Go with the Pro ?

So, i guess the R60 000 question, should you go with a pro or go it alone.

So we went to one of the emigration presentations by a New Zealand emigration specialist, Protea Pacific . Now over the years I have become a bit of a cynic, and my first thought is this:

"You now have a room full ( I would guess about +-100 people ) who you know that at least 90% of them are likely to be leaving because they are fed up, frustrated or just plain afraid, and here you are trying to selling a me a service... hmmm I wonder which card you are going to play ?"

And sure as Bob, that was there; predictions of the rand dropping, comments on the inability to sell property, lack of future for your children, anecdotal stories of our natural south african aggression, implying how naturally stressed we are ( ie things are even worse than you imagine )

Tied to that was the analogy that getting to New Zealand is "like climbing mount Everest", you can do it yourself, but getting a guide is well worth it. Detailed descriptions on why you "have to suspend logic" in this process, because at the end of the day you are dealing with people who have authority to make decisions, with on concept of precedence helping your cause, and really what can you do from South Africa anyway.

However, despite all the things you would have expected from a salesman, there was the flip side. Their rates are huge, the cost to have a one-on-one 1 hour chat were enough to make you think twice +-R1000. The promise that even if you go with them, it can be 2 of the worst years of your life, in fact, our presenter, Iain ( and co-owner I understand ), went so far as to say that he would not want to make the move himself, despite having done this for 19 years now.

We took the opportunity to chat in person, and in that I genuinely got the confidence that what Iain was saying was honest and direct, not sales double talk, just sales talk.

I guess you cannot blame a salesman for using the current state of play to sell the product. If I were to try and sell some ice to someone in a dessert, I think I too might bring up the heat once or twice too :-)

So this is the route we are going to try...

I think at the end of the day, we will have enough worries of our own, in just moving that it will be a load off to know that there is someone there who will have a level head, have all the experience, and the contacts to help you settle in, and that is if things go well. If they go badly, then all the more worth the money.

If you have made the move, and have an opinion on this, I would be keen to hear it.