Myths vs Reality
ROM RENOVATING YOUR BATHROOM TO HANDLING AN AUTO INSURANCE CLAIM, SELLING A HOME, TRAVELING ABROAD OR LIQUIDATING AN ESTATE, OUR EXPERTS SHARE THEIR TAKE ON COMMON MYTHS THAT WILL HELP MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER!
TRAVEL AND LIVING ABROAD
The Myth: Moving and working abroad is a stressful process.
The Reality: “This can be the case for many people” says Ron of Travlink Employment Consulting and Travel LTD. “Most people do not have the knowledge of the paperwork, regulations and processes that go into immigration and work visa applications.” The good news is, there are experts, like Ron, who work with you to walk you through the process. His expertise allows him to help take the guess work out of the process for his clients and removes a lot of the stress and confusion that comes with trying to do it yourself! He can also help clients avoid errors and issues that may delay or even halt their applications.
REAL ESTATE
The Myth Selling/buying a home yourself will save you money!
The Reality While saving the commission cost of selling with a real estate professional might seem like a smart idea, the reality is that in many cases, this results in a lower price for the seller or a less favorable deal for the buyer! Renee Ibrahim, Real Estate Agent with Royal LePage, suggest that homeowners also consider potential risks and hidden costs. “In addition to having the knowledge to negotiate the best possible deal on your behalf,” says Renee “your agent also knows how to protect their clients from potential issues and hidden costs such as money owing on a furnace or non-working appliances. This protection combined with negotiating power makes having an agent in your corner a sound investment!”
AUTO INSURANCE
The Myth Auto insurance companies always try to low-ball you when paying out a claim.
The Reality Insurance companies typically outsource the valuation of vehicles that they deem a total loss because they are experts in insurance, not vehicle market values. They pay out based on the data available to them. If you feel the settlement offer is low, Viraf of the Automall Network suggests doing your research. “They want to pay out fairly as they do not want any implication of settling in bad faith.” says Viraf “If presented properly with the right data to back up why their settlement offer is low and what the correct fair market value should be, they typically are quite reasonable.”
ESTATE SALES
The Myth Nicer items won’t fetch as much at an estate sale or auction.
The Reality “There is some truth to this” says Viraf of Transition Squad “Every household has some combination of desirable items, everyday items and garage sale type items. If you do an estate sale alone, you won’t get fair market value and all prices will go down because of the liquidation mindset of buyers.” Viraf suggests a 3-pronged method starting with an online auction with higher minimum bids to drive up prices of desirable items. Next, hold an estate sale with items that did not sell during the online auction. Finally, consign the remaining sellable items that have not found the right buyer yet! It may look like a lot of work but a reputable downsizing/estate company can take care of a lot of the work for you!
BATHROOM RENOVATIONS
The Myth: Bathroom renovations are costly and time consuming!
The Reality: Traditionally, a full bathroom renovation has been a daunting and expensive task but working with a company that specializes in bathroom renovations can change this drastically. “We have a team of specialists who understand every aspect and detail of the bathroom renovation process!” says Roy of Bathroom Brothers “Our expertise and connections allows us to complete many projects in under a day, at less cost than our clients expected!” Because bathrooms are their only focus, bathroom renovation specialists are able to suggest ways you can save money and get the project done quicker, from the design details and sourcing materials right down to the demolition and installation of new items!
