By Tessa Wong and Jessica Lim

AN INCREASE in real-estate transactions means lots of people are on the move.

Add to this expatriates having their benefits reduced or withdrawn, and moving companies find their services in demand.

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A check with five movers revealed that some have been enjoying double the amount of business within Singapore since the downturn.

Moving Star Express in Kallang, for example, now does eight home moves a day, up from five a year ago.

Its owner Billie Ching, 24, said: 'When they (expatriates) buy new homes or find cheaper places to rent, they come to us movers.

'We thrive when the economy goes up, and also when the economy goes down.'

Crown Relocations, which has more than 200 offices in over 50 countries, said it has handled 25 per cent more home moves in the last two months than over the same period last year.

And prospects ahead look bright.

Major player Santa Fe Relocation Services, which handles domestic and international moves, is expecting business to boom on both fronts over the next two months.

With still a week to go till the end of this month, it has already handled 45 local moves - up from 20 last month.

Its managing director Bill Cain said the company is having one of its best years: 'At this point, many finance companies are still waiting to see what will happen. After all, the recession is only about three months old.

'But soon, layoffs will go up and there may also be more international moves, as key top positions get tweaked.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times on 26 November 2008.