immoafrica blog

Here’s our choice for Hot House of the Week. Provençal style home guarantees to entice its future owners from the very first moment they set eyes on it. Beautiful, harmonious landscaped garden and covered patio, offer copious space for spending relaxing hours outdoors. Tennis court and heated outdoor pool provide welcome refreshment for summer days.(more...)

Call your friends, chill the beer, boil potatoes and slice the cheese, it’s raclette time! If you love cheese as much as our French, German and Swiss friends do, the raclette is for you. Share cheese, meat, pickles and vegetables over dinner, as each person toasts and melts his own bite size portions, mixing up [...](more...)

Check list of needs and preferences Potential home buyers will often find that after looking at anything from eight to 12 properties they have become confused and unable to remember clearly what it was that appealed to them or was seen as a disadvantage in the homes they have visited, says Tony Clarke, Managing Director [...](more...)

Take care when using generators at home. Knowing that there’s not enough power to go around, South Africans have become used to electricity blackouts in the winter months, and many have bought portable generators to take up the slack and at least keep the lights and fridge on. But generators can be dangerous unless they’re [...](more...)

Be savvy when it comes to bond finance. A great deal of bond originators have recently released statistics showing that home loan grants have increased to 20% year on year. This is a definite indication of the property market picking up. Even though the grants have increased, the number of applications being declined has also [...](more...)

When it comes to home insurance, it pays to check if your home is over-insured in today’s market. Property owners, especially those who took out their insurance policies several years ago, should take the trouble to check whether they are not over-insured. “Many insurance companies,” said Bill Rawson of the Rawson Property Group, “routinely add [...](more...)

This wine farm is our pick for hot property of the week. Situated on the slopes of the majestic mountains surrounding the picturesque Blaauwklippen Valley in the world-renowned Stellenbosch wine region, this magnificent 28 Ha lifestyle wine estate offers peace, tranquillity and spectacular views.(more...)

Organize your garage… Admit it. Your garage could use a makeover. We know you have always wanted a clean garage. You’ve envisaged the random mess and clutter off the floor. Imagine crossing from one side to the other without running an obstacle course, not being embarrassed every time you open your garage door or being [...](more...)

I believe it must be a human innate thing. There’s no other explanation, I think, that tells how certain behaviours are simply self-destructive actions. It doesn’t matter whether we are talking about smoking, drinking, gambling, or the like. Let’s look at the real estate angle on this: homeowner behaviour. Especially now with the housing market [...](more...)

In 1894, Pierre de Coubertin proposed the Latin phrase Citius, Altius, Fortius, (Swifter, Higher, Stronger) to the Olympic Committee. It has served as its motto ever since. The Olympic Games brings together world-class athletes vying for medals, records are broken and new benchmarks established, as evidenced by the outstanding achievements of South Africa’s athletes. In [...](more...)

Are you ready for a new home? – Part 2 Recently we discussed the requirements of financing a new property. We covered the required documents necessary to purchase a property and how the financing process works. This month we touch on the property registration process. It frequently takes a lengthy time for a property to [...](more...)

Owned by Jane Solomon, Fabricnation was established in February 2007. To design and produce beautiful textiles inspired by a love of fabric and the African textile tradition. Fabricnation produces fabrics in a manner that is respectful to the environment and uses locally woven fabrics and manufacturers to assist in keeping the Western Cape, South African [...](more...)

Mortgage Glossary Nominal Interest Rate Or a Nominal Rate of Interest Refers to an interest rate that has not been adjusted for inflation. It is the stipulated interest rate in the home loan contract, which may differ from the true interest rate.(more...)

Trying to accommodate a growing family in a compact townhouse, flat or apartment can be a paramount challenge. Here are some tips to create space. Lighting is everything Flat overhead lighting makes your space seem smaller. Accessorise with separate light sources and lamps. Not only will this ‘stretch’ the corners of your room, it will [...](more...)

According to the latest FNB survey, holiday home buying growth remains low. In the 2nd quarter of 2012, the FNB Holiday Towns Average House Price Index showed mild growth of 3.8% year-on-year, which, while still very low, may suggest that holiday property market prices are stabilizing in nominal terms after a lengthy period of decline [...](more...)

Instead of reaching for toxic chemical products to control garden pests, go for the sensible option and spray your plants with natural remedies for bugs.(more...)

When a person dies, the Master of the High Court appoints a trustee to wind up their estate. This involves paying any outstanding debts, realising any assets and distributing them according to the instructions contained in the deceased person’s will. During this time, the trustee of a deceased estate with property in a sectional title [...](more...)

Nico van der Meulen Architects Nico Van Der Meulen is registered with the South African Council for the Architectural Profession as well as with the Institute of Architects in both personal capacity and as a corporate member. “We design buildings to suit our client’s taste: Personally we have a contemporary outlook, but as can be [...](more...)

In a recent Pharma Dynamics survey, conducted among more than 3,000 South Africans nationally between the ages of 15-50, over 62% said they live in constant fear of missing out (FOMO). Symptoms include jaw clenching (41%), the inability to put one’s cellphone down (30%), excessive SMSing (24%), compulsive sweating (18%) and even Tweeting when on [...](more...)

Cath Price started making work around an animal theme 7 years ago while studying at the Michaelis School of Fine Art. After completing her Master in Fine Degree she started making ceramics full time. The minimalist forms she produced at art school have now transformed into more realistic representations.(more...)