The most important thing to keep in mind about avoiding a moving scam is that if it sounds to good to be true, chances are it is.  Rest assured your well reputable professionals here at Highland will take good care of you.  However, if you are just beginning your research to find a moving company you want to evaluate the following:

1. Reputation. Reputation is everything.  You want to do your due diligence.  Start by checking references and experience.  If you are in Canada or the US, check with professional organizations like your local Better Business Bureau (BBB).  If you are in the United States, check the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) and get the MC number of the company.  This will allow you to check the Department of Transportation website ProtectYourMove.gov. and it will give you a great deal of helpful information on the company. 
2. Online presence.  You want to assess their on-line presence.  See if they have one and if so, what is the feedback they are getting from customers.  You want to evaluate their professional reputation, community and professional involvement and their ability to meet your moving needs.
3. Get Several Quotes.  You want to get at least three quotes.  This will allow you to get a clear comparison and enable you to assess the true cost of your move.  This will also serve as a litmus test because it will allow you to evaluate the bids that you are getting to make sure they are reasonable. A great online resource for this is ClickandMove.  ClickandMove allows you to take your inventory at your convenience and submit it online.  Movers will return estimates based on your information.  
4. Cost is not everything.  I know you are all on a budget but I want to caution you.  If you put all of your emphasis on the lowest bid, it may end up costing you in the long run.  If the bids are within a reasonable range, you should be in good shape.  However, if one is significantly lower than the others, chances are you may be dealing with someone questionable.  Unfortunately, there are scammers out there who will give you a very low estimate but then charge you additional fees or claim a greater total weight before you take delivery.  Therefore, they will hold your items ‘hostage’ until you pay them the difference.  So, just be careful when you receive a bid that is significantly less than the rest.

Taking the time to do your research will be worth it in the long run.  Feel free to contact us anytime if you have questions or concerns.  We will be happy to help you.

After a move, it is so important to take the right steps to ensure your family feels settled.    Once you have unpacked the boxes, the next item on your list should be to find activities you and your family enjoy and pursue them.  Expose your children to your new area by exploring.  Do your research online to find out where to go.  If your children are into sports, look into the sport activities available in your new area.  If your child is into dance or gymnastics, look into the organizational structure and see if you can get reviews and referrals.  The great news is that most of this information is available on line.  This makes it so convenient to find the information you need to make a decision. As for your child’s school, take a tour before he or she starts.  This will help alleviate some anxiety on the first day of school.  Get involved with your children’s new school.  This is invaluable for making contacts and understanding the academic environment for your children.

Take a car ride and get a feel for the area.  Visit the parks and community facilities. Having a navigation system is a great tool to use when you first move.  It takes some time to get an understanding of where things are and having access to a navigation system is a huge time saver.  This will help you get the lay of the land quickly.  It will help you navigate your new area, which in turn will make you feel comfortable in your new surroundings.   

It is amazing how everything does fall into place and before you know it, you will know where the milk is in the grocery store and you will know how to get there without the help of your navigation system.  This is when you know you are settled.

Purchasing real estate in Canada is a relatively easy process.  However, there are some regulations governing the sale of property that you should be familiar with before you begin your search.  Non-residents, those who are planning to live within Canada for a period of time of six months or less in a calendar year, are able to purchase property and open bank accounts without applying for immigrant status.  However, if you are planning on living within Canada for an extended period time, which is longer than six months in a calendar year, you will have to apply for immigrant status.  Further, if you are planning on working within the country, you will have to file the appropriate paperwork with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

It is important to note that each province has its own rules and regulations governing the sale of property to residents and non-residents.  Therefore, it is important to familiarize yourself with them once you have decided where you want to buy.  

When looking to finance, keep in mind that as a Canadian resident, typically you will be able to finance approximately 75% of the value of the property.  However, if you are a non-resident that percentage typically drops to approximately 65%.  

Whether you become a resident or not, you should seriously consider the help of a professional realtor.  He or she will be able to help guide you through the process and educate you on what is common practice within Canada.

If are seriously considering purchasing a property in Canada, make sure to familiarize yourself with the additional taxes and fees that come with a purchase.  This is important because it will impact your budget.

Taxes

Clearance Certificate. This fee is paid by the seller and ranges from approximately $300 to $1000 and it is dependent on the transaction.

Goods and Services Tax (GST). This tax applies to new construction and is typically 5% of the total value and is included in the purchase price.

Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).  This is collected by the Canadian Revenue Agency and is distributed among participating provinces.

Property Tax. This is an annual tax collected by the local units of governments and it ranges from approximately .5% to 2.5% of the value of the property.

Property Transfer Tax/Land Transfer Fees.  These fees range from approximately .5% to 2% of the total property value.  However, they apply differently in various parts of the country. 

Provincial Sales Tax (PST). This tax varies greatly in price by location.  It can range from 0 to 10% and is included in the price of the home.

Fees

If you are planning to purchase property, you will also have to consider the fees that go along with the purchase.  These may include but are not limited to realtor fees, appraisal fees, survey fees, inspection fees, attorney fees, property insurance, home owner associations and/or condominium fees.  Therefore, get clarification ahead of time to prevent confusion.

It is important to note that if you are on a corporate relocation, you will have to consult your company’s policies and procedures.  Some companies prefer you not purchase while on assignment.  Therefore, it is important that you clarify this ahead of time to prevent any misunderstanding in the future. 

Corporate relocations often offer you a great opportunity to experience a new place, culture and way of life.  However, most corporate relocations happen quickly, so you will have to prepare yourself for the pace of the move.  Further, you must learn and educate yourself on the relocation policies and procedures of your employer.  This will enable you to understand what will be covered by your employer and what will be your responsibility.  It will also allow you to best prepare yourself for the move by understanding what you need to do and when you need to do it.  Some companies offer a great deal of services, including concierge services with your own dedicated associate to help coordinate your moving tasks.  However, most companies now offer a budgeted amount and you are responsible to work within that figure.  Either way, knowing what your company prefers and offers will help better prepare you and your family.  This also helps to manage expectations.  

As with any move, the key to a successful corporate relocation is organization.  No matter what is available to you, you definitely want to have one central location for all of your important paperwork.  Whether it be a binder, folder or notebook, keeping all of your paperwork in one place helps prevent you from misplacing it.  

The good news is that most professional moving companies, like Highland have dedicated services for those on corporate relocations.  They understand the nature of your move and the time constraints involved.  Therefore, they will do their best to help you make your move easier.  For further information, please refer to Highland's Corporate Relocation Information. 

When moving to a new area, keep in mind the cost of living of your new location.  Cost of living has a direct impact on your budget and your way of life in your new home.  Therefore, doing a bit of research will help prepare you for any impacts.  There are many different tools online to assess the impact of the change.  Various cost of living calculators will help you determine whether or not your new location will have a significant impacts on you and your family.  

If you are moving to Canada from the US or from the US to Canada, Numbeo.com has a fantastic cost of living calculator that will allow you to compare the cost of living between a Canadian City and an American City, which will give you a good barometer of what to expect.  Numbeo.com will also help you compare the cost of living between cities within Canada and the US.  Doing this research ahead of time will help you assess the financial impact on your family prior to the relocation, so that you are better prepared and can make the necessary adjustments to your budget ahead of time.