From housing to leisure activities, singles have different needs than their married counterparts when they move into unfamiliar territory. And local businesses are finding a way to tap into the relocating singles market by providing more personal assistance to help new residents settle into the area.

Runzheimer International reports an upswing in the number of single relocating employees nationwide. One-quarter of all transferees in 1997 were single, up from 16% in 1996, according to the report.

Shelley Seale, president of Arlington-based RPS Relocation Inc., agrees that the typical transferee to the Metroplex has changed quite a bit during the past 10 years. Singles have been a growing segment of the relocation market for the past decade, whether fresh out of college or single parents in their 30s and 40s.

"In the early 1990s, 90% of our clients were traditional transferees — married with children, homeowners and most of the time male," Seale said. "Through the 1990s, we started to see a mix of different types, including single parents and singles."

She believes the rise in the number of relocating singles can be traced partly to the trend for many professionals to remain single. The tech boom also brought more single workers to the Metroplex, she added.

Responding to the trend, RPS Relocation decided to address the growing pool of single relocators. Now, the RPS Web site has comprehensive single-specific information on matters such as rental assistance, moving services, roommate finders and, interestingly, a dating service. The RPS site, Seale said, is one of the few relocation-service sites to recognize the different needs of singles.

The dating service links to Datingclub.com, a free online dating service. While it may seem frivolous to some, Seale said meeting new people is one of two major concerns for many single transferees.

"The two biggest needs are rental information, as opposed to home sales and purchases; the other need is just meeting people, whether it's dating or not," she said.

While RPS is affiliated with Datingclub.com, it plays no part in running the service. The dating club link is simply part of the information for newcomers the relocation services extends to its clients, Seale said.

"Newcomers' information, dating services, community consulting — those are not revenue generators," Seale said. "We are trying to cultivate a customer. If we can be of help to them now, then hopefully we can be there in five years when they need to buy a home."

Seale said the singles Web page and the dating service link have been well- received by clients.

Social groups and clubs catering to the need of the growing number of relocating singles to make new friends are also gaining steam in the Metroplex.

One example is The Single Gourmet, a social group that, among other things, offers its members weekly dining events, cooking classes, cocktail parties and wine tastings.

Ed Bamberger opened his franchise, The Single Gourmet of Dallas-FortWorth Inc., after noting a lack of variety among singles groups in the Metroplex. After visiting about 16 area singles clubs, he found many to be disorganized and, in his view, overly focused on dating.

"The difference between this group and others is it is not a dating group; the emphasis is on dining, and there is a virtue in that," Bamberger said.

Bamberger believes The Single Gourmet dining concept has touched a nerve with Metroplex singles, providing a place for people with a common culinary interest to socialize in a casual environment.

Yvonne Slate's career as an environmental health safety coordinator for Lockheed Martin brought her to the Metroplex from Syracuse, N.Y. Not knowing anyone in the area, she began attending Single Gourmet events in July.

"I thought this would be a good opportunity to meet people outside of work," she said. As a newcomer, she also received many helpful suggestions from fellow members about where to go and what to see in the Metroplex.

"I was new to the area and this was a good way to go to new restaurants and at the same time learn my way around the Metroplex. It forces you to venture out into unknown territory," Slate said.

One way to assess the demand for singles groups is to see how The Single Gourmet has flourished in spite of the depressed economy, Bamberger says.

Since its inaugural event in January, it has grown to more than 350 members, many of whom are professionals in their 30s through 50s.

One reason for the group's success is that it offers reasonably priced events such as cocktail parties, which run about $20, Bamberger said. Prices for dinner and other events vary, but can run about $60.

At all events, Bamberger makes sure dining companions are matched by interest and that newcomers are never left out of the conversation.

"Yes, it is a business," Bamberger says. "But the reason it is working well is that I have a passion for it."

Contact DBJ writer Sandra Zaragoza at szaragoza@bizjournals.com or (214) 706-7113.