Despite the lack of significant changes in the industry for almost five decades, the real estate sector has undergone remarkable and unprecedented transformations in the past ten years, marked by both fluctuating peaks and valleys....
Property Market
The answer to the question of whether it is ‘cheaper’ to buy or build a residential property is "it depends”. “Taking on a residential property building project is a serious undertaking, but one that can be very rewarding. Our best advice is to consult a quantity surveyor to help you plan and manage the cost of building,” says Jan le Roux. Professional quantity surveyor Guillaume Cillié,...
It doesn't matter what the market conditions are like when you start your home buying journey. Favourable market conditions don’t mitigate the potential pitfalls and, unfortunately, buyer’s remorse is not uncommon amongst first-time buyers, usually as a result of neglecting to do their homework and ensure they are thoroughly prepared....
In the real estate world, there is a substantial difference between an investor and a home buyer. The criteria by which the property will be judged will differ vastly depending on how the buyer intends to use the property. Adrian Goslett, says that it is important for buyers to establish their intentions for the home upfront before they start the house hunting process....
Being a good neighbour can add value to your life, security, and your property and neighbourhood. People want to live and invest in neighbourhoods which are orderly and well maintained. This says Samuel Seeff, chairman of the group, has been well-illustrated by the influx of buyers and tenants to cities, towns and neighbourhoods which are safe and well maintained and managed....
It’s easy for property investors, particularly those new to the industry, to be swayed by the rental amount the property is likely to generate on a monthly basis. And while the monthly rental is certainly an important factor, the seasoned investor tends to look beyond the rental yield and rather takes a more long-term approach by focusing on the property’s potential capital growth over a set period of...
For first-time buyers, the home loan application process can feel quite overwhelming but if you are prepared for all the financial questions ahead you will be in a much better position to have your bond approved. If you are getting ready to apply for a home loan, you need to assess your financial well-being and you should know the answers to the following questions:...
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....
For many first-time home sellers, selling their homes can be a complicated process - made worse by all the well-intentioned advice from family and friends. With all the information available it may be difficult to determine which information to take note of and which to ignore. As a result, several misconceptions regarding the home-selling process have become commonplace in today’s 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...