Best of Edmond: A Real Home Away from Home

Sometimes timing the purchase or sale of a home isn’t always perfect. Or, perhaps you’ve had the misfortune of experiencing a natural disaster that has left you temporarily displaced. A Real Home Away From Home, owned by Joyce Spurgeon, offers assistance through these uncomfortable times.

Their executive level homes are leased on a month-to-month basis, so there is no long-term commitment. Temporary residents find their fully furnished houses to have all the comforts of home, such as fluffy beds, furnished offices, full size washer/dryers and fireplaces.

“There are a lot of companies out there who offer corporate housing, but I am one of the few who does this with homes instead of apartments,” Spurgeon said. “I buy or lease the homes and furnish them with high quality kitchen equipment and decorative items. My tenants often comment how much it feels like home, and tell me how grateful they are.”

Spurgeon opened a successful bed and breakfast in Woodward, Oklahoma 17 years ago in order to be at home with her young daughter. After several prosperous years of providing overnight accommodations, Spurgeon noticed a need in the industry for longer month-to-month stays.

Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to Edmond in 2005, where she originally opened Corporate Suites of Edmond. After she expanded beyond the area, it became A Real Home Away From Home. “I feel very blessed that I’m able to provide a service that people truly appreciate. It also gives me an opportunity to introduce people to
Edmond, a place that I am proud to call home,” she says.

Corporate housing serves many needs, but Spurgeon’s clientele are mainly corporate relocations, insurance claims due to fires or floods and real estate transactions. Other clients sometimes include parents who are waiting to adopt within the metro area; individuals who are staying here for extended cancer or other medical treatments; as well as government employees.

Spurgeon’s daughter and parents work in the business as well. “The business is expanding a lot faster than I thought it would, so it requires a lot from the whole family,” Spurgeon said. The family-owned business currently manages 22 homes in Edmond and Mustang, with aspirations to expand to Deer Creek and Norman in the near future.

Whether you’ve lost your home in a fire, you’ve relocated for personal or business reasons, or you’ve found yourself between house deals, contact Spurgeon at 201-2010 for the perfect upscale, temporary housing solution, or visit her website at www.arealhomeawayfromhome.com for more information.