Prior to the pandemic, urbanisation was a key watchword, but since lockdown restrictions eased, there has been a spike in reverse migration; from inner cities to the suburbs and even further afield, however, not everyone looking to move out of the city wants to relocate as far away as traditional suburbia. “Although many people want a little more space and less congestion these days, for any number of...

Semigration is the hottest trend in the property market. According to Samuel Seeff, chairman of the Seeff Property Group migration and moving is part of any property market. He says while some are moving out of necessity for work, family or retirement, there is now a trend of people moving for better service delivery, security and lifestyle. This move is not always as drastic as to semigrate to the Cape...

South Africa’s largest letting group shares insights on the current rental market and advice for concerned landlords. In an inflationary environment with increasing interest rates, landlords are facing higher mortgage repayments. The spike in inflation (which, in June, reached its highest rate since May 2009) means that the cost of maintaining properties has increased too. At the same time, tenants’...

If you are looking to buy property that you would like to bequeath to heirs at a future date, establishing a trust is worth considering as it can give you greater control over what happens to the property when are no longer around. “Most of the time, people buy property as their primary residence with a view to upgrading – or downsizing – at a future date when finances and circumstances allow,...

Amidst a slowing economic recovery and rising interest rates, the residential rental market is proving to be surprisingly resilient, according to recent data released by TPN Credit Bureau. The TPN Residential Rental Market Monitor for the second quarter of 2022 reveals that residential rental tenants are paying their rentals despite facing economic challenges which are being exacerbated by load shedding...

When you put your home on the market, it’s important to ensure your it looks its very best and that everything is in working order but when it comes to performing major remodelling or home improvement projects, statistics show that you’re unlikely to recoup the costs, so careful consideration is needed. “If you’ve owned your home for five years or longer, or if you’ve been putting off maintenance...

Property has always been regarded as one of the most stable long-term investments, both in terms of market value appreciation and generating a reliable monthly cash flow, but success in the rental arena depends on numerous factors, one of which is understanding your market’s needs. And one of the decisions a landlord must make is whether to rent out a property furnished or unfurnished and, according to...

Before you decide to rent out your home or buy to let, there are some key things prospective landlords should consider, says Paul Stevens, CEO of Just Property. “Being a landlord does not stop when the lease is signed. It involves effort and commitment. Tenants need to be managed to ensure they abide by the terms of the lease and look after your investment, the property needs to be...

Homeowners and consumers are in for more belt-tightening as the interest rate rises for the sixth successive time with the Reserve Bank hiking the repo rate by another 75 bps to 6.25% (base home loan rate to 9.75%. This now effectively takes the interest rate back to the pre-pandemic level. Samuel Seeff, chairman of the Seeff Property Group, says while the hike was largely expected, stability is now vital...

Africa’s largest online student accommodation marketplace has reported a massive undersupply of suitable accommodation for the student market, particularly in cities including Durban, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth and Pretoria. Alexandria Procter from DigsConnect.com says that with the ongoing return to relative normality, students are back in the lecture halls, putting increased...