Owning property jointly – The rewards, the risks, and the remedy
“Co-ownership is the mother of disputes” (old Roman law maxim) There can be big advantages to buying property jointly but be aware of the risks and take steps to lessen them before you put pen to paper. The problem comes if there is a falling-out with your co-owner. Perhaps you come to blows on your […]
Bodies corporate: Forcing access to units, and round robin resolutions
Owning your own property comes with a raft of benefits, including a general right to privacy and control over who can access your property and who can’t. But of course there are exceptions. And apart from the obvious ones, a recent High Court judgment highlights one that is particular to sectional title schemes. It involved […]
FLISP subsidy policy revised – no need for home loan to obtain government subsidy
In March, this year the National Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi announced that the Finance Linked Individual Subsidy (FLISP) has been delinked and is no longer just a mortgage only option. Furthermore, partnerships were established with external role-players such as financial institutions, conveyancing attorneys and property developers, granting them access to the Housing Subsidy […]
3 steps to buying your first house
“Happiness is… buying your first home” (Anon) Few things in life can compare to the joy of finally crossing the threshold of your first home. If you are like most of us, you have been dreaming of this day for years and years – it has finally arrived! The financial bonus of course is that […]
Property sellers: Why, how and when to choose your own conveyancer
When you sell your house (or indeed any other property) you are almost certainly dealing with a transaction of major financial importance to you. You will therefore want to do everything you can to ensure a smooth and professional transfer process, with the purchase price being paid out to you as soon as possible. First […]
Selling your home: How to be lucky this Holiday Season
If you plan to take advantage of the Holiday Season to sell your house, your first prize will of course be finding the best buyer, at the best price, as quickly as possible. As always, there’s a degree of luck involved, but you can to a great extent “make your own luck”. So we’ll discuss […]
Is the rental market succumbing to the punches?
As the property market continues to piece itself back together amid the ongoing pandemic, the rental market continues to feel the impact of the times more than any other sector in the real estate industry. While property sales have slowly picked up, and first-time homeowners are enjoying the advantages of a buyer’s market, empty rental properties continue to fill the market. With one […]
Before you buy or sell property this festive season
If you are thinking of buying or selling property during the Festive Season (which is again this year showing signs of living up to its reputation as a particularly busy time for the property market) don’t neglect the legal aspects. There are many pitfalls awaiting the unwary and rushing into anything without taking proper advice […]
Property Subsidence: New Law, Strict Liability and Ubuntu
It’s every homeowner’s nightmare – your property starts subsiding and as the tell-tale cracks in the living room widen alarmingly, it begins to dawn on you that your whole house is at risk of collapse. The cause must, you decide, be your neighbour’s excavations for a new house/garage/swimming pool. You approach said neighbour for a […]
Property: Green shoots, agent’s commission and Fidelity Fund Certificates
Dollar billionaire Andrew Carnegie said it a century ago, and it still rings true – wise property investment can be hard to beat when it comes to accumulating wealth. The exciting opportunity for buyers at the moment is of course the more attainable sale prices and the lower interest rates resulting from the pandemic and […]