless, you know, from the process to move in all the way to when they move out. All those things. We have systems and processes for all those things. But with that said, what would you say is some of the differentiators and how you've grown this company to being the leader in this space nationwide? What are some of the things that have set you apart?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I think, you know, I think hiring the right people is a big differentiator, right, I mean, you hire people, but if you hire the right people, that's a bigger deal, right? So I think, certainly, that we want to get people that are empathetic and that really have a heart to help people, because, man, if you don't, people are going to pick up on that, right, they're going to know you're talking to people every day. You know our team is talking to people every day that are, um, that are sad and emotional and and distraught, and you know, and so you can't really try to put yourself in their shoes. I think that's a fail and I think they'll sense that and uh, so that's that's certainly one thing is just having the right people on the bus. The other thing is just service man. It comes from the top with me, but all of my team feels the same way. They really want to take good care of people. It's important to me that we're not another stumbling block for them in their situation that they're dealing with, right, that we can stand out as a, you know, kind of a light in the midst of their darkness.

Speaker 2:

And you know, I think that what we hear from both our clients and our tenants is just that. You know that. You know you guys really really did a good job taking care of us and you know we kind of felt like maybe we were just another number to the insurance company which you know I I understand they're dealing with people all the time, but but with RV housing group, you know we really felt like you guys heard us and saw us and and really wanted to make sure you took care of us. And so you know those it's, it's that really that drives us man, is that? That's what drives me and motivates me as a leader is to is to hear the you know, get that feedback where the efforts you know and energy that you're putting into it is is really being felt and understood. So, yeah, I think those you know kind of stand out for me.

Speaker 1:

Well, and I've I mean to your point. There's sometimes we get on a phone call and there's quite a bit of time you have to spend as almost like an amateur therapist, just listening. I mean some of these people are in just the worst moments. They've just had a fire or flood or something and they're in a tough spot and it's kind of one of the rewarding parts of this job is getting to show up for those people in those really tough spots and not just jump right into business. Sometimes you got to spend 30 minutes to an hour on the phone just listening.

Speaker 1:

You know they just need someone to hear them out, and event and and you've trained the team that way, and that's who I mean. I've known you to jump on planes and go to places to make sure a unit was working correctly or what the customer needed, or whatever. I mean that's how much you care about it. You'll go to great lengths for that and that's you know. Like in leadership, that's a trickle down right. I mean it trickles down throughout the whole company.

Speaker 2:

For sure, yeah, for sure, man. And when that stuff doesn't happen, when we, you know, make a mistake or miss the mark or whatever obviously never on purpose, but you know that sits with me, man. I lose sleep sometimes over that. I wish you know. It's like a blessing and a curse, I guess. But yeah, it matters. It matters how you take care of people. I think people, the more you do that, the better your business is and the more you grow. And I think that, even though that seems to be a lost art, more and more as I'm dealing with different companies in my day to day, it's like, yeah, I don't think that people really care that much about good service, but I still believe we desire that Right, and so, um, so I'll continue to just to, to to drive that, you know, um, from a leadership standpoint, with the team.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's good. Well, as we have these conversations, we're going to talk a lot more culture and process and stuff. But, um, but on this first kind of conversation, I wanted you to unpack for the reps that are listening. What does the process look like? Right? So some people are going to be listening to this. They've worked with us before and they know how it works. But what does it look like for an insurance housing agency or a rep to work with RV Housing Group? Can you kind of just walk us through that high level we don't have to get too weedsy on it but start to finish. Um, what would they experience?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so they're going to reach out to us with a request, right, um, they're going to ask for a quote and we're going to get that back to them very quickly and then from there, you know, let's assume that it, that it gets approved by the insurance company, from there, really, we're going to, we're going to take it, man, we're going to, we're going to make their job really, really easy. You know, the way I see it and the way I say it is that we're the experts, right, so, let us, let us take that off of your plate and and deal, you know, get everything handled. Now, there are there are some reps that that you know, get everything handled. Uh, now, there, there are some reps that that you know are in that process, and it may be conference calls and things like that, and that's all fine, but, but really, at the end of the day, what I strive to do is make their job easier, right, what, what I hire people for, right, why I have multiple um, multiple staff and people handling different things, right, is to make their job easier, because I certainly can't do all of it.

Speaker 2:

So, um, you know, that's what that, what that's, what kind of um motivates me, uh, is to is to really, you know, be a, be a true partner. So we can, we can come alongside of them and help. You know, like I keep saying, man, we just want to help make their job easier, because they're often in the weeds right. Especially, you deal with major issues, hurricanes, I mean. How many files are they handling, right?

Speaker 2:

You got wildfire issues right? How many files are they handling? So if we can help, just kind of assist them and be kind of a helping hand in their situation, I think that that brings a lot of value to them. Um and and.

Speaker 2:

So, you know, in communication, right, I mean, we're going to, we're going to communicate all of these things, so we're going to reach out, we're going to reach out to the homeowner, to the insured, and, and we're going to get all of the information that we need for them, right, and, and we're going to get that back to them. And then, along the way we're, you know, until we drop that trailer, we're going to be over communicating, right. And I think, I think sometimes I look at some of the emails we send and I'm like, all right, you know, there's a lot of emails going back here, but I think, but I think what they? That's what they want, man, I think the more information we can provide them and the more detailed we can be, I just think everybody's better for it and that they appreciate that, you know, yeah.

Speaker 1:

Well, and I was thinking about sorry to cut you off, I was just thinking about Chris, one of our VPs here, coming from the housing agency side, and the one thing that he does really well is he knows how to speak the language from the agency side of things. He came from that world and so now he does a lot of the communication. He's a high communication guy and, um, you know, and that's part of that's part of kind of the magic of what works, and I love, how you said, making their lives easier, making their jobs easier, cause it is true They've got a lot on their plate and we want to kind of help them, you know, through help them through that whole process. I've got a couple. Do you have time for a couple more questions?

