Employees evaluating mortgage services as part of a corporate relocation strategy may be able to take advantage of current economic conditions, which have driven mortgage rates to new lows once again.

According to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey for the week ending May 31, the average rates for 30- and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages slipped to 3.75. and 2.97 percent, respectively. It was the first time ever that the average 15-year rate broke the 3 percent barrier.

One year earlier, the 30-year FRM average was 4.55 percent, while the average rate for a 15-year FRM was 3.74 percent, according to the report.

“Market concerns over tensions in the Eurozone led to a decline in long-term Treasury bond yields helping to bring fixed mortgage rates to new record lows this week,” said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s vice president and chief economist.

Millan Mulraine, senior U.S. strategist for the New York-based TD Securities Inc., told Bloomberg that once more banks lower their lending standards, the housing market should see a steadier recovery take shape.

Home prices have begun stabilizing in many markets nationwide – good news for employees heading to new homes for the long-term.

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The University of Queensland recently released a report that showed companies may want to be careful if they operate in areas that are prone to natural disasters, and it may be better for these companies to consider global relocation to a safer area.

The report explained that it is important for companies to see what is the current disaster risk of the area. In addition, it could benefit businesses to analyze the costs and benefits that would be associated with relocating.

“Much attention has been paid to emergency responses and disaster recovery,” said Andrew Griffiths a professor at UQ Business School. “However, an important question for policy-makers and managers is not just how to deal with extreme weather as it arises, but also how to alleviate the future impact. Temporary or permanent relocation of firm activities could be one way to do this.”

Since most parts of the world deal with natural disasters in some way, avoiding them may be difficult. Instead, when developing a corporate relocation plan for a company, it may benefit those involved to make sure employees have an understanding of the weather dangers in the area so that they can be prepared to deal with them.

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Zillow recently released a report that showed while home values are on the rise, many homeowners are struggling with significantly underwater homes.

More than 31 percent of homes with mortgages were reported to be underwater during the first quarter, despite many Americans paying their loan payments on time, the firm explained. In all, underwater homeowners in the U.S. owe approximately $1.2 trillion more than the properties are worth.

Furthermore, total negative equity began to increase as the quarter ended, which could be due to the slowed growth of foreclosures during the robo-signing issues in 2010.

“While it was disappointing to see negative equity numbers remain so high, it is important to note that negative equity remains only a paper loss for the vast majority of underwater homeowners,” said Zillow chief economist Stan Humphries.

Underwater mortgages can complicate the homeselling process and be a significant roadblock for corporate relocation attempts. This is why it is important to keep in mind advanced planning for these situations to know what a person and their company has to deal with for the transition.

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The U.S. Federal Housing Administration may be on the verge of changing mortgage rules that would make it easier for buyers to get for condominiums, according to The Washington Post.

Continued affordability for condominiums and other properties may make global relocation easier for companies and their employees because of the currently low mortgage rates. However, lending issues have been the major hurdle.

As FHA regulations currently stand, buyers cannot purchase a condominium unless the entire complex has been approved for financing. With FHA loans making up a significant portion of the market, properties which don’t meet the agency’s requirements struggle to find buyers.

Some of the specific issues with the regulations include a requirement that less than half of the units on a property are occupied by someone other than the owner, the news source explained. In addition, if there are 30-day delinquencies for condo fees on approximately 15 percent or more of the units, the project would not be approved.

The FHA plans to edit these rules in the near future, which could help relax restrictions and make it easier for financing to be obtained, the news source added. However, it is not known whether this will be enough to change the minds of condominium boards to increase applications for FHA loan approval.

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Moving to a new home, city or even country as part of a corporate relocation can be a complicated and, at times, stressful process. However, there are several things families can take care of well in advance to reduce headaches when the move approaches.

Speak with your Relocation Management Company

Making a move can be a stressful time for those involved, and it could benefit the employee greatly to speak to the Relocation Management Company and find out what benefits are being offered. By having a clear understanding of the relocation policy, employees will know what their responsibilities are in the process, especially if their company doesn’t cover something critical.

Research move quotes

If employees aren’t provided with household goods move benefits, collecting price quotes from several different van lines may be the best way to find help. However, it is important to ensure that the company has a good reputation. The cheapest option isn’t always the best.

Gather up boxes

If an employee finds that they must pack themselves, it is important to get as many boxes as possible for the move. No one knows how much they will need when trying to move all of their belongings, so it is wise to aim high. With this in mind, it isn’t always necessary to purchase a large number of boxes, as there are many ways to get them for free. Many stores will have leftovers that are no longer needed, but are in perfectly good shape. In addition, if a person lives near a college, there may be boxes ready for recycling in the area – especially if it is around the time students are moving in.

Get rid of unwanted or unneeded items

Not everyone needs everything in their new home or apartment. It is important when packing to look carefully and see what can be thrown away, sold or given to someone else. The lighter a person travels, the easier the process will be.

Let people know the move is occurring

While the person moving may think that everyone knows they are relocating, it is important to inform others officially. Whether it is friends, coworkers or clients, giving a new address and other important information could save issues later. This could be a simple email, or other quick message that would solve the issues altogether.

Make travel plans

If a person needs to fly to their new destination – especially if it involves global relocation – it would be smart to plan this out well in advance, especially if the company doesn’t take care of this aspect. In addition, arranging trips for family members at this time would be a good idea. Once this is finalized, a person is ready to make the big transition to the new location.

