Once upon a time, Little Falls was to ‘doer and gone’ (local speak for ‘to hell and gone’) out in the country and you had to travel some way from the centre of Johannesburg to reach it. After you had put the city behind you, you got that true open road feeling – blue Read more…
Cheap is Not Good. And Good is Not Cheap. It’s amazing how surprised we are when we buy the cheaper product and then get frustrated that the quality isn’t what we expected. We then end up having to buy the more expensive product anyway. Result: the cheaper product was more expensive. Read more…
OK – I don’t mean that literally. But show them some love. If they’ve proved their worth, tell them you appreciate what they do. At the end of the day most estate agents are really good people doing the best they can for their clients. It’s remarkable how the industry Read more…
Avoid Double Commission Disputes There is nothing that can sour your house sale or purchase more than a messy legal battle and having to pay a double commission to estate agents. Sadly this could be a reality if you neglect to take certain precautions when selling your property. A double commission Read more…
Unfortunately for buyers and sellers, there are many disputes regarding fixtures and fittings and whether or not they are included in the sale of a property. As a general rule, if they are fitted to the property they stay, and if they are not, then they go. But there are Read more…
Often a property seller asks an agent roughly how long it will take to sell their property. The answer may have a bearing on when they decide to list their home, and the timing of their move. The two issues that cannot be controlled by an agent are how much Read more…
Let’s face it, these are uncertain times. Who knows what will happen next week, next month, or next year. The global Coronavirus threat has sent stock markets plummeting. No one knows if and when the threat will be averted, or what the full impact will be on the global economy. Read more…
Property owners with properties that are illegally constructed, or don’t have approved municipal plans, could be in for an unpleasant surprise from the local council. For many years property owners have, wrongly, made minor alterations to properties without obtaining the necessary planning permission – something that the municipality is picking Read more…
It is usually the right of the seller to nominate the attorney who will handle the transfer of their property and all the associated legal matters – and for good reason. Of course, that doesn’t make it illegal for the purchaser to nominate the attorney. However, the seller does expose Read more…
When you enter into any agreement it’s important to have full knowledge of what you’re committing to. This is especially the case when it comes to the purchase or rental of a property. When you sign a contract you are binding yourself to a legal agreement when you will have Read more…
In most instances our property represents one of our biggest assets, if not our largest. Many property owners have a debt registered against their property in the form of a mortgage bond, to which they are contributing monthly. Our property is an investment and we are hoping that at some Read more…
Purchasing a property is a very exciting time in your life – but it can also be very frustrating if you don’t go into the process with a full understanding of what will be required of you, and how it will impact you financially. To avoid the frustration of purchasing Read more…
It’s a big decision to sell your property. So just when is the best time to list your home? Is summer better than winter? Is it best to wait until the holidays are over? Do you wait for economic indicators to improve? There are many issues to consider, but here Read more…
Wilgeheuwel Area Summary (Stats quoted from a recent Lightstone Report) Wilgeheuwel is one of the main and most popular residential suburbs when traveling north from the Westrand / Krugersdorp area. Situated near Clearwater Mall and +/- 10km away from Cradlestone Mall along Hendrik Potgieter this area is extremely popular among Read more…
From time to time we meet property sellers who decide to sell their property themselves. In our experience there are usually two reasons why a seller may decide to do so: they’ve had a bad experience with an agent, or they wish to save the cost of the agents fee Read more…
Creating and maintaining the external features of a property can cost a considerable amount – not just in money, but also in time. Is the investment worth it, and does it make a difference when it comes to selling your property? I always liken the external features of a property Read more…
In certain price ranges there is a huge shortage of stock. The result is that many buyers fight for the same property. There isn’t much more disappointing than making an offer on your dream property and losing out to someone else. What’s even worse though, is making an offer and Read more…
There are many decisions to make when you list your property for sale. One of the most critical is how you list for sale – Sole Mandate, Joint Mandate, or Open Mandate. Let’s discuss the pros and cons. A sole mandate is when you list exclusively with one real estate Read more…
Many sellers wonder what kind of marketing is required when trying to sell their property. Is it really necessary to make use of a strong marketing plan, or you can get away with minimal marketing. To answer that question you would need to answer this: Do you just want to Read more…
Selling a property is said to be one of the most stressful experiences of your life – along with the death of a loved one, and divorce! It doesn’t have to be that way though. Much will depend on how much you do before you go to market, and the Read more…
Commission Rates – What You Need to Know. As with everything in life – you get what you pay for. Yes, we want to save money where we can. But we also know that cheapest is very seldom best. It’s all about the value you get for your money, not about Read more…
We often hear the comment that estate agents are responsible for the market values of property. Are they, and if not, then who is? Estate agents have absolutely zero influence over market value. For that matter neither do property sellers. In fact, what a seller thinks their property is worth, Read more…
Two of the most common forms of property ownership are Freehold and Sectional Title. It’s important for a purchaser to understand the difference between the two, and what to consider when purchasing a sectional title property. Freehold is where you purchase a piece of land and the improvements thereon. You Read more…
It’s a cause for concern when you are listed on the market and your property hasn’t sold yet. If properly managed though, there is no need to panic. It’s important to realize that you will need to evaluate the situation and make some decisions if you want a result. Research Read more…
With so many new Gated Estates popping up all over the Roodepoort and surrounding areas, buyers often ask us if it’s really that much safer living in such an estate. That’s an important question to answer, as the safety of our families is of paramount importance. Sadly, crime is on Read more…
Selling your property can be a stressful event when not done properly. In my experience, here are 5 regrets that are best avoided. If only I’d used my own attorney. Sometimes a buyer may insist on nominating the transferring attorney instead of the seller. In most cases this is because Read more…
Difficult economic times have impacted the market, with more listings available as property owners decide to access the equity in their property or reduce their debt. With more properties to choose from, buyers are shopping wisely and reacting only to properties that represent the best value. Our research shows that Read more…
Selling or purchasing a property is a big decision. For most clients we engage with, their property is their largest asset. It goes without saying that Trust is a consideration for anyone engaging in a property transaction. Let’s first consider the trust issue for a property purchaser. A purchaser has Read more…
One thing is for sure if you’re considering selling a property: you certainly have “choice” when it comes to selecting your estate agent. So that begs the question – just how do you go about selecting your agent? Let’s start with identifying the outcome that you want. It’s usually the Read more…
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