Although you may not currently be considering the chilly days of winter, the colder months are fast approaching. Therefore, it's crucial to proactively address your home's winter maintenance to prepare for the cold ahead....
Electricity
The recently announced solar panel incentive programme by Enoch Godongwana, Minister of Finance, will allow tax-paying South Africans to claim rebates on their solar panels in the coming financial year. We take a look at what you need to know. The rebate is 25% of the cost of new and unused solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, up to a maximum of R15 000 per individual....
South Africa's National Budget has been welcomed by property experts, who say it will offer a range of benefits for homeowners and those looking to enter the market. From a residential property perspective, the announcement that the brackets of the transfer duty table will be increased by 10 percent, allowing properties below R1.1 million to avoid any transfer duty payments, is welcome news for aspirant...
Although the quintessential notion of off-grid living typically involves a simpler rural lifestyle, there are numerous methods to achieve greater self-sufficiency even within an urban setting. Although it might not be possible for everyone to be completely self-sustainable, there are multiple reasons to attempt to adopt this lifestyle as far as possible. To start, the environmental benefits that...
The increase in loadshedding stages for longer periods has caused many buyers to add ‘load-shedding friendly’ to their property wish list. Adrian Goslett says that upgrading some features in the home could minimise frustrations and add resale value to the property....
Unsurprisingly, weight loss, improved self-care, doing more exercise, and saving money are among the most common new year’s resolutions people make. And while there’s certainly nothing wrong with any of those, how about including resolutions for your property? “Property is a significant investment and one that bears looking after and setting ‘goals’ for how you manage and look after that...
Adrian Goslett, says that going solar can lower the cost of running your home and also has the potential to increase the resale value of the property. “In South Africa, green features are becoming increasingly popular among buyers, especially as a result of the ongoing load shedding and the prevalence of droughts in our country,” he explains....
After months of house hunting, a multitude of legalities, and reams of paperwork, you’re finally ready to realise your dream and move into your very own home but, as it’s also one of the largest financial investments you’ll ever make, it’s important to start off on the right footing....
We survived masks and lockdown restrictions during the pandemic, only to be confronted by a new challenge: load shedding. With Eskom’s aging infrastructure and the slow pace of the transition to renewable energy alternatives, load shedding is likely to become more frequent in the foreseeable future, and it will continue to affect the way we work, live, and play....
You have found the perfect fixer-upper - imagining what a room could look like with a fresh coat of paint and some upgrades. For many home buyers, this is an enticing scenario, and the plethora of home renovation shows and social media posts has romanticized the process of turning an old home into the perfect space even more. The reality, however, is that if you walk into buying a fixer-upper blindly, it...