Temperatures may not often drop below zero in South Africa, but it can still get very cold and most homes are built for enjoying long summer days, not for keeping the winter chill at bay....

Buying your first home is possibly the largest purchase you will make, so it’s important to be well-prepared for this important milestone. “After two years of comparatively low-interest rates, we are still seeing considerable interest from first-time buyers who account for 60% of all BetterBond’s home loan applications,” says Carl Coetzee, CEO of BetterBond....

Buildings insurance is usually required by the lender, but it is just as useful to the homeowner, allowing you to protect your most valuable asset....

Homeowners insurance may add to your list of expenses, but you can’t afford to go without it. However, the following factors may affect your premiums....

The pendulum has swung following a season of record-low interest rates, moving the country into a cycle of interest rate hikes. Set to meet again in May, the MPC may choose to hike interest rates further. Homeowners are advised to evaluate their finances ahead of the announcement to make sure they can afford the potential increase....

Property practitioners in South Africa have been identified as potentially vulnerable to money-laundering and terrorist financing (TF) activities. This was revealed by the FIC (Financial Intelligence Centre) in their recent Assessment of the inherent money-laundering and terrorist financing risks impacting the real estate sector report....

Buying an investment property is great, especially when you’ve chosen a good location. One thing no property owner wants to deal with, however, is being the landlord to a problem tenant. Whether the issues are around late rent, or them not adhering to the code of conduct of your property, it leaves you as the landlord in a difficult position....

The residential rental sector started to show real signs of renewal in the fourth quarter of 2021 with key national property indicators revealing that the sector is through the worst of the economic storm, according to TPN Credit Bureau’s Residential Rental Monitor....

A roof is an essential component of any built structure and even though you can’t see all of it from where you usually view it, if there is an issue lurking, it can impact everything you can see....

While banks in SA are still keen to lend to home buyers, they are also applying their credit granting criteria more strictly now in the light of rising inflation and rising interest rates, so it is vital for prospective borrowers to make sure their finances and credit records are all in order before they apply for a loan – and long before they start looking for properties to buy....