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Global relocation to the United States may not only be easier, but more affordable, as well, as residential housing starts are increasing throughout much of the country, according to a report from Metrostudy.

Of the 41 markets included in the study, 28 markets witnessed single-family housing starts rise during April. Much of the growth is also occurring in larger markets, which may be helping recovery nationwide, the report explained.

“We expected to see Houston, Phoenix, Austin, Salt Lake, Indianapolis and Nashville in the growth column,” said Mike Castleman, CEO of Metrostudy. “The really good news is that, Orlando, Charlotte, South Florida and many other big markets have begun to expand housing production.”

In addition, the report’s measurement of the Finished Vacant New Home Inventory was at approximately 2.5 months of supply, which is considered to be a safe level. Due to this, more homebuilders may be inclined to start construction on additional properties, which could help improve housing availability and reduce price pressure.

These may make relocation to major metro areas in the U.S. more viable due to workers’ ability to take advantage of currently low mortgage rates, coupled with home availability. By using a global relocation company, may be able to take full advantage of these helpful conditions.

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A joint announcement from Jones Lang LaSalle and UK Trade and Investment showed that both Central and Eastern Europe are becoming more popular and viable places for business investments, making them more active relocation targets.

There are many reasons for the continued improvement of these regions, including improving economies, greater transparency in business practices, continued political stability and a strengthening infrastructure, the firms explained. Jones Lang LaSalle noted that when excluding Russian investment, there was a total of €6.4 billion (USD $8.1 billion) invested in the real estate industry, alone.

“Investors are lured to the region by a blend of factors including a fast growing economy, strong retail sales in countries such as Poland and a significant pipeline of new investment products which are of institutional quality,” said John Duckworth, managing director and chief executive officer for Jones Lang LaSalle.

Duckworth added that these areas should continue to bring in corporations from around the world, and this movement will be helped by many countries’ state aid programs.

Continued improvements in business investment throughout these areas could not only make these more attractive areas for global relocation, but they may also help businesses already there increase their presence.

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On May 18, the U.S. Department of State released a travel warning for those in or planning to go to Saudi Arabia because of a heightened terrorist threat against Westerners.

While there has not been a major terrorist attack against foreigners in the country since 2007, and the country has improved security markedly, there has been an update to the last warning, which was created last year. Overall, those who have participated in global relocation to the country are advised to be vigilant when in places where Westerners frequent, such as hotels, malls and housing complexes.

It is important for those living in the area not to draw attention to themselves, and remain cautious when traveling. When choosing places to stay, it is important for Americans to choose places with high levels of security.

Furthermore, those who are abroad should ensure that all documentation is up-to-date and is acceptable for their trips. If a person has questions or concerns, it is important that they call or visit their local embassy. In addition, enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program – sponsored by the State Department – is encouraged.

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The United Kingdom has seen property prices increase by 105 times since 1952, according to Hamptons International.

The average home price in the country was £1,520 in 1952. Today, the figure is approximately  £160,000, according to the firm. In London proper, the figure was £2,650 60 years ago, compared to today’s figure of £354,300. This was a 134-fold increase.

“A 105 fold increase in the value of the average home in the UK over a 60 year period equates to a profit of just over £7 a day,” Adam Challis, head of research at Hamptons International, told the news source. “This profit is inflated even more in London, where price growth represents £16 a day over a 60-year period, representing a rather healthy return on investment.”

While the price for properties in the UK have shown steady gains in the past, with the recent economic downturn, some properties may temporarily be more affordable. The key to success in a market such as this is to have an experienced relocation company guiding your global relocation strategy. With proper upfront planning and education through a corporate relocation company, navigating difficult markets becomes much less troublesome.

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New York City is considered the top area in the world for attracting talent, and this could influence many companies' decisions on recruiting, global relocation and hiring, according to a report from Aon Hewitt.

The firm's 2012 People Risk Index showed that New York is the lowest risk city in terms of recruitment and redeployment, while Toronto was a close second. In addition, Singapore, Montreal and London were also considered to be very low-risk cities, the report noted. The two Canadian cities were aided by improvements in equal opportunity regulations and other laws that make working there extremely favorable.

Singapore was the only city not located in the U.S. or Canada, and its inclusion was due to the city-state's first-rate laws on health and business practices, the report explained. In addition, there is also little corruption there, and political and terrorism risks are not particularly high. Furthermore, the government is quite stable, which makes the atmosphere more attractive.

"With increasing labor costs and continued economic volatility around the world, leaders of global organizations understand that talent management is crucial to the success of their business operations," said Rick Payne, regional Talent and Rewards practice leader for Aon Hewitt in Asia Pacific. "To remain competitive, they are redesigning their talent sourcing strategies and shifting their operations to more advantageous locations."

The cities with the highest risk for relocation, employment and recruiting practices were Lagos, Addis Ababa, Baghdad, Sana'a and Damascus, according to the report. There were many reasons for the cities scoring so low, especially a lack of stable government coupled with major political issues. This can prevent many businesses from having safe employment options, and also may damage chances of recruiting. Furthermore, education systems in these areas are not strong, which makes the current talent pool very shallow.

"Working age populations are expected to grow in many high risk cities over the next decade, which will expand the future labor pool and increase opportunities for organizations to recruit and redeploy talent," said Payne. "As this happens, we expect the demographic risks in these cities will improve over time."

Companies considering utilizing global relocation practices to get the proper candidates in the proper location may want to look toward New York – or other cities like it – due to their high upside in attracting talent.

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