Speaker 1:

I just want to cover a couple more things before we sign off and again, we're going to be having lots more conversations on this. Give your elevator pitch for RVs as a housing solution, right. So some people don't even really no-transcript a solution to their needs. But if you're talking to someone and you're trying to convince them or sell them on why an RV could be the right idea for them, what would you say?

Speaker 2:

Yeah. So this is an interesting question because I think that there's a lot of different situations where an RV could work right and I think that it's kind of been deduced down to, hey, they have to be like out in the middle of nowhere in a rural situation where they can't find a hotel, they have no other house around them, there's basically nothing else, and so their house potentially has a fire or floods out or something like that, right, and they're like, well, I guess we got to be an RV, but I think that that's pretty, you know, short sighted, because there's so many other applications that I think an RV work for. Obviously, you know you have HOA situations that some you know, I know in my neighborhood, for example you can't have an RV. So there are some situations where it doesn't work. But, man, there's a lot where you know maybe, uh, your kids have to ride the bus, right, maybe you work, uh, you work close to your home and you can't find a house.

Speaker 2:

You know that's, that's farther. Maybe it's just as simple as you don't want to interrupt your day-to-day life, you know, for you and kids potentially, um, maybe it's that you want to watch over your property, because I'll tell you, man. Every day that goes by, it seems like people are being more and more dishonest, and you know it's hard to leave your house and leave people in there working when you still have things in there that are valuable, right, and that matter to you. So I think there's a lot of reasons why onsite housing is and it seems to become to become, you know, it seems to be increasing in popularity, um, and you know, as long as, as long as you can wrap your head around the fact that this is not your long-term solution, right? This?

Speaker 2:

is a you know short-term how they call it short-term housing for a reason because you're going to eventually be back in your home, right? So just, uh, just think about it as a camping trip in your front lawn, and uh, that's what? That's what I tell people right, there's, there's so many times we deliver to, uh, to a family, and the kids are just so stoked. Man, the rv's pulling up and, and you know, for them it's like, oh my gosh, I've never, I've always wanted to go camping in an rv yeah, we get to live in one.

Speaker 2:

Are you kidding me? So hey, don't ask the children, because they're going to choose that option.

Speaker 1:

RV every time. Well, there is an adventure kind of aspect to it, right, where I know all the reasons you said are great and so true, but there is a side where it brings a little bit of fun, a little adventure to the situation as well, and what's also true is, if you haven't been in an rv and when we say rv, we deal almost exclusively in travel trailers and fifth wheels right?

Speaker 1:

so this is not when you, a lot of people will see an rv that we use a travel trailer, fifth wheel, and they'll get in and they'll be like, oh my gosh, I had no idea they were this nice this spacious, this roomy, this big you know, and so, yeah, a lot of people are surprised that we've had people even kind of sad to leave the rv and go back into their house because they were so comfortable in it and

Speaker 1:

one thing I do love and I'll give you the last word here but one thing I love is that you are also really honest when it's not the right fit Right. So it's like if we come up on a situation and we know, hey, this isn't going to work, we're not going to just try to put anybody we can into an RV. You're really wise and be able to say, hey, as much as we love your business or we love to work with you on this, I don't think this is going to be the right situation for you.

Speaker 2:

No, a hundred percent. Right, and that's. You know that doesn't happen often, but it does happen sometimes. Right, where we're, you know, where we kind of vet them out and have the conversation and realize you know what I just don't think this is the right fit um for them. And and not that they still don't end up in an RV, necessarily, but they don't end up in an RV with us because we don't we don't want to force somebody to do something that they really don't want to do, and so that's all part of our process, right, is figuring that out when we have that conversation with them, right? Kind of asking, asking the right questions to to know, like, hey, is this, is this really a good option, a good option for them? It's kind of that. What we say is we don't really want somebody in in one of our units that doesn't really want to be in one.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's good stuff. Well, Brad, thanks man. Fun conversation. We're going to have a lot more of these. We're going to get into a lot of stuff. We'll get weedsy on some stuff and really, at the end of the day, we want this to be a resource to our partners to learn more about us, what we do. Feel free to comment, ask questions, send in emails, whatever, so that Brad and I can cover those stuff, because we want to serve you in that way. All right, before I let you go, this could be prophetic, because it hasn't happened yet but Super Bowl prediction now that the Bucs are out, who you got?

Speaker 1:

Oh man, I'm going to go with the Bills and the Rams. Okay, and then who wins? Bills and the Rams, man. So no, detroit.

Speaker 2:

No, no, I don't trust Jared Goff. He's had a heck of a year, but uh, no, I don't. I think he's. He's easily rattled, unfortunately, but um, not too many people have been able to do it, but I think, I think he can be, but I, I think, uh, I'm probably going with the bills yeah, that's what I'm gonna choose to.

Speaker 1:

I like it all. Right, buddy, send us some of the warm weather up to. Nashville, and we'll talk again soon.

Speaker 2:

Yeah that's right. All right, buddy, take care.

Speaker 1:

Well, thanks for joining us on Onsite Insight, where we break down the future of temporary housing and how you insurance reps and housing professionals can make the process easier for your clients and your team. If today's episode gave you new ideas or insights, we'd love to hear from you. You can connect with us online at RVTempHousingcom or reach out to us directly on LinkedIn, and if you found this valuable, don't forget to subscribe and share this episode with someone who needs it. Until next time, I'm Drew Powell and this is On-Site Insight where housing meets solutions.