Beware of buying a property sight unseen
Purchasing a property is challenging enough, but even more so if you find yourself in a position of not being able to view a property yourself before buying.
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Purchasing a property is challenging enough, but even more so if you find yourself in a position of not being able to view a property yourself before buying.
One of the first roadblocks prospective tenants face when looking for property to rent is the security deposit.
The big question when a divorce is pending and a house or other property is part of the settlement plans, is when does one become the owner of a fixed property in terms of a divorce settlement agreement.
The different living options for older people can be quite confusing. “It’s important to go in with your eyes open”, says Gavin O’Leary, property practitioner at Just Property Port Elizabeth and Lawrence Homan, franchisee in Margate, Berea and Pinetown and Westville.
A costly, time-consuming dispute over a security gate between a homeowner and the body corporate of his Cape Town complex highlights the importance of clear rules and compromise for harmonious community living, according to specialist sectional title attorney Marina Constas.
One of the most contentious stages of a lease period is when the lease is terminated, and discussions around the return of the deposit begin.
On 18 March 2022, the Minister of Human Settlements published draft regulations in terms of the Rental Housing Act for public comment.
With the PP Act and Regulations now in full force as of 1 February, property practitioner firms (business property practitioners or estate agencies, inclusive of sole proprietors) will not be able to apply for or renew their Fidelity Fund Certificates (FFCs) without submitting a valid BEE certificate.
Property practitioners have been caught unawares with the sudden increase in conveyancing fees that came into effect on 16 May 2022.
Property practitioners not only have to cope with wide ranging changes to their work environment ever since the new Act came into operation on 1 February this year but are also faced with the digitalisation of the industry.