# EAAB OFFICES HAVE RE-OPENED – 11 August 2020
The EAAB offices re-opened on Tuesday 11 August 2020…
BUYING PROPERTY SOLO – ADVICE WHEN INVESTING ON A SINGLE INCOME – 5 August 2020
Purchasing real estate on a single income may be perceived as impossible. However, Lightstone Property reports that single females make up the largest portion of real estate buyers in South Africa, out purchasing both their married and single male counterparts…
CREDITORS CAN LEAD TO THE SETTING ASIDE OF A PROPERTY PURCHASE – 7 August 2020
In a judgment that tells a story of intricate planning to disseminate a pension fund pay-out at a time when the recipient anticipated insolvency, the very real risks that arise are illustrated.
M AND ANOTHER V MURRAY AND OTHERS (251/2019) [2020] ZASCA 86 (9 JULY 2020)…
DON’T RISK THAT YOUR BUSINESS BECOMES THE NEXT EXPERIAN – 21 August 2020
South Africa’s largest data breach has now been contained, according to the Experian credit bureau. During 24 to 27 May this year, it had released the personal details – including identity numbers, telephone numbers, physical and e-mail addresses of more than 23 million individuals and nearly 800 000 businesses – to an individual, now the ‘fraudster’, who presented himself as authorised to have that information…
First-time buyers jump at opportunity to own property – 13 August 2020
According to recent research from home loan originator ooba, first-time home buyers increased by 12% in June, with the average age of buyers being 34…
FRUSTRATED PROPERTY INDUSTRY SAYS CAPE TOWN’S DEEDS OFFICE CLOSURE JUST A TIP OF THE ICEBERG – 12 August 2020
The Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, David Maynier recently called on the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform Thoko Didiza to urgently intervene in the repeated and unnecessary closure of the Cape Town Deeds Office…
Hot water generation – best solutions for SA commercial sector – 5 August 2020
The national building regulations specify that at least 50% of the annual hot water generation volume be provided by means other than electrical resistance heating elements. These regulations were implemented in 2011…
How being married in community of property impacts your debts as a couple – 8 August 2020
Understanding how your marriage contract will impact the management of your family’s finances is essential to a happy marriage and a secure financial future…
POPIA’s impact on the estate agent-property buyer relationship – 12 August 2020
Real estate players: As a responsible party you must also be POPIA compliant. You are also encouraged to include compliancy clauses in your service agreements with third-party vendors and should review all such existing contracts to ensure compliance…
Property investment – to sell or not to sell – 5 August 2020
Every investor will at some point be confronted with making a decision on whether or not to sell a long-term asset such as a property. This can sometimes be a challenging decision for an investor, more so for a novice investor, amid tough economic times…
Property Subsidence: New Law, Strict Liability and Ubuntu – August 2020
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…
Residential property: ‘Spec’ investors giving way to owner-occupiers – 11 August 2020
The current property market is displaying interesting new trends. One of the most welcome is that although the lower prices and even lower interest rates have created a real buyers’ market, quick in-and-out buyers are no longer nearly as evident as they were 12 to 24 months ago…
SINGLE WOMEN DOMINATE SOUTH AFRICA’S FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS MARKET – 25 August 2020
Women are the leading gender in the first-time home buyer market in South Africa. According to Hayley Ivins-Downes, this trend has held true between 2015 and 2020…
South Africa’s property sales highest in six years – where people are buying – 8 August 2020
While the market has picked up significantly and Seeff ended July with the highest sales in six years, buyers putting in low offers are left disappointed, says Samuel Seeff, chairman of the Seeff Property Group…
Spectacular ‘tiny homes’ are popping up all over South Africa – 5 August 2020
As the “tiny house” movement sweeps across the world, the demand for luxurious, small homes is also growing in South Africa…
Tapping into your property’s equity for an extra boost of funds – 18 August 2020
With the number of interest rate reductions this year, a home loan or ‘bond’ is starting to look like a really attractive option if you need to access a large amount of cash, and fast. We’re not talking about selling your home but rather accessing some of the equity in your property…
The ‘reprieve’ that is no reprieve – 20 August 2020
The Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB) announced on the 14th of February that 87 agents benefited from a special re-admittance practice note published in June last year. This is to accommodate agents who have not applied for renewal of their Fidelity Fund Certificates (FFC) for three years or more and allows them to pay the “debt” over 6, 12 or 16 months…
THE WESTERN CAPE KEEPS ‘MOST EXPENSIVE RENTAL PROVINCE’ THROUGH COVID-19 – 31 August 2020
The current data is a clear indicator of the effects of the national lockdown on rent levels, rental growth, and arrears in South Africa…
TRADING IN PROPERTY? THE SALE MUST BE ADVERTISED – 7 August 2020
Our law requires that when a trader sells any part of his business other than in the normal course, such trader must publish a notice of his intention to do so in order to protect creditors of the business.
HYDE CONSTRUCTION CC V K2013046547 (SOUTH AFRICA) (PTY) LTD AND OTHERS (9179/2019) [2020] ZAWCHC 31 (29 APRIL 2020)…
UNLOCKING THE CONCEPT OF WEALTH CREATION THROUGH PROPERTY INVESTMENT – 11 August 2020
There is a lack of education and information related to property investment in South Africa and it is essential to work towards unlocking this concept of wealth creation…
Warning issued to Joburg ratepayers and complex residents over levy payments – 28 August 2020
The City of Johannesburg has called on ratepayers who are financially distressed to approach it for payment arrangements or face being cut off…
What is a reasonable offer below the asking price of a property right now? – 9 August 2020
Looking to take advantage of the favourable property buying conditions and put in an offer to purchase, but not sure what would be a reasonable offer below asking price?…
What to look out for when property shopping for a home office – 19 August 2020
The traditional office space is fast becoming passé, with entrepreneurs the world over embracing remote work and distributed workforces especially during the Covid-19 pandemic…
What you need to know about tax if your job is commission-based – 9 August 2020
Commission earners who earn more than 50% of their total remuneration as commission income are not limited in the type of business expenses they can claim, as long as these are incurred in the production of their income and are not capital or personal in nature…
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A WILL? – 25 August 2020
Events which shape one’s life, such as marriage, the purchase of a property, the birth of a child, the death of a loved one, a divorce or emigration, all lead to a change in personal circumstances which may require the updating of your will…
You’ve been ‘blacklisted’ in South Africa – what now? – 22 August 2020
Many South Africans are experiencing some form of financial stress owing to the current financial climate. You may miss a credit card or loan repayment and when you try and open an account at your favourite clothing store or apply for a home loan, you may find out that you have been blacklisted…